Guilt. Is there a more soul-crushing feeling? Yet, as bad as it is, you may not always recognize the signs of guilt and the detrimental effect it has on your life. Think about a time in the past when you felt guilty. Was that a fleeting feeling or did you spend days, weeks, or months […]
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Moving Away From Family: How to Handle the Guilt Trips
Are you moving away from family and can’t handle the guilt? Are your parents going out of their way to make you feel like you’re the worst person on earth? I know your pain. My husband and I are planning to move to another state. We’ve lived in California most of our lives, and we […]
Toxic Parenting: 9 Ways to Avoid Repeating Your Parent’s Mistakes
Toxic parenting leaves deep scars on a child’s psyche. But what we often don’t realize is that it also gives the child a faulty blueprint for raising their own children. So how do we avoid repeating our parents’ terrible mistakes? First, we need to understand the full impact of toxic parenting. The Effects of Toxic […]
Family Estrangement: How to Move on From Cutting Toxic Ties
Family estrangement is shameful. You have to stick with your family no matter what. Blood is thicker than water. Those are the typical things people say (or think) when they hear about cutting ties with a close relative. But estrangement from a family member is surprisingly common, and it’s becoming less of a taboo discussion […]
4 Clever Mind Hacks For Dealing With Toxic People
“Draining, unsupportive, and difficult people are one of life’s greatest challenges,” says author Vanessa Van Edwards. It is certainly an ongoing challenge in my life. And if you’re reading this article, in your life, too. Maybe you’re dealing with a manipulative mother, a toxic friend, or an annoying coworker. Whoever it is, they’re an emotional […]
Can You Recognize These 15 Subtle Signs of Emotional Abuse?
The danger of toxic relationships is that it’s not always obvious they’re toxic. The abuse can be subtle and continue for years or even decades. So how do you recognize the signs of emotional abuse in what seems like a normal relationship? First, listen to your gut. Next, see if you can recognize these subtle […]
How to Survive the Holidays With Your Toxic Family
Holidays should be a time of joy and celebration. But when you have toxic family members, festivities aren’t all that jolly. It may be a time of stress, tension, and conflict. We all grew up with images of happy families gathering around a beautiful table. Champagne glasses are clinking, the fireplace flickers with warmth, and […]
11 Signs of Indifferent Grandparents
When we talk about toxic grandparents, we usually mean controlling, manipulative, or narcissistic individuals who want to be in their grandchildren’s lives. But there is another type of grandparent that isn’t so grand — the indifferent type. This post will discuss Signs of Indifferent Grandparents Indifferent grandparents generally show no interest in being in their […]
21 Gut-Wrenching Lies You Learned From Your Narcissistic Parent
If you have a narcissistic parent, you probably grew up with your parent’s lies and delusions. You were systematically gaslighted, devalued, and dismissed until you lost any sense of what’s true and what’s not. It’s time to set the record straight. Here are the most common lies narcissistic parents tell their children, and what the […]
13 Subtle Signs You Are a Toxic Person
Are you self-aware enough to recognize difficult personality traits in yourself? Here are 13 subtle signs you may be a toxic person. This blog is all about learning and healing from abusive relationships. So naturally, we talk a lot about toxic individuals such as pathological liars, manipulators, narcissists, etc. But now it’s time to address […]