Q&A: Self-Diagnosis and Toxic Grandparents

In this Q&A episode, Whitney explores the complexities of self-diagnosis, particularly around autism and neurodivergence, discussing when it can be helpful versus harmful and how to pursue formal diagnosis responsibly. She also addresses a caller's struggle with a narcissistic mother-in-law and provides practical advice for protecting children while navigating a spouse who isn't ready to set boundaries with their difficult parent. Whitney Goodman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the founder of Calling Home, a membership community that helps people navigate complex family dynamics and break harmful cycles. Have a question for Whitney? Call in and leave a voicemail for the show at (866) 225-5466⁠⁠ Join the Family Cyclebreakers Club⁠⁠ Follow Whitney on Instagram | sitwithwhit Follow Whitney on YouTube | @whitneygoodmanlmft ⁠⁠Order Whitney’s book, Toxic Positivity⁠⁠ This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this Q&A episode, I explore a quote from the book Forget Them Kids authored by an estranged parent that perfectly illustrates how many parents use "good intentions" to avoid accountability. I then answer listener questions about reconciling family political differences and navigating coming out to unsupportive parents for a second time as an independent adult. Whitney Goodman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the founder of Calling Home, a membership community that helps people navigate complex family dynamics and break harmful cycles. Have a question for Whitney? Call in and leave a voicemail for the show at (866) 225-5466 Join the Family Cyclebreakers Club⁠⁠ Follow Whitney on Instagram | sitwithwhit Follow Whitney on YouTube | @whitneygoodmanlmft ⁠⁠Order Whitney’s book, Toxic Positivity⁠⁠ Learn more about ad choices. Visit podcast.choices.com/adchoices This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I sat down with therapist and content creator Jacquelyn Tenaglia to discuss the rise of "therapy speak" online and in popular culture, how mental health terms are being misused and weaponized, and what to look for when consuming mental health content on social media. We explore the fine line between increased mental health awareness and the oversimplification of complex psychological concepts, plus red flags to watch for in mental health content creators. Follow Jacquelyn on IG at no.bs.therapist Whitney Goodman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the founder of Calling Home, a membership community that helps people navigate complex family dynamics and break harmful cycles. Have a question for Whitney? Call in and leave a voicemail for the show at (866) 225-5466⁠⁠ Join the Family Cyclebreakers Club ⁠⁠⁠Follow Whitney on Instagram⁠⁠ Follow Whitney on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ Order Whitney’s book, Toxic Positivity ⁠⁠Learn more about ad choices. Visit podcast.choices.com/adchoices This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this solo episode, I’m exploring how to develop emotional closeness in your relationships. I discuss why some people struggle with vulnerability, how emotional immaturity creates barriers to closeness, and practical ways to practice emotional connection. Some family members may never be capable of deep emotional intimacy. Developing emotional closeness for yourself often means accepting these limitations while still finding meaningful connections elsewhere. Whitney Goodman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the founder of Calling Home, a membership community that helps people navigate complex family dynamics and break harmful cycles. Have a question for Whitney? Call in and leave a voicemail for the show at (866) 225-5466⁠⁠ Join the Family Cyclebreakers Club⁠⁠ Follow Whitney on Instagram | sitwithwhit Follow Whitney on YouTube | @whitneygoodmanlmft ⁠⁠Order Whitney’s book, Toxic Positivity⁠⁠ This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this Q&A episode, I’m addressing why some mothers copy their daughters' appearance and behavior and what to do when in-laws constantly offer help but never follow through. As part of my Little Epiphanies part of the show, I also discuss emotional immaturity and enmeshment in parent-child relationships as seen in the Netflix show "Ginny and Georgia.” Whitney Goodman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the founder of Calling Home, a membership community that helps people navigate complex family dynamics and break harmful cycles. Have a question for Whitney? Call in and leave a voicemail for the show at (866) 225-5466⁠⁠ Join the Family Cyclebreakers Club⁠⁠ Follow Whitney on Instagram | sitwithwhit Follow Whitney on YouTube | @whitneygoodmanlmft ⁠⁠Order Whitney’s book, Toxic Positivity⁠⁠ This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do you do when the person who needs care is someone who caused you significant harm? In this solo episode, I’m addressing what is probably one of the most dreaded dilemmas facing estranged adult children: how to navigate caring for aging parents. We’ll explore different types of care that are available for you to choose from and other complex emotional and practical considerations. Whitney Goodman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the founder of Calling Home, a membership community that helps people navigate complex family dynamics and break harmful cycles. Have a question for Whitney? Call in and leave a voicemail for the show at 866-225-5466 Connect with Whitney ⁠Join the Family Cyclebreakers Club⁠ Follow Whitney on Instagram | sitwithwhit Follow Whitney on YouTube | @whitneygoodmanlmft ⁠Order Whitney’s book, Toxic Positivity⁠ Learn more about ad choices. Visit ⁠podcast.choices.com/adchoices⁠ This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whitney speaks with Etinosa Agbonlahor about navigating difficult financial conversations with parents. They discuss strategies for approaching retirement planning, setting financial boundaries with financially irresponsible parents, and handling the emotional complexity of money conversations that often involve mortality and family dynamics. Have a question for Whitney? Call in and leave a voicemail for the show at 866-225-5466 Connect with Etinosa Book: "How to Talk to Your Parents About Money: A Short Practical Guide: Conversations That Build Peace, Confidence, and Financial Security” (available on Amazon) Website: https://etinosaa.com/ Podcast: Her First House Connect with Whitney Join the Family Cyclebreakers Club Follow Whitney on Instagram Follow Whitney on YouTube Order Whitney’s book, Toxic Positivity Learn more about ad choices. Visit podcast.choices.com/adchoices This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, I sat down with siblings Haley and Chad from the Necessary Conversation Podcast. Each week, they sit down with their parents to talk about politics and they invite us to listen (to say their political beliefs differ would be quite the understatement). They discuss their temporary estrangement due to politics and why they continue to sit down every week to have these conversations. Join The Family Cyclebreakers Club: www.callinghome.co/join Have a question for Whitney? Call in and leave a voicemail for the show at 866-225-5466. Follow Whitney on Instagram: www.instagram.com/sitwithwhit Subscribe to Whitney's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whitneygoodmanlmft Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hi! I'm answering two caller questions today. Caller 1 was abused by her father, and now he's getting remarried to someone with young children. Caller 2 told her sister about their parents' abusive behavior, and it didn't go as planned. In the first ten minutes of the show, I recap some dysfunctional TV family dynamics in Sirens and Nine Perfect Strangers. May at Calling Home - Grieving Complicated Relationships: ⁠https://callinghome.co/grieving-complicated-relationships ⁠ Have a question for Whitney? Call in and leave a voicemail for the show at ⁠866-225-5466⁠. Follow Whitney on Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/sitwithwhit⁠ Subscribe to Whitney's YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@whitneygoodmanlmft⁠ Order Whitney's book, ⁠Toxic Positivity. ⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, I discuss one reason young people end relationships with their parents: their desire for differentiation. You will learn why differentiation is crucial for healthy family dynamics, why adults may need to establish strict boundaries with their parents, and how relationships are formed based on role vs. relationship quality. May at Calling Home - Grieving Complicated Relationships: ⁠https://callinghome.co/grieving-complicated-relationships ⁠ Have a question for Whitney? Call in and leave a voicemail for the show at ⁠866-225-5466⁠. Follow Whitney on Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/sitwithwhit⁠ Subscribe to Whitney's YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@whitneygoodmanlmft⁠ Order Whitney's book, ⁠Toxic Positivity. ⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices