Book excerpt: The world is full of toxic people. You don’t have to put up with them. Outsmarting Egomaniacs is the self-help book for people who want to protect themselves from getting bullied, abused, and manipulated in relationships. The scams, cons, cults, and shady situations we watch on TV are happening in real life every day, damaging far too many innocent people. Carla Litto, marriage and family therapist in Los Angeles specializing in relationship issues, specifically Narcissistic Personality Disorder and emotional abuse recovery, breaks down the manipulation tactics that predatory individuals use to confuse you and abuse you. Laugh-out-loud funny and full of insights and strategies, Outsmarting Egomaniacs will help you— • Identify the different types of manipulators in your life • Recognize the manipulation tactics they are using on you • Protect yourself—with strategies and comebacks—from getting manipulated Learn from this witty professional’s unfiltered take on the psychology behind narcissists, con-artists, and every other specific type of egomaniac you can imagine. You’ll understand what got you stuck in relationships or relational patterns with egomaniacs, how to get unstuck, and how to recognize new egomaniacs coming from a mile away.