CALLING HOME with Whitney Goodman, LMFT

Feeling tired of being the parent to your parents is a common struggle, especially when they rely on you for emotional or even physical suapport. It can be overwhelming to manage their needs while trying to prioritize your own life and the family you're building. Setting boundaries is essential, not just for your well-being but also to maintain a healthy relationship with them. Healing from past hurts and learning how to rebuild relationships with parents who may have caused pain is crucial. It's important to protect yourself emotionally while still offering compassion and understanding, but also recognize when you need to step back to preserve your mental health.

In this Q&A episode, Whitney answers real questions from callers about relationship struggles with their parents. Listen and learn how to set boundaries and protect your emotional well-being and the family you are building while maintaining respect for your parents.

Tune in!

• [00:01] Intro and what in for you in today’s show 
• [00:26] How to set boundaries with parents in a compassionate way 
• [06:08] Healing from physical and emotional abuse from parents 
• [10:43] How to build a relationship with parents who have hurt you
• [15:54] When your parent wants to apologize resources 
• [16:23] Wrap up and end of the show

• “If you are a parent, set boundaries and make sure parenting your parents doesn't take away from your ability to parent your own child because there will be consequences.” [05:38]
• “You can’t have a real relationship without safety.” [10:34]
• “Healthy relationships are healthy and important for children; Unhealthy, abusive, or dangerous relationships are unhealthy for children.” [13:22]

Have a question for Whitney? Call Home at 866-225-5466. 

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.

Click here to get “Toxic Positivity” on paperback. 

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.

Mixing, editing and show notes provided by Next Day Podcast.

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This week on Calling Home, Whitney speaks with therapist and author Todd Baratz on how childhood and family dynamics impact romantic relationships. He discusses why the environment we are raised in shapes who we are and how we communicate, which in turn influences the partners we choose. They also chat about "good enough" relationships and why relationships don't have to be perfect to be fulfilling. 

For more information on Todd Baratz’s book “How To Love Someone Without Losing Your Mind” visit toddsbaratz.com. Follow Todd on Instagram @yourdiagnonsense. 

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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This week, Whitney answers questions from listeners who are dealing with narcissists in their family and discusses how to set proper boundaries. The first caller’s question deals with a narcissist brother-in-law changing the family dynamic. The second caller recently discovered that her father was a narcissist and her mother the enabler and is questioning a situation she feels was unsafe for her son. When is the right time to set boundaries with your parents and how do you approach it?

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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In this episode of Calling Home, Whitney Goodman discusses the trend of mothers being overly attached to their sons, often referred to as "boy moms". This dynamic can be harmful to both the mother and son and lead to emotional incest, where the son is put into a husband-like role. Whitney talks about the reasons behind this phenomenon, including societal norms, lack of community support, and unfulfilled dreams of the mother. She also discusses ways to address this issue, such as practicing small separations, developing more support, setting boundaries, and encouraging independence.

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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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.