The Power Shifter, helping victims of abuse and trauma reclaim their voices and choices.
Begin your journey from trauma to transformation with Dana S. Diaz — Author, Speaker, Podcaster, Coach
Book Dana to Speak at Your Event
Remember who you were before the world convinced you to forget.
It's not about what broke you.
It's about the mindset that rebuilds you.
As someone who suffered decades of narcissistic abuse and domestic violence, I know that we often feel like our circumstances are unique; that no one else is going through what we are going through, and no one would believe us if we told them the truth. I also know that it’s not always safe or financially feasible to leave an abusive situation, so there is no judgment here. Just support, community and information.
So, I invite you to engage with all the resources provided herein, to find empowerment to heal, shift your mindset, and create a life around who you were always meant to be. 💕
Follow Dana’s personal journey through her memoir trilogy
Gasping for Air: The Stranglehold of Narcissistic Abuse
Dana’s best-selling debut memoir that tells the true story of her life with a narcissistic partner and the abuse she endured. Spanning from early red flags to the courage it took to finally escape, Gasping for Air pulls back the curtain on narcissistic abuse and lets survivors know they are understood. (“It’s not just vanity – narcissistic abuse is real, insidious, and it can happen to anyone,” Dana emphasizes in her story.)
Choking on Shame: The Scapegoat Child in a Narcissistic Family
The #1 New Release prequel to Gasping for Air, this upcoming memoir delves into Dana’s tumultuous childhood. It exposes how growing up with abuse and trauma set the stage for accepting toxic relationships later in life. Choking on Shame is a courageous look at the childhood wounds behind the shame – and how understanding those early injuries is key to breaking free.
Rising from the Ashes: Breaking the Cycle of Narcissistic Abuse
In the highly anticipated sequel, Dana shares the next chapter of her journey: healing, empowerment, and rebuilding a life of joy and purpose after abuse. Rising from the Ashes will inspire readers to break the cycle and emerge stronger than ever.
Want a PREVIEW before you commit?
Download the first two chapters of Gasping for Air – free
Get a powerful glimpse into Dana’s story of survival, awareness, and healing.
Who I Work With
Why Dana?
Survivor & Advocate: Dana isn’t just talking about overcoming narcissistic abuse – she’s lived it. With decades of firsthand experience, she speaks with authenticity and empathy about surviving narcissists, from a painful childhood to a toxic marriage.
Bestselling / Award-Winning Author: As the author of Gasping for Air: The Stranglehold of Narcissistic Abuse, Dana shines a light on the hidden realities of emotional and psychological abuse. Her memoir – inspired by her own life – became a #1 bestseller, validating countless readers and bringing awareness to covert abuse. trauma.
Inspirational Speaker: Dana has quickly become a sought-after speaker for conferences, corporations, and community groups. She has been featured on nearly 300 podcasts and media interviews worldwide, sharing her story and insights with audiences around the globe. Event organizers praise Dana’s warm, engaging style and actionable takeaways.
Empowering Educator: In addition to speaking, Dana is an abuse recovery coach and co-leads an online women’s healing workshop focused on recovering from childhood abuse. She provides practical tools and heart-centered guidance for rebuilding self-worth, setting healthy boundaries, and moving forward after trauma.
Healing from abuse is not a journey you have to take alone. Dana co-leads a transformative online workshop for women centered around recovering from narcissistic and childhood abuse.
The Real Obstacle
The issue isn’t talent, intelligence, or opportunity.
The biggest challenge faced by individuals
and teams
is internal:
self-limiting beliefs.
They crush confidence, block creativity, and keep people
playing it safe and small.
Why Dana
With certifications in Emotional and Positive Intelligence
Over two decades leading top sales teams and helping hundreds of people
Dana turns EQ into a powerful tool
for leadership, growth, and success.
The Power Shift
After hearing Tara speak, audiences don’t just leave inspired
they leave empowered.
They walk away with tools they can use right away to lead more
effectively, communicate with clarity,
and show up with confidence. Dana delivers relatable stories,
real-world strategies, and actionable
insights that stick.
A Speaker that inspires, creates and educates
Dana S. Diaz is the speaker that curates the Power Shift within through unflinching truth.
Deep down, you know there’s something bigger waiting for you.
You’ve got an amazing idea one that people need but you’re not sure how to take the first step.
With the right strategy and a coach who’s been there, you know you could build something powerful. You don’t want to waste time (or money) chasing methods that don’t work you want a proven path.
You’re ready to learn what it really takes to start and grow a successful business that lasts.
Looking for a Dynamic Expert Podcast Guest?
Dana S. Diaz is not only a powerful speaker—she’s also an exceptional podcast guest. With nearly 300 interviews to date, Dana brings clarity, compassion, and credibility to every conversation.
Whether you're producing a podcast on mental health, women's empowerment, trauma recovery, or relationships, Dana offers a voice that’s both authoritative and relatable.
Topics Dana can speak to:
How to recognize red flags and protect yourself from narcissists
Empowerment after abuse: mindset, healing, and growth
Healing from narcissistic abuse and toxic relationships
Covert emotional abuse and trauma bonds
Childhood trauma and family systems
Rebuilding self-worth and identity
How I Help
Coaching
Psychoeducation-based strategy sessions
Group Program
A personalized & powerful 10-week experience
Expert Contributor
Insights & tips from a therapist’s perspective
Keynote Speaker
Dynamic & Compassionate, encouraging & empowering
When People Give to Receive: How Glorification Disgraces Service
Perhaps it was my Catholic upbringing—which taught me to serve others with anonymity in order to retain humility in the eyes of the Lord—but I am very sensitive to the intentions with which people "give," particularly during the holidays.
