Card Category
Support Systems & Moving Forward
Card Number
This is card 49 of 52 of the Surviving Narcissism Card Deck
Card Overview
When recovering from narcissistic abuse, one of the most challenging beliefs to hold onto is that healthy relationships exist. After the manipulation, gaslighting, and isolation inflicted by a narcissist, trusting others and opening yourself up to genuine connection can feel impossible. Yet, this card reminds us that building meaningful, healthy relationships is not only possible but essential for your healing journey.
This post is part of the Surviving Narcissism Card Deck series, specifically Card 49 out of 52.
If you haven’t yet, you can get the full Surviving Narcissism Card Deck here – each card dives deep into the various manipulations and healing strategies to guide your recovery.
Table Of Contents
Why Believing in Healthy Relationships Is Hard After Narcissistic Abuse
Narcissists are masters at warping reality and eroding your sense of trust.
They isolate you from your support systems, gaslight you into doubting your perceptions, and use tactics like Triangulation (Card 2) to keep you off balance. After years of this behaviour, it’s no surprise that many survivors struggle to believe in the possibility of healthy relationships.
In fact, by the time many of us manage to break free, the emotional damage can feel irreparable. We might find it hard to trust our own instincts, let alone other people. However, part of moving forward is realising that the problem wasn’t you—it was the toxic person controlling you. You are capable of building and nurturing healthy relationships; you just need to surround yourself with the right kind of people.
Recognising the Signs of a Healthy Relationship
As you begin to reconnect with the world, it’s essential to understand what a healthy relationship looks and feels like. This may seem foreign if you’ve spent years in a toxic dynamic, but here are some key signs:
Mutual Respect: In healthy relationships, both parties respect each other’s boundaries, thoughts, and opinions. Respect fosters trust and creates a space where you can be vulnerable without fear of being manipulated or criticised. This is a far cry from the narcissist’s need for control and superiority, which often manifests in Blame Shifting (Card 6) or Gaslighting (Card 1).
Healthy Communication: Open and honest communication is vital. In contrast to the narcissist’s manipulative tactics, healthy communication allows both parties to express feelings without fear of retribution. There is no Silent Treatment (Card 4) or Flying Monkeys (Card 8) spreading rumours behind your back.
Emotional Safety: You should feel emotionally safe in a healthy relationship. That means you can share your thoughts, feelings, and vulnerabilities without fearing they’ll be used against you. This emotional safety is the opposite of the narcissist’s Inconsistent Behaviour (Card 36) and No Accountability (Card 35).
Rebuilding Trust After Narcissistic Abuse
It’s natural to feel wary of others after enduring narcissistic manipulation, but building healthy relationships is possible. The key is to start slowly, setting boundaries and trusting your intuition along the way. Trust doesn’t need to be given immediately; it can be earned through small, consistent actions.
One powerful tool for rebuilding trust in yourself and others is journaling, as mentioned in Journal Your Journey (Card 22). Writing down your feelings, fears, and interactions with new people can help you process experiences more clearly, allowing you to discern who is trustworthy and who is not.
Moreover, Rebuild Trust in Yourself (Card 17) is critical because your inner compass may have been damaged by years of manipulation. Start by recognising small moments when you’ve listened to your intuition and it’s served you well. Over time, these small victories will rebuild your confidence in your ability to judge character and intentions.
5 Tools (Card Decks) to Aid Your Healing Journey
There are practical tools that can support your healing journey. Yoga, breathing techniques, and other mindfulness practices help reconnect you with your body and ground your emotions, which is especially important after narcissistic abuse.
Blissful Breathing Card Deck: This deck offers breathing exercises that can help calm the nervous system and restore a sense of peace. Use these cards to manage anxiety and stress, which are common after emotional trauma.
Chair Yoga Card Deck: Designed for individuals of all levels, this deck provides gentle yoga exercises that you can do from a chair. Yoga is an excellent way to reconnect with your body after the disconnection often caused by narcissistic relationships.
Face Yoga Card Deck: This unique deck focuses on facial exercises to release tension held in the face and neck. This is a great tool to release the physical manifestations of stress.
101 Mini Yoga Cards: These mini cards offer short yoga sequences that fit into any schedule, perfect for integrating moments of mindfulness throughout your day.
