Adult Child

By Andrea

A deep dive into the impact of growing up in an dysfunctional family and how to heal the unresolved pain of the past. Join Andrea and guests for raw & vulnerable conversations on topics including ... more

4.9

17551,755 ratings

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FAQs about Adult Child:

How many episodes does Adult Child have?

The podcast currently has 375 episodes available.

Adult Child episodes:

May 28, 2025Why peace feels unsafe: Trauma Healing Through the Lens of Polyvagal Theory w/ Carmen Dominguez
When survival mode is all you’ve ever known, safety can feel threatening. This episode will help you understand why your body doesn’t trust what your brain says is fine—and why healing doesn’t start with your story, it starts with your body.
Psychotherapist Carmen Dominguez joins us to unpack why so many trauma survivors can’t stay regulated, even when life is going well. We explore the polyvagal theory—and how nervous system dysregulation fuels everything from addiction and people-pleasing to codependency and emotional shutdown.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
• How polyvagal theory explains trauma responses like people-pleasing, addiction, emotional shutdown, and the fear of calm — even when life is finally “safe”
• The role of “invisible trauma” — like chronic emotional neglect and unmet childhood needs — in shaping adult dysregulation and self-abandonment
• Why codependency isn’t a character flaw, but a nervous system adaptation rooted in the fawn response and emotional neglect
• The real reason healing doesn’t stick: how we retraumatize ourselves by doing trauma work before the body feels safe
• What to ask a therapist before working with them — and how to spot whether they truly understand nervous system healing or are just using the buzzwords
⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️
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4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)
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How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 Brians
THE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult Child
Follow Andrea on social
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Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
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1h 8min
May 24, 2025SHITSHOW SATURDAY #155 - Outgrowing People Who Won’t Grow With You
⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️
https://theshitshow.mn.co
4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)
Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat

📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER
👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱
www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild
🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️
www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop
🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️
How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 Brians
THE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult Child
Follow Andrea on social
www.instagram.com/adultchildpod
www.tiktok.com/@adultchildpod
https://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod
⚠️Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

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40min
May 21, 2025How Trauma Shows Up in Relationships: Codependency, Triggers & Healing w/ Jeremiah & Mallory Campbell
If you don't address your childhood trauma, your romantic relationships will. This is episode raw look at what happens when childhood wounds show up in adult relationships—and what it takes to break the cycle, together.
Andrea sits down with Jeremiah and Mallory Campbell for a brutally honest look at how trauma, codependency, and unresolved childhood wounds shaped their relationship. From addiction and estrangement to postpartum depression and nervous system shutdown, they share what it really took to begin healing—individually and together.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
Childhood trauma doesn’t disappear in adulthood—it shows up in the way we fight, shut down, or try to fix our partner’s feelings.
Codependency often looks like love at first. Jeremiah and Mallory share how enmeshment and emotional caretaking kept them stuck—and what it took to shift toward healthy interdependence.
Family estrangement is grief with no clean ending. Mallory opens up about going no-contact with her parents and the emotional fallout of choosing boundaries over belonging.
Healing while parenting means reparenting yourself, too. The Campbells share how their children’s emotional needs became mirrors for their own unhealed wounds.
Breaking the cycle takes more than awareness—it takes nervous system work, real communication, and the willingness to get uncomfortable.

⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️
https://theshitshow.mn.co
4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)
Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat

📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER
👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱
www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild
🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️
www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop
🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️
How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 Brians
THE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult Child
Follow Andrea on social
www.instagram.com/adultchildpod
www.tiktok.com/@adultchildpod
https://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
...more
1h 12min
May 17, 2025SHITSHOW SATURDAY #154 - The Return of Scott
Listen to Scott's first Shitshow Saturday episode here!
⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️
https://theshitshow.mn.co
4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)
Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat

📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER
👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱
www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild
🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️
www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop
🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️
How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 Brians
THE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult Child
Follow Andrea on social
www.instagram.com/adultchildpod
www.tiktok.com/@adultchildpod
https://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod
⚠️Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
...more
41min
May 14, 2025Toxic Positivity to Truth: Shame, Rage & Parenting Through Trauma w/ Alwynn
What happens when the memories come back—but no one believes you? This is a story about shame, survival, and what it means to heal while raising the very children you’re terrified of hurting.
In this episode, Andrea sits down with Alwynn, former host of Let Me Be Free, to talk about the long, messy road from toxic positivity to truth. From repressed memories and rage to parenting through trauma, this conversation is a raw look at what it really means to heal.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
Repressed trauma doesn’t stay buried forever — it shows up through the body, through emotional flashbacks, through parenting patterns, and through the parts of ourselves we don’t fully understand until we’re ready to remember.
Toxic positivity is a survival strategy — and letting go of it can be the first step toward facing what we’ve spent a lifetime avoiding.
Parenting while healing is messy, triggering, and sacred work — and real repair starts with self-forgiveness and honesty, not perfection.
Shame thrives in secrecy — and healing begins when we can name our experiences, be witnessed, and know that we’re not the only ones.
Breaking the cycle means confronting family denial, rewriting narratives, and grieving the childhood we didn’t have — even when others would rather we stay quiet.

⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️
https://theshitshow.mn.co
4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)
Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat

📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER
👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱
www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild
🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️
www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop
🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️
How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 Brians
THE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult Child
Follow Andrea on social
www.instagram.com/adultchildpod
www.tiktok.com/@adultchildpod
https://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
...more
1h 26min
May 10, 2025SHITSHOW SATURDAY #153 - The Shame Cycle
⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️
https://theshitshow.mn.co
4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)
Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat

📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER
👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱
www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild
🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️
www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop
🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️
How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 Brians
THE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult Child
Follow Andrea on social
www.instagram.com/adultchildpod
www.tiktok.com/@adultchildpod
https://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod
⚠️Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
...more
41min
May 07, 2025When Complex Trauma Looks Like a Personality Disorder: Dr. Kirk Honda on What Most Therapists Miss
What if your "personality disorder" was actually trauma? The truth is, most therapists still don’t know how to spot complex PTSD — and way too many people get mislabeled in the process.
In this episode, Andrea has compiled the best moments from her past conversations with Dr. Kirk Honda — licensed therapist and host of Psychology in Seattle. They unpack the blurred lines between complex trauma and personality disorders, challenge common therapy pitfalls, and offer real insight into what trauma-informed care actually requires.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
Why complex trauma often gets mistaken for a personality disorder — and how that mislabeling can delay real healing
The red flags of a therapist who isn’t truly trauma-informed (and how to vet the right one)
How repressed memories work (what they actually are, and why trying to “dig them up” can be risky without the right support)
The overlap between borderline personality disorder and CPTSD — and why labels aren’t always helpful
What most people get wrong about narcissism (hint: it’s not just a buzzword for people you don’t like)

⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️
https://theshitshow.mn.co
4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)
Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat

📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER
👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱
www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild
🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️
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🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️
How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 Brians
THE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult Child
Follow Andrea on social
www.instagram.com/adultchildpod
www.tiktok.com/@adultchildpod
https://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod
Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
...more
1h 9min
May 03, 2025SHITSHOW SATURDAY #152 - Victim Energy, Control Issues & Fear of Healing
⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️
https://theshitshow.mn.co
4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)
Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat

📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER
👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱
www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild
🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️
www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop
🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️
How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 Brians
THE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult Child
Follow Andrea on social
www.instagram.com/adultchildpod
www.tiktok.com/@adultchildpod
https://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod
⚠️Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com

Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
...more
39min
April 30, 2025The Power of Detachment: A Mother and Daughter’s Story of Addiction, Codependency and Healing
What if the most loving thing you can do... is let go? This episode is a powerful reminder that healing sometimes means detaching—even from the people we love most.
In this episode, I’m joined by Kristina Wandzilak & Constance Curry , the mother-daughter duo behind the memoir The Lost Years: Surviving a Mother and Daughter’s Worst Nightmare. Their story is a raw and honest account of Kristina’s battle with addiction and Karen’s journey of learning how to love her daughter without losing herself.
Key Takeaways...
Detachment is love, not abandonment. Sometimes the most compassionate choice is stepping back and letting loved ones face their own consequences.
Healing codependency starts with boundaries. Connie's recovery began when she stopped trying to save her daughter and focused on saving herself.
Sobriety is just the beginning. Kristina reminds us that the real healing often starts after getting sober—and it’s a lifelong process.
One person’s healing shifts the whole system. Connie's growth rippled through the entire family, proving real change doesn’t require everyone to get on board.

⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️
https://theshitshow.mn.co
4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)
Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat

📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER
👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱
www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild
🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️
www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop
🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️
How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 Brians
THE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult Child
Follow Andrea on social
www.instagram.com/adultchildpod
www.tiktok.com/@adultchildpod
https://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod

Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
...more
57min
April 26, 2025SHITSHOW SATURDAY #151 - Chris K.
⬇️DAMN THE JOIN SHITSHOW - ADULT CHILD HEALING COMMUNITY⬇️
https://theshitshow.mn.co
4 weekly zoom support groups (Sun 3: 30 pm EST, Mon 8:30 pm EST, Tues 1 pm EST, & Thurs 8:30 pm EST)
Support community at your fingertips with discussion boards and chat

📰SIGN UP FOR SHITSHOW NATION - ADULT CHILD NEWSLETTER
👩HELP A GIRL & CAT EAT🐱
www.buymeacoffee.com/adultchild
🛍️SHITSHOW MERCH🛍️
www.adultchildpodcast.com/shop
🎙️NEW TO THE POD🎙️
How I learned I was an Adult Child - The Tale of 2 Brians
THE LAUNDRY LIST - Common Characteristics of an Adult Child
Follow Andrea on social
www.instagram.com/adultchildpod
www.tiktok.com/@adultchildpod
https://www.youtube.com/@adultchildpod
⚠️Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com

Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out La Pure and use my code ADULTCHILD for a great deal: https://www.lapurecosmetics.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
...more
38min

FAQs about Adult Child:

How many episodes does Adult Child have?

The podcast currently has 375 episodes available.

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