Welcome To The Butterfly Project!

Narcissistic abuse is a common but seldom discussed problem in society today.  A person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, or NPD, perpetuates an especially vicious form of abuse upon their victim.  Narcissists are incredibly self-serving people who will not hesitate to use and abuse anyone for their personal gain or to uphold the image they have created of themselves.  Even their spouse or children are not off limits.

Narcissists present a false image to the world that they are good people, but behind closed doors with those closest to them, they are extremely abusive.  As a result, many people do not believe the victim.  Instead, people (often including the victim’s own family) often believe the narcissist’s false image while they reject and invalidate the victim.  Many people suffer in silence, because it is easier than facing this rejection.  Not only have I experienced it myself, but as an author whose primary topic involves writing about recovering from narcissistic abuse, I see this often. 

The Butterfly Project was created to offer comfort to these wounded, hurting people and also to help raise awareness of the current epidemic of narcissistic abuse.

The Butterfly Project was created in the summer of 2015.  It was going to be simple but pretty origami butterflies, sent via postal mail to anyone who requested one.  Or, interested people could learn to make their own by watching my tutorial on YouTube.  Butterflies are a lovely symbol of rebirth and change, so they seemed to me to be the perfect reminder for victims of narcissistic abuse that they can learn that their scars do not make them any less beautiful.

Then one day in the autumn of 2015, I noticed a butterfly on a plant outside of my living room window.  The butterfly was a stunning tiger swallowtail, but his wings were very damaged.  I immediately thought of how this reminds me of those affected by narcissistic abuse.  Damaged, but still perservering and no less beautiful.

I have used butterflies on book covers for a while as a symbol of surviving narcissistic abuse, because the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly reminds me of 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].” (AMP).  However, the injured one seemed even more appropriate.  No one escapes narcissistic abuse unscathed.  All of us who have been through narcissistic abuse are wounded in some ways like the butterfly outside my window.  Yet we still perservere, and our wounds make us no less beautiful or valuable.

After some time passed, I thought it would be a good idea not only to provide butterflies to anyone who requests one, but also to leave them in public places, to be found by those in need of a little comfort and inspiration.  I hope that even those who find the butterflies but have not been abused will learn about narcissistic abuse and offer support to its victims.  Each butterfly is prayed over, asking God to bless, help and heal the recipient however needed.

Being only one person though, my prayer is more people will join me in making the butterflies and leaving them in public places to bless other people.

For further information on NPD, please visit my author website. Or, look up The Butterfly Project on Facebook at:  www.facebook.com/TheButterflyProjectMD

If you have any questions or comments, you are welcome to contact me by emailing me at CynthiaBaileyRug@aol.com