Did you know that intentionally tolerating anxiety can help you make clearer decisions, and even find moments of joy, during an unwanted estrangement from your adult child(ren)?

In this useful episode, Reconnection Club host Tina Gilbertson talks about the importance (and practicality) of tolerating anxiety when facing estrangement from adult children.

Tina explains how anxiety comes from our own thoughts and feelings, not just from what happens to us. She shares five practical steps to help parents manage anxiety so it doesn't influence important decisions during estrangement.

You'll hear why it's helpful to separate the urge to soothe anxiety from the desire to reconnect with your estranged adult child(ren). In a nutshell, contacting them out of anxiety can lead to regret.

That's why Tina encourages parents to focus on calming their anxiety first, through both top-down and bottom-up techniques that help them relax.

By managing anxiety, rejected parents can think more clearly and make better choices about how to respond -- rather than react -- to their adult children's estrangement.

Finally, Tina reminds listeners that there will be times when they feel calm, and it's important to use those moments to learn, plan, and even enjoy life.

For evidence-based information and tools to repair your relationship with your estranged adult child(ren), read Tina's book, Reconnecting With Your Estranged Adult Child.

Club members can discuss this and every episode in the General Discussion forum inside the Reconnection Club. Not a member yet? Learn more and join.

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EPISODE LINKS:

https://directory.traumahealing.org https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/whatispolyvagaltheory https://hakomiinstitute.com/about/what-is-hakomi

Reconnection Club Podcast Ep. 144: What's Your Strategy? [https://reconnectionclub.com/144]

Reconnection Club Podcast Ep. 97: The Road Map to Reconnection, Part 1 [https://reconnectionclub.com/97]

Constructive Wallowing: How to Beat Bad Feelings By Letting Yourself Have Them [ https://amzn.to/2Zbc0S2 ]

Reconnection Club Podcast Ep. 69: It's OK to Enjoy Yourself During Estrangement [https://reconnectionclub.com/69]