Sherapy Sessions: Cutting Toxic Family Ties

Have you ever questioned whether your neurodivergence played a role in the trauma you endured—and perhaps even helped you escape it?

Was it the trauma that caused the ADHD, or did the ADHD cause the trauma?

In this powerful conversation, let's explore how living with undiagnosed ADHD made Angie, an ADHD coach and fellow survivor of a toxic family system, the perfect target for scapegoating—misunderstood, mislabeled, and chronically...

Has your relationship with your mother brought more pain than comfort? 

The mother wound is real, painful, and often invisible to outsiders—but healing is possible.

Join me and Stephi as we unpack the deeply misunderstood journey of women who recognize the “mother wound”—emotional enmeshment, manipulation, and conditional love—and make the toughest choice: breaking free.

🌿 Key behaviors that signal a toxic maternal relationship...

Have you ever felt responsible for a parent’s emotions—like it was your job to keep them happy, calm, or stable?

Were you praised for being the “mature one,” even though you were silently falling apart inside?

Do you ever struggle to know where your needs end and someone else’s begin?

If so, you may have grown up enmeshed.

In this episode, let's explore how enmeshment, adultification, and complex trauma converge to distort the vict...

In many toxic families, the scapegoat becomes the emotional and psychological sponge for everyone else’s dysfunction, pain, and projection. It’s a trauma-inducing role that is often misunderstood, dismissed, or mischaracterized as “drama.” But for those who live it, scapegoating is a profound and persistent form of psychological abuse.

One of our bravehearts, LaToya Rice, shares her personal experience as the scapegoated twin in a ...

You are more than a toxic family abuse survivor—you are a cycle breaker. And there is a powerful difference between the two.

In this episode, find out what it means to move beyond the pain of being the “scapegoat” and step into the empowered identity of a “cycle breaker.”

🌱 What is a cycle breaker?

🌱 How each cycle breaker’s story is uniquely their own but also similar to the story of other survivors

🌱 The devastation of being d...

What happens when you’re raised to believe your worth depends entirely on your mother’s emotional comfort?

Let's explore the insidious dynamics of covert narcissistic abuse, emotional enmeshment, victimhood, and the liberating power of estrangement.

🌿 the no win trap set by toxic mothers

🌿 the damaging power of the “victim role”

🌿 the “victim role” as a personality type

🌿 how the victim role silences its victims

🌿 conflict does...

For many daughters, the relationship with their father is the first blueprint for love, trust, and emotional safety. When that father is emotionally absent, narcissistic, or abusive, the wounds run deep.

Listen in for a deeper conversation on healing from the complex and often unspoken impact of toxic fathers and parental neglect.

🌱 Understanding Toxic Fathers

🌱 Recognizing Abuse: It's Hard to See When You're In It

🌱 Living in F...

Survival isn’t just about enduring hardship—it’s about reclaiming your power, rewriting your story, and learning how to thrive in a world that may have once felt unsafe. 

If you're trying to navigate your trauma right now, this episode offers powerful insights on:

🌿Surviving multiple traumatic events from home life, to foster care, to homelessness 

🌿How to find and use resilience 

🌿How foster care was safer than at h...

Society expects them to be strong, stoic, and unshakable. But what happens when the weight of trauma becomes unbearable? 

What happens when the very qualities that make them resilient also become the barriers that keep them from healing? 

In this unfiltered conversation, retired police officer Kevin Donaldson sheds light on the silent struggles of men, ranging from masculinity and emotional suppression to toxic family dynam...

Society tells us that family is everything—that blood is thicker than water. But what happens when that very bloodline is the source of deep emotional wounds?

What happens when the people who are supposed to love and support you are the ones causing the most harm and abusing you?

In this powerful conversation, Josh Connolly shares about the harsh societal pushback against survivors who choose to go no contact, the misplaced sympathy...

If you have endured the emotional wounds of toxic parenting and are ready to step into your power, this episode is for you.

Cari Fund shares her story and the critical importance of choice, the liberating power of boundaries, and the redemption found in becoming the person your parents could never be.

🌿 Defining moment and experiences that inspire healing

🌿 How our personal journey, when examined, can help us evolve and deepen our...

For those who have left toxic relationships, whether familial or romantic, curating a space that feels safe, nurturing, and reflective of one's authentic self is essential. The way we design our homes, organize our surroundings, and incorporate elements that bring us peace can be an act of self-love and reparenting, providing the stability we may have lacked in childhood or past relationships.

In this episode, let's explore the pro...

One of the most critical components of emotional well-being is feeling seen—not just physically but emotionally and psychologically. True recognition goes beyond mere presence; it involves being acknowledged, understood, and valued for who you are.

In this episode, we dive deep into the impact of toxic family systems, the importance of being seen, and so much more.

✅ What does it mean to be “seen”

✅ Why many survivors have develope...

Have you ever felt torn between loyalty to your family and the need to protect your own mental health?

Have you lived through the pain of toxic family relationships and are seeking hope, healing, and a path forward?

Drawing from the powerful stories shared by Tanya Dube, join me as we explore the many facets of life within toxic families. From the yearning for acceptance, the intricate tactics of manipulation, and the courage it ta...

Are you feeling trapped in a relationship where love feels more like pain, inconsistency, and power struggles?

Have you ever found yourself questioning your own worth because of a loved one’s manipulative or abusive behavior?

In this episode, Dr. Nadine provides you with insight, validation, tools to help you reclaim control, and so much more.

✅ Trauma Bonds are based on an imbalance of power.

✅ The abuse of power is abuse

✅ Parent...

In this episode,  we uncover how toxic family dynamics mirror cult-like control.

Drawing on personal experiences and clinical expertise, this thought-provoking conversation with Vanessa Reiser will explore how toxic family environments resemble cults, tactics abusers use to manipulate, and the path toward reclaiming autonomy. 

✅ Cult of One - the qualities that make up a psychopathic personality 

✅ The power of isolati...

Navigating life after enduring the turmoil of a toxic family background can be one of the most challenging journeys. 

The process of unlearning negative beliefs and building a positive mindset is a profound and ongoing effort. 

In this episode we will delve into the various aspects of this journey with life coach, Jacqueline Hurst, offering practical advice and encouragement to help you find your way toward a healthier and ...

Drawing on insights from breathwork expert, Josh Connolly, we explore the transformative power of truth, the significance of acceptance, and the role of alternative therapies in overcoming the shadows of a toxic upbringing.

✅ Understanding our toxic family members, doesn’t change them or heal us

✅ Forgiveness doesn’t change our toxic family members

✅ The belief that “Everyone is good inside” irrelevant.

✅ The value of breath-work an...

In a society that often downplays or dismisses men's emotional struggles, Dave's willingness to share his story and engage in open dialogue is a powerful testament to the importance of breaking the silence.

In this episode, Dave shares how he navigated growing up with a narcissistic mother, married a narcissistic woman, found healing and reclaimed his life.

✅ All things toxic family 

✅ The Value of No Contact when nothing else ...