Psychotherapist and Coach, Torie Wiksell, is no stranger to talking about challenging and dysfunctional family dynamics. In addition to specializing in working with the adult children of parents with borderline and narcissistic personality disorders as both a therapist and coach, Torie grew up with a mother who had an unmanaged personality disorder. Torie has spent a significant portion of her 12 year career as a therapist working with clients with personality disorders, their partners, and family members, and brings a unique and relatable perspective to navigating these complicated relationships. Follow Torie on Instagram: instagram.com/torieatconfidentboundaries Learn more about Coaching and the Confident Boundaries Membership: www.confidentboundaries.com Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy. If you are in mental health crisis, please contact the Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. You're Not Crazy is a podcast owned and produced by Torie Wiksell and Confident Boundaries, LLC.
Is your toxic parent’s “I’m sorry” leaving you more confused than comforted? In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, we unpack why apologies from narcissistic or otherwise toxic parents rarely feel like closure—and often reopen old wounds.
You’ll learn:
In this episode, I talk about the complicated grief that surfaces once we begin setting boundaries and creating distance from toxic, narcissistic, or emotionally immature parents.
I share what it looked like in my own life— the emotional toll of being a parentified child, and why our healing journey often involves mourning the milestones we missed while we were just trying to survive.
This conversation is especially for those who fee...
Big news! The Confident Boundaries App is officially live—now available for free on iPhone and Android. Inside, you’ll get instant access to a curated starter bundle of some of my favorite episodes and articles to support your healing from family dysfunction.
In today’s episode, we’re digging into a question I hear often from adult children of narcissistic parents or those with unmanaged BPD:
“Why do I keep ending up in toxic r...
If you’re breaking toxic cycles in a family marked by emotional immaturity, narcissism, or borderline traits, there’s something we don’t talk about enough: the profound loneliness that can come with healing.
You’re not just setting boundaries—you’re stepping out of the role your family expected you to play. Maybe you were the peacekeeper, the fixer, the golden child, or the scapegoat. But once you stop playing by the unspoken rules,...
Healing isn’t linear—especially when you’re the cycle breaker. In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, I’m pulling back the curtain on what real, sustainable healing looks like when you grew up with emotionally immature, narcissistic, or borderline parents.
I share how becoming a therapist over a decade ago didn’t free me from my dysfunctional patterns—it magnified them. I was the classic parentified child turned overwhelmed helper: ru...
Cycle breakers are often raised to believe that honesty = full disclosure and transparency… even when the other person has a history of weaponizing that honesty against them.
In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, we’re digging into the messy middle between brutal honesty and self-abandonment—especially when it comes to dealing with parents who have borderline personality disorder (BPD) or narcissistic personality disorder (NPD).
So ma...
Let’s talk about the real work of breaking dysfunctional family cycles.
If you're the adult child of a parent with borderline or narcissistic personality disorder, you probably know the drill: chaos explodes, you search frantically for tools to survive it… and then once things settle down, you convince yourself it's “not that bad.” Sound familiar?
This episode is your reminder that healing isn’t just something you do in a c...
Surviving (not thriving) Mother's Day weekend is what we're celebrating this week. Breaking cycles isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. Your commitment to healing, despite few healthy examples, is powerful. Be gentle with yourself; your journey of growth deserves compassion, not criticism.
Next we’re calling out the toxic phrases that gaslight, invalidate, and harm adult children of parents with BPD or NPD. You&apos...
After a year of running Confident Boundaries alongside my therapy practice, I’m reflecting on the journey—what worked, what didn’t, and how I’ve evolved my approach to supporting adult children of BPD and NPD parents.
Expanding beyond therapy has allowed me to help more people through coaching, community, and this podcast. And, in this episode I share:
✔️ Why I created the Confident Boundaries umbrella (way before the online communi...
Growing up with a parent who has borderline personality disorder (BPD) or narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) can have lasting emotional and practical impacts—some of which often go overlooked.
In this episode, we dive into the challenges adult children of BPD/NPD parents face when it comes to "adulting" and why self-compassion is key.
Listen to hear my thoughts about:
✔️ How being raised by a BPD/NPD parent can impact h...
Today I’m reflecting on how I’ve grown this year and what I’m focusing on for 2025. From taking bold action before I felt “ready” to ending a toxic friendship and trusting myself more, I’m sharing the real, unfiltered moments that have shaped my year. This episode is all about celebrating progress, embracing imperfections, and setting clear intentions for a fulfilling year ahead.
Listen to hear my perspective on:
Can personal experiences spark global change? In this episode, I share the story behind my newest venture, Confident Boundaries, and how my passion for helping adults with parents who have borderline and narcissistic personality disorders has evolved throughout this past year.
Confident Boundaries goes beyond my therapy and coaching practices, offering tools, resources, and a supportive community for adult children ready t...
Growing up with a narcissistic mother can feel like navigating a maze of manipulation and emotional chaos. Ever wonder how the image of a "perfect mom" can clash so deeply with reality? In this episode, I share snippets from my own personal journey of growing up with the "perfect" narcissistic mother.
We'll dive into how societal perceptions of motherhood often mask harmful behaviors, the pressure to maintai...
Today I share about my own childhood growing up with a narcissistic parent. I talk about why it's been such a struggle for me to really accept my mother's narcissism and how becoming a parent myself has made me much less sympathetic to my mother's poor parenting journey.
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In this episode, we talk about self-compassion and why it is so hard to develop for adults who grew up with emotionally unpredictable parents. I dive deep into why an emotionally safe space is essential for developing self-compassion and ways you can practice being kinder to yourself starting today.
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Subscribe to You’re Not Crazy: The Private Feed for exclusive episodes not avai...
Today, I'm talking about the frustrating reality of dealing with parents who continue to display toxic behaviors despite years of therapy. I share a personal story about my own mother who insisted her therapist told her she no longer needed therapy. Then, I discuss why some therapists are not be equipped to work with clients who have personality disorders and why people with personality disorders often seek out therapists who ...
Understanding Therapy vs Coaching: Navigating Relationships with Borderline and Narcissistic Parents
Today I share my journey from being a skeptic of the coaching industry to launching my own coaching business, Confident Boundaries, earlier this year. You'll hear about my initial frustrations with the unregulated nature of coaching, especially during the COVID-19 boom, and how I came to recognize a pressing need for accessible support for adults who are trying to navigate their relationship with a parent who has borderline an...
This week, I tell you why I absolutely refuse to help you suppress your emotional reactions to your parent's toxic behaviors. Listen to hear me out and why I instead recommend focusing on setting boundaries with your parent who has borderline and/or narcissistic personality disorder.
Also, I share why this episode is a little late! As always- thanks so much for your patience and continued support!
Want access to archiv...
This week on You're Not Crazy, I chat about why I loathe the Tony Robbins of the world and why you need to be careful about being the target of charismatic people who want to exploit you. Growing up with parents affected by borderline or narcissistic personality disorders can distort our sense of self and intuition, making us prime targets for re-traumatization by these so-called empowerment experts. We'll explore the dee...
Ever feel paralyzed by the thought of setting a boundary, let alone enforcing it? You’re not alone. Many of us didn't grow up witnessing healthy boundary-setting, and it can feel like an insurmountable task to learn it as an adult (but good news- it's not!).
In this episode, I discuss practical steps and strategies to help you navigate the path towards a less stressful life. Through relatable anecdotes and exper...
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
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