Narcissism is everywhere in today’s conversation. Labeled, analyzed, and often condemned. But what if it isn’t simply dysfunction… what if it’s protection? What if the traits we judge most harshly were once necessary for survival? And when we look at powerful figures like Donald Trump, are we seeing pathology... or the long shadow of early adaptation? In this episode of the Align Podcast, Dr. Gabor Maté unpacks how childhood experiences shape identity, behavior, and health, revealing how trauma lives in the body and drives much of what we call personality. This conversation opens a deeper lens on healing, connection, and what it really means to come back to yourself. EPISODE #586 IS SPONSORED BY: