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It's time to
take the wheel.
From toxic relationship recovery to professional breakthroughs, SHIFTING GEARS gives you the power moves you need to create a life that reflects who you are—
not what you've survived.
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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 used to call myself 'broken.' This belief carried into every area of life—relationships, work, my sense of self.
What I came to realize is that none of us are ever 'broken'—we've just been conditioned to disconnect from ourselves.
But that's not who we are. It's who we had to be to survive.
Now that I've reclaimed my authentic self, I am sharing all the insight and information that helped me, to help YOU rebuild trust in yourself, set boundaries without guilt, and move through life with more clarity and confidence than ever before!💕
Follow Dana’s personal journey through her memoir trilogy
Gasping for Air: The Stranglehold of Narcissistic Abuse
Dana’s best-selling and award-winning 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 the very real and insidious nature of narcissistic abuse and shows victims that anyone can be lured into the complex lair of lies, deceit, and betrayal.
Choking on Shame: The Scapegoat Child in a Narcissistic Family
The prequel to Gasping for Air, which delves into Dana’s tumultuous childhood, exposes how growing up with abuse and trauma set the stage for accepting toxic relationships later in life. This #1 New Release is a courageous look at the childhood wounds behind the shame – and how understanding those early injuries is key to breaking free from the toxic cycles and generational trauma.
Rising from the Ashes: Breaking the Cycle of Narcissistic Abuse
In the final book of her memoir trilogy, Dana attempts to rebuild her life from the devastation of divorce and abuse. Facing rejection and opposition everywhere she turns, Dana is forced to confront the devastating reality of toxic family systems, and her own crippling beliefs in her unworthiness of love and acceptance. Through a journey of self-discovery, healing, and empowering revelations, Rising from the Ashes is a heart-wrenching and triumphant testament of one woman's persistence to emerge from the darkness of the past, 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, raw relatability, and actionable takeaways.
Empowering Identity Strategist: In addition to speaking, Dana offers self-guided and supported courses that provide practical tools and heart-centered guidance for rebuilding self-worth, setting healthy boundaries, and aligning time and energy towards the life you truly want and the version of yourself just waiting to live it.
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 disrupts what you believe and empowers you with the truth to excel!
Dana S. Diaz is the speaker that curates the Power 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 over 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, mindset or relationships, Dana offers a voice that’s both authoritative and relatable. The trauma made her funny, too!
Topics Dana can speak to:
How women are conditioned to disconnect from their authentic selves
How subconscious beliefs carry into every aspect of life
Narcissistic abuse and toxic relationships
Breaking patterns that sustain cycles
Childhood trauma and toxic family systems
Rebuilding self-worth and identity, especially under pressure
How I Help
Courses
Neuroscience-based programs designed to help you take back your life
Group Program
A personalized & powerful 6-week experience for those wanting results and support
Expert Contributor
Insights & tips from the perspective of someone with lived experience
Keynote Speaker
Dynamic & Compassionate, encouraging & empowering
Thanks, but no thanks: Setting boundaries to protect your peace this holiday season
85% of people experience high stress when their boundaries are violated, according to gitnux.orgYet, only 37% of people feel comfortable asserting their boundaries with family members.
What does that tell me?
Apparently, people are worried about the consequences of saying "no" to expectations, obligations, and to those who disrespect them.
As the assumed family caretakers, women are particularly prone to tolerate and even excuse disrespect in order to keep the overall peace. The additional expectation to put others' wants and needs over their own creates resentment that is often not expressed, primarily out of fear—of judgment, shame, and ridicule for being selfish.
So, when women experience boundary violations in their family, they tend to suppress their feelings about it. That stress festers inside of them, eventually manifesting into physical symptoms and illness.
That is what happened to me towards the end of my first marriage. The chronic stress, as doctors called it, of living in abusive circumstances, caused my body to produce astronomical levels of the stress hormone cortisol. My white blood cells went to eradicate the threat, but killed themselves off instead. As a result, I suffered various random autoimmune reactions and developed a rare lung syndrome that the neurologist likened to having COPD and Fibromyalgia altogether.
The anxiety and depression I experienced as symptoms are prevalent in anyone enduring increased levels of stress. The incidence of anxiety and depression in the United States alone is proof enough that people are too often allowing others to disrespect them, by not setting proper boundaries.
Sadly, 1 person takes their life every 40 seconds as a result of the sadness weighing on their hearts.
It doesn't have to be this way, though. People CAN choose to assert themselves. We CAN choose to set boundaries with anyone who disrespects us, even if they are biologically related. Yet, we so often tell ourselves that we "can't" or "shouldn't."
Biological relations do not imply a social obligation to tolerate disrespect.
You read that right. NOBODY has the right to violate your boundaries without your consent. I would even argue that anyone who truly cares about you in the least would not intentionally disrespect you.
What, really, are you preserving by not honoring yourSELF, anyway?
😔Relationships with toxic relatives who demean and diminish your sense of yourself and your right to live your life on your terms?
😔Are those relationships really worth saving at the cost of your own disrespect?
😬And is your health worth the price of suppressing your rightful feelings for the sake of someone else's egotistical need to make you feel inadequate or inferior?
I know the people-pleaser in you is saying, "But . . ." But nothing.
You have a choice. You can choose to tolerate disrespect or choose to respect yourself more.💖
You have a right to your feelings. You also have the right to decide what's best for you and what's not, regardless of whatever expectations people have of you.
✨Additionally, you have the right to honor yourself without explaining why.✨
What is most important is your peace of mind, and you won't have that if you dishonor yourself because that opens the door for others to follow suit.
So, give yourself permission to say "no" to whatever or WHOever disturbs your peace. Because people will treat you the way you treat yourself; and there's no time like the present to set the expectation for how you deserve to be treated.
➡️For more on breaking free from expectations and dissociation from family, particularly during special occasions and holidays, check out the long-awaited sequel to my best-selling and award-winning debut memoir. RISING FROM THE ASHES: Breaking the Cycle of Narcissistic Abuse is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible.
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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