Spotting the psychopaths, sadists and narcissists in our lives and how to get rid of them

In this episode of Conversations, host Richard Feidler speaks with Dr. Leanne Tenbrink, a Canadian research psychologist and author of 'Poisonous People: Psychopathy, Narcissism, Manipulation, Sadism. How to Resist Them and Improve Your Life.' The discussion delves into the psychology of dark personality types—psychopaths, narcissists, and sadists—exploring their traits, behaviors, and the profound impact they can have in workplaces, relationships, and even politics. Tenbrink shares personal insights from her early exposure to psychopathy in a forensic psychology program, including a chilling encounter with a sex offender who targeted her during therapy. She debunks myths about detecting lies—such as eye contact or fidgeting—and instead emphasizes verbal cues, like lack of detail in stories, and subtle facial expressions, such as forced eyebrow movements, as more reliable indicators. The episode reveals that while psychopaths are often seen as dangerous outliers, their influence is amplified by systems that reward dominance and risk-taking, and that even 'normal' people can become 'situational psychopaths' under conditions of anonymity or group conflict. Tenbrink offers practical strategies for protecting oneself, including setting firm boundaries, avoiding promotion of dark personalities to leadership, using rewards over punishment, verifying claims, and shifting negotiations to text to reduce manipulation. She concludes with a hopeful message: while a small percentage of people exhibit extreme dark traits, the majority remain kind and ethical, and recognizing and containing the few harmful individuals can dramatically improve society.