Whitney talks about accountability in parent-child relationships:
children should not be held accountable for their actions in the same way as adults
there is a power differential between parents and children which continues into adulthood
parents need to to consider how their actions would have felt to their child at the time

 And Whitney's first questions from her voicemail (866-CALL HOME):
dealing with anxiety over running into estranged family members
supporting a spouse who is hesitant to reconcile with their parents
  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Accountability, Boundaries, and That Person You Don't Want To See

Whitney Goodman is a licensed marriage and family therapist and author on a mission to help adult family members have better relationships. Each week, Whitney has conversations with influential guests and real people to help listeners find new ways of looking at old family problems.
Calling Home is available every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Education

Training

Language Courses

Higher Education

K-12

Educational Technology

Relationships

Health & Fitness

Mental Health

Self-Improvement

This week our listener questions deal with navigating difficult family dynamics during holidays and events. The first caller struggles with an estranged family and feels isolated during celebrations. The second caller cut off their alcoholic mother for safety reasons, but struggles with her presence at family gatherings.  
 Have a question for Whitney? Call Home at 866-225-5466.  
 Click here to get “Toxic Positivity” on paperback.  
 Join Whitney’s Family Cycle Breakers Club for further support and discussion on family dynamics at CallingHome.co. Follow the Calling Home community on Instagram or TikTok.  
 Follow Whitney Goodman on Instagram or TikTok.  
 
 The Calling Home podcast is not engaged in providing therapy services, mental health advice or other medical advice or services, is not a substitute for advice from a qualified healthcare provider, and does not create any therapist-patient or other treatment relationship between you and Calling Home or Whitney Goodman. For more information on this, please see Calling Home’s Terms of Service. 
 
   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listener Voicemails - Navigating Estrangement During Family Events and Holidays

This week on Calling Home, Whitney speaks with therapist and author Nedra Tawwab on the concept of enmeshment in family relationships. They talk about what enmeshment is and what makes it different from a close family relationship. Nedra emphasizes the importance of setting healthy boundaries and respecting the autonomy of others, especially as children grow and become independent. She suggests that enmeshment can be addressed by gradually reducing contact to a comfortable level, asserting one's own needs and desires, and not expecting others to agree with or validate personal decisions.  
 Follow Nedra Tawwab on Instagram at @nedratawwab. For more information on Nedra’s books visit nedratawwab.com.  
 Have a question for Whitney? Call Home at 866-225-5466.  
 Click here to get “Toxic Positivity” on paperback.  
 Join Whitney’s Family Cycle Breakers Club for further support and discussion on family dynamics at CallingHome.co. Follow the Calling Home community on Instagram or TikTok.  
 Follow Whitney Goodman on Instagram or TikTok.  
 
 The Calling Home podcast is not engaged in providing therapy services, mental health advice or other medical advice or services, is not a substitute for advice from a qualified healthcare provider, and does not create any therapist-patient or other treatment relationship between you and Calling Home or Whitney Goodman. For more information on this, please see Calling Home’s Terms of Service. 
 
   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Enmeshment in Family Relationships with Nedra Tawwab

Whitney is answering more of your questions from the Calling Home voicemail line. The first caller is struggling with her spouse's lack of support for her decision to maintain no contact with her family, even in emergencies. The second caller, identified as the family scapegoat, is torn between cutting off contact with her family or trying to maintain a relationship for the sake of her own children.  
 Have a question for Whitney? Call Home at 866-225-5466.  
 Head over to cozyearth.com and use promo code "callinghome" for an exclusive 35% off. 
 Click here to get “Toxic Positivity” on paperback.  
 Join Whitney’s Family Cycle Breakers Club for further support and discussion on family dynamics at CallingHome.co. Follow the Calling Home community on Instagram or TikTok.  
 Follow Whitney Goodman on Instagram or TikTok.  
 
 The Calling Home podcast is not engaged in providing therapy services, mental health advice or other medical advice or services, is not a substitute for advice from a qualified healthcare provider, and does not create any therapist-patient or other treatment relationship between you and Calling Home or Whitney Goodman. For more information on this, please see Calling Home’s Terms of Service.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listener Voicemails - Spouse Doesn’t Understand Going No Contact; Being the Family Scapegoat

This week on Calling Home, Whitney discusses the topic of emotional incest, also known as covert incest. This form of emotional abuse occurs when a parent or primary caregiver treats their child like a romantic partner, relying on them for emotional support typically provided by a partner. Whitney will talk about when emotional incest often occurs and outline the three types: the romanticizing parent, the friendly parent, and the critical/abusive parent.  
 Have a question for Whitney? Call Home at 866-225-5466.  
 Head over to cozyearth.com and use promo code "callinghome" for an exclusive 35% off. 
 Click here to get “Toxic Positivity” on paperback.  
 Join Whitney’s Family Cycle Breakers Club for further support and discussion on family dynamics at CallingHome.co. Follow the Calling Home community on Instagram or TikTok.  
 Follow Whitney Goodman on Instagram or TikTok.  
 
 The Calling Home podcast is not engaged in providing therapy services, mental health advice or other medical advice or services, is not a substitute for advice from a qualified healthcare provider, and does not create any therapist-patient or other treatment relationship between you and Calling Home or Whitney Goodman. For more information on this, please see Calling Home’s Terms of Service.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emotional Incest

Today on the podcast we’re wrapping up May and our conversations about grandparent relationships by answering some listener questions on the topic. The first caller has concerns about her partner's parents, who may have been involved in or bystanders to childhood sexual abuse in their household. She’s worried how that will affect the relationship they have with any future children. The second caller, who has cut off contact with her parents, is wondering how to maintain a relationship with her supportive sister while avoiding her parents and keeping her children away from them at family events.  
 Have a question for Whitney? Call Home at 866-225-5466.  
 Click here to get “Toxic Positivity” on paperback.  
 Join Whitney’s Family Cycle Breakers Club for further support and discussion on family dynamics at CallingHome.co. Follow the Calling Home community on Instagram or TikTok.  
 Follow Whitney Goodman on Instagram or TikTok.  
 
 The Calling Home podcast is not engaged in providing therapy services, mental health advice or other medical advice or services, is not a substitute for advice from a qualified healthcare provider, and does not create any therapist-patient or other treatment relationship between you and Calling Home or Whitney Goodman. For more information on this, please see Calling Home’s Terms of Service.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Accountability, Boundaries, and That Person You Don't Want To See

Download our free app to listen on your phone