It’s All Your Fault: High Conflict People
TruStory FM
Hosted by Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq. and Megan Hunter, MBA, It’s All Your Fault! High Conflict People explores the five types of people who can ruin your life—people with high conflict personalities and how they weave themselves into our lives in romance, at work, next door, at school, places of worship, and just about everywhere, causing chaos, exhaustion, and dread for everyone else.
They are the most difficult of difficult people — some would say they’re toxic. Without them, tv shows, movies, and the news would be boring, but who wants to live that way in your own life!
Have you ever wanted to know what drives them to act this way?
In the It’s All Your Fault podcast, we’ll take you behind the scenes to understand what’s happening in the brain and illuminates why we pick HCPs as life partners, why we hire them, and how we can handle interactions and relationships with them. We break down everything you ever wanted to know about people with the 5 high conflict personality types: narcissistic, borderline, histrionic, antisocial/sociopath, and paranoid.
And we’ll give you tips on how to spot them and how to deal with them.
They are the most difficult of difficult people — some would say they’re toxic. Without them, tv shows, movies, and the news would be boring, but who wants to live that way in your own life!
Have you ever wanted to know what drives them to act this way?
In the It’s All Your Fault podcast, we’ll take you behind the scenes to understand what’s happening in the brain and illuminates why we pick HCPs as life partners, why we hire them, and how we can handle interactions and relationships with them. We break down everything you ever wanted to know about people with the 5 high conflict personality types: narcissistic, borderline, histrionic, antisocial/sociopath, and paranoid.
And we’ll give you tips on how to spot them and how to deal with them.
Episodes
Mentioned books
24 snips
May 7, 2026 • 29min
When No One Believes You About High Conflict
They unpack why people with high-conflict traits often seem calm and persuasive while those they target appear reactive and disbelieved. The conversation highlights common mistakes when presenting concerns to lawyers, HR, or courts. Practical framing tips are offered for making complaints stick and for repairing after emotional venting.
17 snips
Apr 30, 2026 • 32min
When Addiction Meets Custody: Building a Plan That Holds, Part 2
They explore how addiction plus high-conflict behavior sabotages custody arrangements. They explain why vague parenting plans get weaponized and why iron-clad specificity matters. They cover relapse protocols, built-in consequences, and objective safety safeguards for young children. They recommend which professionals to involve and how to avoid biased assessments.
8 snips
Apr 23, 2026 • 36min
When Addiction and Antisocial Behavior Collide in Custody
They explore custody challenges when addiction and long-term deception overlap with antisocial traits. The conversation covers spotting patterns of deceit and risky behavior. Practical court strategies are discussed, including relapse clauses, monitoring tools, and tailored parenting plans. They also weigh supervised contact and when stricter restrictions might be needed.
Apr 16, 2026 • 33min
Why Your Child Absorbs Your Emotions
Neuroscience explains how kids soak up parental feelings through mirror neurons and the amygdala. Conversation covers why children lack emotion regulation and how that can build resistance to a parent. Practical topics include keeping schedules steady, teaching four core life skills, naming feelings aloud, and assigning emotional responsibility to adults to protect kids.
10 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 29min
Passive Aggressive Behavior: Is It High Conflict?
They unpack passive aggressive behavior as aggression with built-in deniability. They explain how it shows up at home and in the workplace with real examples. They cover ways to confront it, enforce consequences, and withdraw support when patterns persist. They also explore when avoidance masks fear and how to stay confident and emotionally unshaken.
Mar 12, 2026 • 31min
Conflict Creators: Why Drama Gets Into Our Heads
They investigate why conflict-driven personalities and secret-reveal promises hook our brains. They explore how drama, negativity, and belonging fuel ongoing attention. They unpack persuasive delivery, negative advocates, and community reinforcement. They suggest strategies like testing multiple theories, checking sources, and cautious use of AI to challenge beliefs.
Mar 5, 2026 • 40min
High Conflict Behavior at Work Part 2 with Michael Lomax
Michael Lomax, a workplace dispute resolution practitioner and senior trainer, shares practical leadership tools for handling disruptive behavior. He explains BIFF for written responses. He outlines ways to redirect derailers in meetings. He describes using EAR to manage chronic complainers and what builds a conflict-competent culture.
Feb 26, 2026 • 39min
High Conflict Behavior at Work with Michael Lomax
Michael Lomax, a workplace mediator with 25+ years resolving disputes, explains why high conflict behavior is rising at work. He discusses how trauma and stress show up, why leaders get emotionally hooked, and practical moves like the "calm before think" strategy, handling inflammatory team emails, and when one conversation won’t fix recurring patterns.
9 snips
Feb 19, 2026 • 34min
Setting Boundaries in High Conflict Situations
Practical answers to setting firm visiting schedules and consequences with intrusive neighbors. Ways to soften limits using empathy for sensitive people. How to document hostile co-parent messages and use brief, informative replies. Strategies for protecting yourself at work and with adult children while offering help and enforcing deadlines.
10 snips
Feb 12, 2026 • 36min
Can High Conflict Relationships Ever Become Truly Mutual? Setting Realistic Expectations and Boundaries
They debate whether communication skills and boundary setting can turn one-sided, high-conflict relationships into truly mutual partnerships. They explore why one person often does all the work and how personality patterns limit change. Practical options like targeted therapy, realistic expectations, SLIC limits-plus-consequences, and when to consider staying or leaving are highlighted.
