Taking Good Care Podcast

In the final episode of our series on family estrangement, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave explore the different ways people cope with estrangement, both from the perspective of the person who chooses to leave and the person left behind.

They take a deeper look at ambiguous loss, a unique and often complicated form of grief that can arise when someone is still living but no longer present in our lives. Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave discuss why this type of loss deserves to be acknowledged and grieved, even when there is no clear sense of closure.

Family estrangement can often become surrounded by gossip, rumours, and outside opinions. But how do we navigate these conversations while respecting our own boundaries and the boundaries of others?

Grief and ambiguous loss are deeply personal experiences, and everyone navigates them differently. Finding a supportive network, allowing space for your emotions, and recognizing your own needs can be important first steps toward healing.

Join Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave for this thoughtful conversation about grief, boundaries, and finding ways to move forward in the face of family estrangement.

In this second of three episodes exploring family estrangement, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave continue their thoughtful and nuanced conversation about one of the most complex and painful experiences within family relationships.

Choosing to step away from family is rarely an easy decision. Estrangement can emerge for many reasons, often shaped by longstanding patterns, unresolved conflict, unmet needs, or the necessity of establishing boundaries. While the reasons behind estrangement may not always be understood by those left behind, the decision to create distance can be an important step toward personal well-being.

In this episode, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave explore some of the common reasons people choose estrangement and the many personal, relational, and emotional factors that inform these decisions. They examine how disconnection can disrupt the family system, influence relationships among other family members, and create divided loyalties as people navigate different perspectives and experiences. They also consider how estrangement can exist along a spectrum, with boundaries and degrees of connection that look different for every family.

Join us for Part Two of this important conversation as we take a closer look at the disruptions within family systems that can lead to disconnection, and explore what it means to take good care of ourselves and one another through the complexities of family relationships.

Family estrangement is one of the most difficult and emotionally complex topics that can arise in a psychologist’s office. In this first episode of a multi-part conversation, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave explore the often misunderstood experience of family estrangement and the many reasons families become disconnected.

Whether you’re the person who has chosen to step away from a family system or the one left wondering why, estrangement can bring a complicated mix of emotions, unanswered questions, and pain. Too often, families struggle to talk openly about what has happened. Lines are drawn, sides are taken, and the distance between loved ones can grow even wider.

In this thoughtful and engaging conversation, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave invite listeners to look at family estrangement with greater curiosity, compassion, and understanding. Because whether through personal experience or someone close to us, family estrangement is an issue many of us will encounter at some point in our lives.

Join us for Part One of this important conversation as we begin to unpack the complexities of family relationships, disconnection, and what it means to take good care of ourselves and one another.

In the second episode of this two-part series, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave continue their thoughtful conversation about Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) and its impact on our emotional well-being.

Healing from childhood emotional neglect is a journey that takes time, patience, and intentional effort. It begins with learning to recognize and understand our emotions, giving ourselves permission to feel and validate our experiences, and developing healthier ways to care for our emotional needs. An important part of this process is establishing healthy boundaries that allow us to prioritize our own well-being while showing up more fully for the people in our lives. Therapy can also play a valuable role in supporting this journey, helping us build greater self-awareness, strengthen emotional health, and move toward healing.

Join Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave for an insightful conversation about understanding our emotional worlds, reconnecting with our feelings, and taking meaningful steps toward healing from childhood emotional neglect.

In this first of a two-part conversation, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave explore Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN), a term popularized by psychologist Dr. Jonice Webb in her book Running on Empty.

When we think about neglect, we often picture something obvious. But emotional neglect can be much harder to recognize. It can happen when caregivers repeatedly miss, dismiss, or fail to respond to a child’s emotional experiences.

Over time, this can affect how we understand and relate to our own emotions. Some people may experience emotional numbness, discomfort with difficult feelings, or a sense of emptiness even when everything on the outside seems to be going well.

In Part 1, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave break down what CEN is, what it can look like, and how it may impact us well into adulthood. This conversation sets the stage for Part 2, where they’ll explore an important question: How do we begin to heal from childhood emotional neglect?

