What is an interdependent relationship? Humans are social beings; we’ve always craved connection and depended on each other for our survival. Relying on others for emotional and practical support is a natural part of the human experience. This is called interdependency. In an interdependent relationship, people rely on each other for support and love—and also …
Key points about boundaries and enmeshed relationships: What is an enmeshed relationship? An enmeshed relationship lacks boundaries. People in enmeshed relationships are so close that they lose their individual identities. Enmeshed relationships can be between parents and children, siblings, romantic partners, or friends. If you’re in an enmeshed relationship, you may: People in enmeshed relationships …
Stress is a normal part of life, but too much stress can take a toll on our physical and mental health. The good news is that stress management doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated. In this article, you’ll learn a variety of quick and simple stress-reduction tips. What is Stress? Stress is a feeling …
Feeling out of control is scary for most people, but even more so for adult children. The term adult children (or adult child) refers to individuals that grew up in dysfunctional families. This includes having parents, caregivers, or close family members who struggled with substance use, mental health issues, rage, narcissistic behaviors, or were abusive. …
An emotionally abusive or toxic relationship can make you feel trapped, small, and deficient. It can feel like an anchor weighing you down, suffocating you. People who grew up in dysfunctional, chaotic, or unsafe families, develop a set of coping skills that helped them deal with the chaos and dysfunction in their families. Although these …
Codependency is a complex set of traits and interpersonal dynamics. Recovery can feel overwhelming—especially in the beginning. To help you get started, I’ll describe three pillars of the framework I developed for codependency recovery and offer some reflective questions to aid you in changing your codependent thoughts and behaviors. The three pillars of codependency recovery …
Most people want to have close family relationships, if possible. However, family bonds can become too close, lacking boundaries and inhibiting individual identity development. This is a phenomenon known as family enmeshment—a dysfunctional dynamic that occurs when there is there isn’t enough emotional separation among family members. In this article, we’ll discuss: Definition of Enmeshment Enmeshment …
Family Enmeshment: What It Is and How to Overcome It Read More »
In this article, you’ll learn about: This article is for parents of teens and young adult children. Some of it may apply to parenting younger children. Additional information about how parents can break the codependent cycle with their children can be found in this article: Parenting When You’re Codependent: How to Break the Cycle. What …
Ending Generational Codependency: Parenting Young Adults Read More »
Friends play an important role in our lives. A friend is a trusted confidant, someone who “gets” you like no one else, and a source of fun and solace. A true friend has your back and supports you through life’s ups and downs. But friendships, like any other relationship, aren’t always healthy. Not all friendships …
Setting boundaries can be challenging, especially when dealing with friends and family members who tend to dominate conversations. In this blog post, we’ll explore effective strategies for establishing and enforcing clear and polite boundaries with people who talk too much. People “over-talk” for all sorts of reasons, including anxiety, selfishness, or missed social cues. No matter the …
