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Yael Melamed, MBA MFT, LMFT
Yael Melamed is a Leadership Coach and Psychotherapist who helps people cultivate resilience, navigate complexity, and thrive beyond survival. Drawing on advanced psychology training, as well as her own textured journey, Yael brings rare emotional and strategic range to her work—blending clinical insight with sharp worldliness.
Alongside her clinical psychotherapy practice, she works with teams to foster psychological safety, emotional intelligence, and feedback-rich cultures. A growing focus of her work is healing the impact of narcissism and sociopathy—at the personal, organizational, and societal level—and guiding clients toward greater authenticity, empathy, and grounded power.
Yael holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MA in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, and is a licensed LMFT (CA #79282). She’s been featured in Harvard Business Review’s FOMO Sapiens, Thrive Global, and RadioMD, and recently spoke at the United Nations on the future of humanity and AI.
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Description:
A series of case vignettes will illustrate how stealth disorders such as narcissism and sociopathy can remain hidden even to experienced clinicians. Participants will observe how these covert traits often evade detection in therapy, court, and mediation settings, leading to misdiagnosis and reinforcement of abusive behaviors. By analyzing real-time interactions, attendees will learn to identify signs of these disorders, even when they are not obvious, and understand the importance of careful assessment to prevent further victimization.
Main Point 1: Participants will learn to identify four covert behaviors associated with narcissism and sociopathy, including subtle cues and patterns. The discussion will clarify the overlap between narcissistic and sociopathic traits, emphasizing that they are not the same and that many clinicians mistakenly conflate the two. This misunderstanding can lead to ineffective interventions. Attendees will explore how to differentiate narcissistic behaviors from sociopathic traits accurately, enabling them to manage each effectively.
Main Point 2: The audience will examine how victimization by these personalities is often misunderstood and pathologized, increasing trauma for victims. They will explore how to adopt an informed, compassionate approach that validates victims’ experiences while avoiding further blame or misdiagnosis.
Main Point 3: The audience will analyze intervention strategies for working with victims and clients affected by these personalities, including how to set boundaries, manage their own reactions, and prevent harm. They will learn concrete methods for navigating complex cases where these disorders are present but hidden, emphasizing that while these personalities are often resistant to treatment, their behaviors can be effectively managed through informed approaches and skillful management.
Educational Goals:
Objectives of Presentation:
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to:
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