In this age of social media, where visibility and mass exposure are available to everyone from soccer moms to celebrities, we are inundated with thousands upon thousands of eager attempts for immediate validation daily.
Although no one can refuse tapping a heart on a post of a young person doing a good deed, it's the pictures and videos that adults post of themselves engaging in charitable and generous work that makes me question their intention in giving.
Are they giving for validation? Or are they giving of pure heart and service?
You see, there's a difference.
Some people give and then ensure everyone they know is aware of what they've done. That, to me, is giving for selfish reason. It's what narcissistic personalities do to create a narrative about who they are, which is often a cover-up (a mask, so to speak) for their true nature, which they go to great efforts to hide.
That doesn't mean they're a bad person. At the very least, it's annoying when we see them being glorified for their seeming self-sacrifice on social media or witness their charity in volunteering at an event, knowing too well that it's all a ruse. But that doesn't mean they are a good person, either.
Then there are the people who "give" for approval. They're insecure. They've been made to believe they aren't worthy. So, they need the validation of their good deeds to know that they are better than what they were made to believe. They people-please for the praise, to know they are worth something to someone. Their giving nature is commendable, however their need to make their good deeds widely known for the sole purpose of egotistical fulfillment removes the purity of their service.
It's that personal gain people seek from bragging about or proclaiming their goodness that disgraces their charitable acts, in my opinion. It precludes the humility of giving, by tainting the virtue of it.
For, the true virtue in giving is in the anonymity of the giver, thereby glorifying the act instead of the actor.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not judging anyone for their intentions or nature. We all have our emotional baggage which shows up in every action, inaction, and reaction we have in every aspect of our lives. I am simply bringing awareness to the intentions behind giving, which aren't always what they seem to be from the outside.
So, when you see someone a little too eager to brag or show off their good deeds, look beyond the facade to find the truth. You might be surprised to see a greedy exploitation of humble service or a desperate soul who lacks self-worth.
As for their good service, we will all agree to be glad for it. Let's also all agree to be conscientious of why we give, whether it's to appease our insecurities, our ego, or to truly be of service to others in some capacity.
For, somewhere in that truth lies the opportunity to learn and grow, for ourselves and for others; and there is no better gift than that.🎁
➡️Read more about my personal experiences with narcissists who give for glorification in my third book, RISING FROM THE ASHES: BREAKING THE CYCLE OF NARCISSISTIC ABUSE. Available on Amazon, Audible, and Kindle.📚
What others are saying
TESTIMONIALS
A story of strength and overcoming fear and finding self worth! This book was very well written and demonstrated a story I have seen several friends and family go through. The isolation from family and friends, the verbal and physical abuse or even just belittling and loss of self worth. Seeing how the author over comes and find her strength. How after time, she had a great friend who was there waiting. Finding real love with a supportive and caring man and being willing to open up and take a chance to love. I hope many women read this and see it can be anyone and help loose the stereotype and blame, to find ways to prevent this from happening to friends and family or even themselves! A recommended read for all!
AMAZING!!! A MUST READ!!! I couldn’t put the book down! If I didn’t have to work or do life, I would’ve read this cover to cover without stopping. It’s such a well-written, beautifully horrifying story. Dana is honest, raw, and shares intimate details of her relationship that anyone can relate to who has been in a narcissistic relationship. She reminds us of the subtle signs of this behavior that are so easy to overlook and justify when you’re first in it - and then making it hard to leave years down the road -especially when there is a kid involved. I love that the chapters are song titles. There is so much creativity, brutal honesty, and even some humor in this book that make it an easy read. I recommend this book for everyone! Even if you haven’t been with a narcissist, it’s good to know the subtle signs of this behavior and often we encounter people like this in our lives at work and in other situations. I’m going to purchase more books and give them to the people I love that I know would benefit from reading them. Thank you, Dana for sharing your story with us!!
Riveting Truth Here! Dana Diaz is profoundly brave and on a mission in this lifetime. Her book, Gasping for Air took me on a ride that I could relate to through her honest portrayal of what it is like to walk through fire and come out in one piece. Diaz's tempo and pivotal truth-telling uncover realities in living we often hide behind, deny or become desensitized enough to think they are normal. She has stepped up repeatedly to take a ride through hellish hallways all to share with her readers the truth behind abuse and narcissism. Brava, Dana Diaz for dropping the curtain to unveil the cold and brutal truth of a system that is eating humanity from the inside out. And I can't wait for the prequel. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Definitely a MUST read!!! This book grasped my attention from the beginning and I couldn't put it down! Very well written, as it walks you through the experience of an abusive relationship and its toll on everyone involved. This book gave me an enlightened understanding of what victims go through when under the control of a narcissistic personality. Not only was this a great portrayal of how manipulation and control can affect a family, it also gives a heightened awareness as to how it weighs on an individual to the point of trauma induced health issues. Hopefully, this story will be helpful to others in similar situations. Great job Dana!
Very good read. Dana is a great author and knows how to grab the reader. Finished this book in only a few days and can’t wait for the next one!
A great read! I loved this book! Such an important and painful topic, written with such honesty and compassion. I couldn’t stop reading it and rooting for Dana! I have an adult daughter and will be giving her this book. I hope Dana’s well-written reflections of her experiences will help shed light on the warning signs of a relationship with a narcissist. The stories of helplessness, love, optimism and persistence should resonate with every woman of every age!
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