Joseph Pilates Card Deck: Inspired by the teachings of Joseph Pilates, this deck promotes body alignment and core strength. It’s a fantastic way to physically strengthen yourself while rebuilding emotional resilience.
Healthy Relationships Require Support Systems
Building a network of positive, supportive people is one of the best ways to move forward. Support systems can take many forms, including friends, family, therapists, and support groups. These people can offer perspective, encouragement, and emotional security—everything that was lacking in your relationship with a narcissist.
In fact, Find Your Tribe (Card 47) is crucial as you begin to let go of toxic people and replace them with a strong, supportive network. Your tribe will remind you that you are not alone and that healthy relationships exist, even when it feels like the world is against you. Whether it’s reconnecting with old friends or joining a new community, you deserve to be surrounded by people who lift you up.
Support systems are also vital for accountability, especially in moments when self-doubt creeps in, or you’re tempted to return to unhealthy patterns. Lean on them when you need guidance, a listening ear, or just someone to remind you of your worth.
Moving Forward: How to Trust Again
Trusting again after narcissistic abuse doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s a necessary step to healing. While it’s crucial to protect yourself, it’s also important not to isolate completely, as this can perpetuate the trauma of the past.
One strategy to ease into new relationships is by setting boundaries early on. As outlined in Set Clear Boundaries (Card 12), having clear, firm boundaries helps protect you from further harm while giving new relationships the space to grow healthily. Remember, boundaries are not just about keeping people out—they’re also about protecting your peace and creating a safe environment where trust can flourish.
Over time, you’ll learn to recognise the warning signs of toxic relationships, whether it’s Inconsistent Behaviour (Card 36) or a Lack of Empathy (Card 31). These red flags will become easier to identify, and as a result, you’ll feel more confident in choosing who to let into your life.
Conclusion: Healthy Relationships Are Possible
Below are some healing resources (card decks) I’ve created that may help you on your healing journey:
- Surviving Narcissism Card Deck
- Blissful Breathing Card Deck
- Chair Yoga Card Deck
- 101 Mini Yoga Cards
- Pilates Matwork Card Deck
Healthy Relationships Exist (Card 49) is a reminder that no matter how much damage narcissistic abuse has caused, you can still form genuine, nurturing connections with others. These relationships will provide emotional safety, mutual respect, and true support, all the things narcissists strip away.
With the guidance of the Surviving Narcissism Card Deck, and the supportive strategies offered in previous cards like Visualise Your Future (Card 42) and Find Your Tribe (Card 47), you can move forward into a new chapter of your life, one where trust, respect, and genuine love can thrive.
If you want to explore these and other strategies in-depth, I encourage you to check out the Surviving Narcissism Card Deck for guidance on your journey.
Here’s a look at the full deck:
Narcissist Mind Games (10 Cards)
- Gaslighting
- Triangulation
- Love-Bombing
- Silent Treatment
- Projection
- Blame Shifting
- Future Faking
- Flying Monkeys
- Smear Campaigns
- Hoovering
Self-Care & Boundaries (10 Cards)
- Reclaim Your Time
- Set Clear Boundaries
- No Is a Complete Sentence
- Limit Contact
- Practice Mindfulness
- Healthy Detachment
- Rebuild Trust in Yourself
- Self-Compassion
- Guard Your Energy
- Disconnect Digitally
Healing from Trauma (10 Cards)
- Acknowledge the Pain
- Journal Your Journey
- Practice Gratitude
- Release the Guilt
- Therapy Is Strength
- Feel to Heal
- Reconnect with Your Body
- Affirm Your Worth
- Focus on the Present
- Time Heals
Recognising Red Flags (8 Cards)
- Lack of Empathy
- Extreme Charm
- Need for Control
- Quick Intimacy
- No Accountability
- Inconsistent Behaviour
- Lack of Boundaries
- Isolating You
Empowerment & Rebuilding (8 Cards)
- Reclaim Your Power
- Find Your Voice
- Celebrate Small Wins
- Visualise Your Future
- Rebuild Your Identity
- Surround Yourself with Positivity
- Redefine Your Worth
- Embrace Freedom
Support Systems & Moving Forward (6 Cards)
- Find Your Tribe
- Share Your Story
- Healthy Relationships Exist
- No Contact Is Power
- Stay Educated
- Forgive Yourself First
Click here to explore the Surviving Narcissism Card Deck in full and take the first step in your healing journey.
By George Watts
