Swimming with Sharks

As a psychotherapist and Licensed Professional Counselor, Alena Scigliano is one of very few formally trained mental health professionals who specializes in narcissistic abuse. In her private group practice, she provides loving and compassionate psychotherapy to those who are searching for healing from relationships with pathologically narcissistic partners, family members, friends, coworkers, bosses, pastors, and others. In addition, she supports other mental health professionals and organizations through narcissistic abuse education, training, and consultation. Alena's personal mission is to inspire others to live with love, joy, compassion, and kindness by empowering them to choose love over fear in every facet of their life. As the founder and CEO of a multistate group practice , she has built a team of psychotherapists who are dedicated to improving the lives of hundreds of people every month. Passionate about innovating the business of counseling, Alena offered teletherapy long before COVID, and has developed innovative forms of therapy such as "Beach & Talk Therapy" and "Indoor Walk & Talk Therapy." Alena also provides consultation to other group practice owners in order to help them improve the systems and processes operating their businesses. Alena's mental health career was inspired by the powerful changes her own counseling journey made in her life. Therapy helped her learn that even though she and her parents shared a loving relationship, she didn't have the power to stop their alcoholabuse. In addition, it helped her let go of a lifetime of learned fear and anxiety in order to raise her own children in a much healthier environment based on love, joy, and patience. Alena enjoys sharing the difference that unschooling (an unstructured and self-directed type of homeschooling) made in her children's education and their journeys to discovering their individual selves. She passionately advocates for allowing children to hold onto their innate love of learning by embracing their individual learning styles and believes that we succeed as parents if our children know how to learn, grow up feeling loved and accepted, and know how to love, accept, and show compassion toward theirselves and others.

"We don't expect sharks to change their nature, so why do we hope narcissists will change theirs?"Pathological narcissists make up a far greater percentage of the population than people realize and leave those in their wake questioning . . ."What makes someone a narcissist?""Why do I seem to be a narcissist magnet?""How can I survive staying with a narcissist?""Why do narcissists hurt and manipulate others?""How do I deal with their manipulative behavior?""Can narcissists change?""What do I do now?"Relatable, easy-to-read, and written for any gender or type of relationship, Swimming with Sharks: Surviving Narcissist-Infested Waters presents unique ideas and inspiring messages that will empower you when facing narcissistic abuse. In addition to answering the questions above, Swimming with Sharks will help you:Protect yourself using the Shark Detector-Alena's curated list of red flags to assist you in detecting and avoiding relationships with narcissists in the future.Understand what you do and do not have control over.Determine whether or not you have the symptoms of Narcissistic Abuse Stress.Work through the shame all survivor-victims of narcissistic abuse experience.Learn how to heal from narcissistic abuse through Alena's Seven Stages of Soul-Mending.Embrace moments of growth utilizing the companion Swimming with Sharks Growth Book.Feel validated.Feel worthy again!And much more.A licensed psychotherapist and sought-after narcissistic abuse expert, Alena has cultivated a wealth of knowledge working with survivor-victims of narcissistic abuse since 2013. She draws on her experience and expertise to increase public awareness of narcissistic abuse by leveraging the power of social media, training other mental health professionals, and engaging in speaking opportunities on the subject. Alena is also the founder and CEO of Coastal Light Counseling, a multistate private group practice employing counselors and psychologists across the US who inspire healing through loving and compassionate psychotherapy.