Go Help Yourself: A Comedy Self-Help Podcast to Make Life Suck Less · Misty Stinnett & Lisa Linke

Outsmarting Egomaniacs: How to Respond to Narcissists and Master Manipulators with Carla Litto, LMFT

·1 hr 5 min

Host Misty Stinnett opens by introducing Carla Lito as the guest and setting up a conversation about narcissism and manipulation. Lito is presented as a licensed marriage and family therapist with two master's degrees in psychology and a successful private practice in Los Angeles, California, and the episode leans on her tell-it-like-it-is reputation. Misty frames the show as a place to read and review self-help books, but this conversation stretches into articles, thought-provoking questions, and practical examples. The mood is playful, but the topic stays serious. Carla explains that manipulation often hides behind polished self-presentation, so the first problem is not always obvious cruelty but performance. When the discussion turns to apologies, she says a manipulator usually cannot offer a clean one; the apology tends to come wrapped in image-saving language, excuses, or a quick pivot back to why they were justified. That pattern matters because it keeps the other person from getting a real moment of accountability. Misty presses on how someone can tell the difference between a bad moment and a deeper pattern. Carla answers that you cannot tell for sure if someone is a narcissist right away, but you can notice whether their behavior leans egocentric and self-protective. The episode then shifts toward dating, where these signals are easiest to miss because chemistry can blur the edges. One of the clearest warning signs she names is a person who talks almost entirely about themselves. Instead of showing curiosity, they audition for admiration. They list accomplishments, narrate their own greatness, and spend the whole exchange trying to convince you they are special. Misty and Carla treat that not as confidence but as a red flag. The conversation keeps returning to how narcissists and egomaniacs manage image before they manage connection. Their words may sound polished, but the structure of the interaction gives them away. The episode is strongest when it turns that idea into concrete listening advice. It invites the audience to track what a person does with attention, not just what they claim about themselves. The result is funny, sharp, and useful without pretending that manipulation is a puzzle with one easy answer. By the end, the listener has a clearer sense of the difference between charm, performance, and actual accountability.

As heard by us

A funny, practical look at manipulation, image-saving apologies, and early narcissism warning signs.

Carla Lito's licensed-therapist background gives the episode real weight, and Misty Stinnett keeps it grounded in behavior people can actually spot: self-focused talk, apologies built to save face, and the habit of making someone feel unusually chosen.

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Why you'd press play

You want a comedy self-help episode that helps you spot narcissistic behavior before you waste time on it.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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