As I mentioned in the last post, there are two types of parentification: 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – Acting as a friend and confidant to a parent, becoming the peacemaker, emotionally supporting the family. I𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – helping the family with physical …
What is Parentification?
Not everyone who experiences parentification also experiences negative effects as adults. However, some of the things you may experience are a loss of a sense of playfulness and a feeling of not having had a fun childhood. There is often …
When We Have Emotionally Immature Parents
Let’s start with emotionally immature parents. Your parents were emotionally immature because THEIR parents were emotionally immature. Emotional maturity is passed through family lines. If we are raised by people who know how to have healthy boundaries, self-regulate, have functional, …
What is Complex PTSD?
Complex trauma refers to a child’s continued exposure to traumatic events, which are often interpersonal and intrusive. This could be physical abuse, neglect, or attachment issues with the primary caregiver. When a child is abused or neglected, attachment issues occur. …
We Leave Tomorrow
Like so many people who haven’t seen their family in years, I haven’t seen my mum in two and a half years. She lives in the UK and I live in Australia, on the opposite side of the world. We …
Meditation Practice
Coming to a place of mindfulness is about bringing our awareness into the present. So often, we are physically present but mentally somewhere completely different. When we are connected to our body, thorough mindful breath or mindful walking, we are …
Meditation
Mindfulness has been a big part of my healing journey. I first learned to meditate about 22 – 23 years ago, when the research and hype about meditation had not yet landed. I bought a book called ‘Meditation …
Compassion
If you listen long enough, most spiritual teachers will start to talk about the mind as having ‘seeds’. All the ‘seeds’ in the mind have different vibrations. There might be seeds of fear, seeds of self-criticism, seeds of boredom, and …
An Antidote To Consumerism
There are some aspects of Buddhism that are incredibly close to my heart. One of them helps with the human condition of suffering. It’s called “letting go” and is said to bring happiness. You might like to try this little …
7 Communication Skills That Will Change Your Relationship
𝐀 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞: “𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐩𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐮𝐩𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭.” I can’t overemphasise how healing it is to hear, “the way you …