When a marriage falls apart, the story children see is often only a small part of what truly happened. One parent may look angry or reactive while the other appears calm or composed — but underneath, both are often hurting, both are surviving, and both are human.
In this heartfelt episode, life coach and podcast host Renee Swanson speaks directly to the sons and daughters who grew up in homes shaped by emotional turmoil or quiet disconnection. She offers a compassionate look at why one parent may have stayed, why the other finally left, and how fear, shame, and survival can silently erode connection over time.
This episode isn’t about blame — it’s about understanding.
Renee invites adult children to see their parents’ humanity, to build their own relationships free of loyalty binds and guilt, and to use the pain they witnessed as a source of awareness and healing for their own lives.
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Why love can turn into survival inside emotionally unsafe marriages
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How unhealed pain blocks repair and destroys trust
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Why the parent who walked away may have been trying to save the family, not abandon it
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The role of emotional intelligence — and what this generation can do differently
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How adult children can break the cycle through awareness, compassion, and boundaries
If your parent sent you this episode, it’s because they love you — and want you to understand their story, and yours, with gentleness and truth.
THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY RENEE SWANSON, COVERT NARCISSISM PODCAST, AND CNG LIFE COACHING IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE USED FOR DIAGNOSIS PURPOSES AND NOT INTENDED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL CARE. PLEASE CONSULT A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FOR GUIDANCE SPECIFIC TO YOUR CASE.
THIS MATERIAL DISCUSSES NARCISSISM IN GENERAL. RENEE SHARES STORIES FROM HER PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AS WELL AS FROM THOSE SHE HAS TALKED WITH FOR SEVERAL YEARS. HER MATERIAL DOES NOT CLAIM THAT ANY SPECIFIC PERSON HAS NARCISSISM AND SHOULD NOT BE USED TO REFER TO ANY SPECIFIC PERSON AS HAVING NARCISSISM. PERMISSION IS NOT GRANTED TO LINK TO OR REPOST THIS MATERIAL TO SUPPORT AN ALLEGATION OR SUPPORT A CLAIM THAT ANY SPECIFIC PERSON IS A NARCISSIST. THAT WOULD BE AN UNAUTHORIZED MISUSE OF THE MATERIAL AND INFORMATION PROVIDED.
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