Beyond The High Road of Parental Alienation

Attachment Drama: Why Chaos Can Feel Like Home For Alienated Parents


Listen Later

Are you an alienated parent who feels like chaos and drama just keep finding you—no matter how much you crave peace? Discover why this pattern might feel so familiar, and how understanding your own story is the first step toward breaking the cycle.


Main Areas of Focus:

  • ​The addictive nature of drama and chaos for alienated parents
  • ​How childhood experiences and attachment styles shape adult relationship patterns
  • ​The psychological and physiological roots of seeking emotional intensity
  • ​Common behaviors and personas that perpetuate drama
  • ​Real-life examples of how drama manifests in daily life and relationships
  • ​The importance of self-awareness and responsibility in breaking the cycle
  • ​A preview that solutions and somatic exercises will be covered in the next episode


Notable Quotes:

  • ​“Despite hating the distress, our brains can become wired to seek the intensity of strong emotional states, especially if those states are familiar from prolonged exposure to chaos or adversity in a past.”
  • ​“Crisis became your baseline. So your central nervous system registers peace as unfamiliar, and therefore peace itself feels like chaos for you.”
  • ​“If you are one that has noticed that you’re in this cycle of choosing the ‘wrong’ people always… it could be because you’re associating, on a nervous system level, love with chaos.”
  • ​“Trauma doesn’t just create your reality, it also distorts it. The nervous system may constantly scan for danger, drama, or chaos as a protective mechanism.”
  • ​“Drama may briefly feel like it solves loneliness or hopelessness. However, it brings temporary relief, followed by regret, shame, and deeper isolation, thus perpetuating the cycle.”


Key Takeaways for Alienated Parents:

  • ​Drama and chaos can feel “normal” if you grew up in turbulent or emotionally neglectful environments; your nervous system may crave intensity, even if you consciously want peace.
  • ​Patterns of seeking or creating drama are often unconscious and rooted in early experiences—not a personal failing.
  • ​Common signs of drama addiction include feeling uncomfortable with calm, repeatedly sharing stories for validation, and turning minor issues into major crises.
  • ​Recognizing your own patterns—without blame—is the first step to change. Taking responsibility for your reactions, rather than focusing on others’ actions, empowers you to break the cycle.
  • ​The episode sets the stage for practical solutions and exercises, which will be shared in the next installment.


Next Episode Preview:Stay tuned for actionable solutions and somatic exercises to help you move from drama-creating tendencies to a life of peace—and actually enjoy it.

00:00 Introduction to Beyond The High Road Podcast

00:32 Episode Structure and Content Overview

01:29 Deep Dive into Drama and Chaos

07:21 Understanding Drama Addiction

11:29 Childhood Influences on Drama Addiction

24:37 Examples and Real-Life Scenarios

35:08 Recognizing Drama Addiction

37:27 Drama Patterns in Relationships

41:25 Attachment Styles and Drama

49:39 Drama In Parental Alienation and Relationships

54:32 Breaking the Drama Cycle

01:01:11 Conclusion and Next Steps

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Beyond The High Road of Parental AlienationBy Shelby Milford

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

43 ratings


More shows like Beyond The High Road of Parental Alienation

View all
The One You Feed by Eric Zimmer

The One You Feed

2,557 Listeners

Joyce Meyer Enjoying Everyday Life® Radio Podcast by Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer Enjoying Everyday Life® Radio Podcast

9,449 Listeners

Joel Osteen Podcast by Joel Osteen, SiriusXM

Joel Osteen Podcast

24,793 Listeners

20/20 by ABC News

20/20

11,878 Listeners

Teal Swan by Teal Swan

Teal Swan

375 Listeners

On Purpose with Jay Shetty by iHeartPodcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

27,895 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,145 Listeners

We Can Do Hard Things by Treat Media and Glennon Doyle

We Can Do Hard Things

41,489 Listeners

Parental Alienation: From Couch to Courtroom and Beyond by Dr. Bob Evans and NAOPAS

Parental Alienation: From Couch to Courtroom and Beyond

5 Listeners

Therapy and Theology by Lysa TerKeurst

Therapy and Theology

2,059 Listeners

The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

The Mel Robbins Podcast

20,192 Listeners

Family Disappeared by Lawrence Joss

Family Disappeared

24 Listeners

The Jefferson Fisher Podcast by Civility Media

The Jefferson Fisher Podcast

8,368 Listeners

Fractured Families Podcast Fighting Parental Alienation by Charity Marie

Fractured Families Podcast Fighting Parental Alienation

4 Listeners

Navigating Parental Alienation by Jacqueline Rourke, Parental Alienation expert and former targeted parent

Navigating Parental Alienation

3 Listeners