My Kid Grows Up and Now I Can’t Say Anything!
“It doesn’t make any sense to me,” complains dad. “I’ve been around the block more than ten times but if I try to say anything to my adult child, they tell me that I am out of line. Are you kidding me? Out of line? Was I “out of line” when we were paying for […]
Are We Programmed to Expect Family Perfection?
If you grew up in America, there’s a good chance that you watched a few Disney movies with your children. I know Cinderella and Snow White were staples in our home. I had never focused much on the “evil stepmother” until I was suddenly a stepmother myself. Then I didn’t much care for the description […]
3 Things Parents Can Do When Therapy is the Problem
“Everything was fine in our relationship until my adult child began going to therapy. Suddenly I can’t say anything without making my adult child feel ‘unsafe’. There are so many boundaries in our relationship that I can’t keep up with them! I don’t know why I’m the ‘bad guy’ after trying to give them so […]
Inner Work for Estranged Parents: A Path to Reconnecting
“Bonny, you would be so proud of me! I got to meet with my adult daughter and I listened. In fact, I am EXHAUSTED. Listening is HARD,” reported mom. If you’ve followed me for very long then you know that I talk a lot about how to do “inner work”. I am always telling estranged […]
Dealing With Family Estrangement: Be Prepared
When family dynamics create unhealthy patterns, estrangement often results. As a Certified Family Estrangement Coach, I see the results of unhealthy patterns usually between parents and their adult child(ren). “Preparing” is one of the best ways to deal with family estrangement and shift family dynamics. We “prepare” to show up differently in our relationships. What […]
When the In-Law Child is the Problem
“We have always had a great relationship; able to talk about anything, disagree sometimes and move on,” mom shares. “Then he got married. When he was dating, his girlfriend seemed fine with our family. But as soon as the ring was on her finger, things changed. Even during the pre-wedding days, we saw that she […]