Join us for this thoughtful conversation on understanding our emotional experiences and what it means to take good care.

In the second part of this two-part conversation, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave explore how shame develops from childhood into adulthood and how it can shape the way we see ourselves and connect with others.

Shame can be learned in many ways: from comments we hear when we make mistakes to the subtle messages and microaggressions we experience in our environments. Over time, these experiences can become internalized, influencing how we cope, communicate, and relate to ourselves and those around us.

Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave discuss how shame can affect our relationships and how therapy, counselling, and self-compassion can help us challenge negative self-beliefs and begin to heal.

This thoughtful and hopeful conversation invites us to reflect on our own experiences with shame and consider how greater self-compassion can help us build healthier, more positive, and fulfilling relationships with ourselves and others.

In the first of this two-part conversation, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave explore one of the most powerful, and often misunderstood, human emotions: shame.

Shame is something most of us try to avoid, suppress, or simply ignore. Yet, throughout our lives, it can be difficult to escape. How we experience shame, make sense of it, and process it can profoundly influence our thoughts, actions, relationships, and behaviours.

When shame becomes toxic, it can erode our self-esteem and confidence, affect how we see ourselves and the world around us, and contribute to other mental health challenges. Our experiences in childhood, including how we are treated and the messages we receive from those around us, can play an important role in shaping how shame develops and how we carry it into adulthood.

In this important and deeply reflective episode, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave unpack the impact of shame and begin exploring how we can better understand and work through it. If you’ve ever struggled with a deep or persistent sense of shame, this is a conversation worth listening to.

In the third and final episode of our memory series, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave turn their attention to the other side of developmental psychology: ageing.

As we grow older, changes in memory are a natural part of the ageing process. For some individuals, however, memory changes can become more significant and may eventually meet the diagnostic criteria for dementia.

In this thoughtful and in-depth conversation, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave explore what dementia is, how it can affect individuals and families, and practical strategies for supporting clients who are navigating a new diagnosis. They also draw on their own personal experiences with extended family members living with dementia, offering perspectives that go beyond clinical practice.

Dementia is something many of us will encounter in our lifetime, whether through a client, a loved one, a friend, or someone in our community. Learning how to adapt, remain flexible, and meet people where they are can make a meaningful difference in preserving their dignity, autonomy, and sense of connection.

Join Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave for a compassionate conversation about memory, ageing, dementia.

In the second episode of this three-part series, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave explore practical strategies for strengthening our memory and making it work more effectively in everyday life.

Our individual interests and unique characteristics influence what we remember. When we’re naturally interested in a topic, information often comes more easily but what happens when we need to remember something that simply doesn’t interest us? How can we improve our memory for studying, particularly when the material feels boring or difficult? And what about the everyday things we often forget, like where we left our house keys?

Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave share practical tips and easy-to-use strategies to help improve memory for studying, daily tasks, and activities of everyday living.

Whether you’re a student, a busy professional, or simply looking for ways to sharpen your memory, this episode is a must-listen!

In the first episode of this three-part series, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave explore the powerful connection between memory, learning, mental health, and healing.

From an early age, we learn patterns and behaviours from our environment and the people around us. Our memories help us recognize these patterns and shape how we respond to them, often with the goal of keeping us safe and helping us navigate challenging experiences.

This learning can include how we respond to difficult experiences such as abuse, grief, bullying, and other forms of adversity. Over time, we may become conditioned to respond automatically in certain ways to avoid perceived threats or negative outcomes. These learned responses can continue to influence our thoughts, emotions, relationships, and behaviours long after the original experience has passed.

While we often think of memory and learning in the context of school and academic achievement, they play a much deeper role in our everyday lives and in our mental health. In this episode, Dr. Andrew and Dr. Dave explore how our brains learn from experience, how those lessons can shape our responses to the world, and why understanding these patterns can be an important part of healing and developing healthier ways of coping.