In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, therapist and boundaries coach Torie Wiksell breaks down the difference between healthy guilt and the manipulative guilt toxic parents use to control you.

You’ll learn:

If you grew up walking on eggshells or still feel responsible for your parent’s emotions, this conversation will help you find clarity, self-trust, and relief.

Get Torie’s 19-page Holiday Guide — Surviving the Holidays with a Toxic Parent at confidentboundaries.com/holidayguide for just $9 (or included with your Confident Boundaries Membership in the Member Library).

It’s your step-by-step plan to navigate family gatherings, guilt trips, and emotional chaos with confidence this season.

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As a therapist, boundaries coach, and cycle breaker herself, Torie shares the deeper truth behind these painful family dynamics: what really leads someone to end contact, how the media gets it wrong, and why accountability and power dynamics must be part of the conversation.

If you’ve ever been told you “abandoned” your family or felt judged for making the gut-wrenching decision to protect your peace, this episode will remind you that you’re not crazy — and that choosing yourself does not make you a selfish person.

We’ll cover:

Why “family estrangement” has become a loaded, stigmatizing term

The power imbalance between parents and adult children that not enough people are talking about

The truth about why cycle breakers go no contact — and why it’s never impulsive

How media narratives and even some therapists perpetuate shame

A more honest, hopeful way to talk about healing family relationships

Resources Mentioned:

The Confident Boundaries Membership— tools, workshops, and community support for cycle breakers: confidentboundaries.com/membership

Torie's Holiday Survival Guide: confidentboundaries.com/holidayguide

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In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, therapist and boundaries coach Torie Wiksell shares the truth about how that same caretaking instinct keeps so many cycle breakers stuck. Torie opens up about her own experience navigating guilt, fear, and the pressure to protect the people in her family who hurt her—especially as she shares her own story publicly.

This conversation explores:

Torie’s reminder for this week:

“ It is not our job to comfort people we care about when they are uncomfortable with us taking care of ourselves.”

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This episode explores the direct pipeline from narcissistic parenting to abusive partners. If you’ve ever blamed yourself for how you survived, this one’s for you.

Next steps for your healing (all at confidentboundaries.com):

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In this week’s episode of You’re Not Crazy, therapist and boundaries coach Torie Wiksell unpacks what really happens when cycle breakers suppress anger—and how to begin separating the emotion of anger from the behavior that once made it unsafe. You’ll learn:

Why your childhood brain linked anger with danger

How unprocessed frustration builds until you “snap”

Why shame keeps you stuck in the same emotional cycle

Practical steps to start feeling anger without fear

Join the Confident Boundaries Membership or download the holiday guide by clicking here: https://linktr.ee/theboundariescoach

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If you’ve ever felt the mix of dread, guilt, and anxiety that shows up the second someone mentions “family holidays,” this episode will help you slow down, get perspective, and actually prepare—not just survive.

Torie breaks down:

Why so many adult children of toxic parents procrastinate holiday planning (and how that backfires)

How to build new holiday traditions that your family can’t ruin

Why your “holiday pie” needs more slices that have nothing to do with your family

How to set yourself up for a season that’s calmer, more grounded, and actually yours

Surviving the Holidays with a Toxic Parent Guide – $9

Confident Boundaries Membership – Workshops + Community - $23/month

You’re Not Crazy Private Feed – Ad-Free + Bonus Episodes - $5/month

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Big news: You’re Not Crazy just joined the Bleav Podcast Network! 🎉 That means more growth, more community, and more support for cycle breakers like you. In this episode, Torie shares what this milestone means for the podcast—and then dives into the harmful “bad advice” cycle breakers often hear, like being told there’s only one right way to heal.

*Want personalized support, live holiday workshops, and Torie’s updated Holiday Survival Guide? Join the Confident Boundaries Membership today: confidentboundaries.com/membership

**And, get access to ad-free episodes when you join: You're Not Crazy: The Private Feed

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In today’s episode, I’m sharing one of the most important mindset shifts for healing from narcissistic parents or emotionally immature parents: stop asking if they’re a “good person” and start focusing on their repeated behaviors.

So many cycle breakers get stuck in the what ifs:

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Resources & Next Steps:

A huge thank you to our podcast sponsors!

🎧 Ready for More?

➔Join me in the Confident Boundaries Membership ($39/month and the first 24 hours are free!)

📱 Download the Confident Boundaries App

Let's be friends:

Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in crisis, please call the 988 Crisis Lifeline.

You're Not Crazy is owned and produced by Torie Wiksell and Confident Boundaries, LLC.

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Lately, I’ve caught myself spiraling into self-gaslighting quite a bit—wondering if I’m exaggerating my childhood trauma, if maybe my mom wasn’t really a narcissist, or if I’m just “too sensitive.” If you’ve ever doubted your own reality, you’re definitely not alone.

In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, I share:

For deeper support navigating toxic family dynamics, join the Confident Boundaries Membership. You’ll get access to live coaching, holiday workshops, and The Boundaries Helper GPT—your 24/7 tool for navigating boundary challenges. Learn more at confidentboundaries.com/membership

Support the show

A huge thank you to our podcast sponsors!

🎧 Ready for More?

➔Join me in the Confident Boundaries Membership ($39/month and the first 24 hours are free!)

📱 Download the Confident Boundaries App

Let's be friends:

Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in crisis, please call the 988 Crisis Lifeline.

You're Not Crazy is owned and produced by Torie Wiksell and Confident Boundaries, LLC.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, therapist and boundaries coach Torie Wiksell (and fellow cycle breaker) exposes the myth of “no contact as a fad” and validates the years—sometimes decades—of exhausting effort cycle breakers pour into maintaining relationships with narcissistic or emotionally immature parents before making the heartbreaking decision to step back.

We’ll cover:

Next steps for support:

Support the show

A huge thank you to our podcast sponsors!

🎧 Ready for More?

➔Join me in the Confident Boundaries Membership ($39/month and the first 24 hours are free!)

📱 Download the Confident Boundaries App

Let's be friends:

Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in crisis, please call the 988 Crisis Lifeline.

You're Not Crazy is owned and produced by Torie Wiksell and Confident Boundaries, LLC.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.