In this episode of The Calling Home podcast, host Whitney Goodman discusses the concept of ambiguous loss, a term coined by researcher Pauline Boss in the 1970s. This type of loss refers to grief that has no definitive boundary or closure, such as the loss of a loved one who is physically absent but still present in thoughts, or a loved one who is physically present but emotionally absent. Goodman provides advice on how to grieve this type of loss, including giving oneself permission to grieve, finding people who understand the situation, and being open to having a different type of relationship with the person. 

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. 
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Ambiguous Loss and Grief

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.

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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.
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Listener Questions - Grandparent Relationships

In this week’s episode of the Calling Home podcast, Whitney speaks with therapist and author Lindsay C. Gibson discusses the challenges of dealing with emotionally immature parents. They’ll discuss how emotional immaturity exists on a spectrum and can be influenced by various factors such as life stage and external circumstances. Lindsay will explain how adult children can express their feelings and set boundaries with their parents, rather than try to change them. 

Find Lindsay’s book Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents on Amazon. 

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.
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Emotionally Immature Parents with Lindsay C. Gibson

Today on the Calling Home podcast, Whitney answers more questions from listeners. The first caller discusses their decision to cut off contact with her abusive grandparents and now feeling guilty for doing so. Whitney will talk about why that is a normal response and strategies for moving past the guilt. The second caller shares their experience of growing up in a household lacking emotional maturity and how her parents struggled when she expressed views different from their own. Whitney talks about the generational differences in handling emotions and the challenges of tolerating differences between parents and their adult 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.


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Listener Voicemails - Guilty Over Going No Contact; Parents That Lack Emotional Maturity

In this episode of the Calling On Podcast, Whitney discusses the importance of setting boundaries with grandparents. She’ll explain why grandparents may struggle with boundaries due to generational differences, cultural beliefs, or a lack of respect for their adult children's parenting styles. If you’re struggling with these types of relationships, Whitney will give you strategies for clear communication, finding compromise, and explain how positive reinforcement can help establish and maintain these boundaries. She’ll also provide scripts for setting boundaries and emphasizes the importance of prioritizing a child's safety. 

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

How To Set Boundaries With Grandparents

Today on the Calling Home podcast, Whitney is answering more of your questions. The first caller discusses a conflict with her sister, who has requested they attend family therapy before resuming communication. The second caller asks for advice on dealing with anger towards her sister, who has violated a boundary related to their abusive mother. 

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

Ambiguous Loss and Grief

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