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You're Not Crazy: A Podcast for Cycle Breakers with Toxic Parents

Torie Wiksell
  • 4.6 (61)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Therapist and boundaries coach, Torie Wiksell, is no stranger to talking about toxic parents and dysfunctional family dynamics. In addition to her focus on supporting the adult children of parents with borderline and narcissistic personality disorders as a therapist, Torie grew up with a mother who had an unmanaged personality disorder and understands the uniquely complicated aspects of these relationships. Torie brings a refreshingly relatable perspective to navigating a relationship with a toxic parent while instilling hope that things can get better and ensuring her listeners they are not alone. Follow Torie on TikTok: tiktok.com/@theboundariescoach Follow Torie on Instagram: instagram.com/torieatconfidentboundaries Learn more about navigating complicated parent relationships and the Confident Boundaries Membership: www.confidentboundaries.com Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy, nor is it a substitute for therapy. If you are in a mental health crisis, please contact the Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. You're Not Crazy is a podcast owned and produced by Torie Wiksell and Confident Boundaries, LLC.

  1. 1H AGO

    The Basic Needs Cycle Breakers Often Ignore (And How This Wrecks Your Mental Health)

    In this episode, we’re going back to the basics and talking about why things like staying hydrated, eating enough, sleeping, and moving your body matter far more for your mental health than most people realize. We cover: • Why cycle breakers often disconnect from their own needs • How dysfunctional family dynamics train you to ignore your basic needs • The mental health impact of dehydration, hunger, and exhaustion • Why boundaries are often required just to take care of yourself • Simple ways to start prioritizing your basic needs again Sometimes prioritizing your healing means something as simple as drinking enough water. Interested in therapy with Torie? If you’re an adult living in California, Oregon, or Washington and are interested in working together in therapy, you can learn more and schedule a free phone consultation here: https://toriewikselltherapy.com/schedule Support the show and get more episodes Join the private podcast feed for access to bonus episodes, archived episodes, and ad-free versions of all new episodes: https://www.confidentboundaries.com/youre-not-crazy-podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    18 min

  2. 12H AGO • THE PRIVATE FEED ONLY

    The Basic Needs Cycle Breakers Often Ignore (And How This Wrecks Your Mental Health)

    When you grow up with a narcissistic parent or a parent with unmanaged borderline personality disorder, you often learn to deprioritize your own needs. Over time, that conditioning can make it surprisingly easy to overlook the most basic ways we take care of ourselves. In this episode, we’re going back to the basics and talking about why things like staying hydrated, eating enough, sleeping, and moving your body matter far more for your mental health than most people realize. We cover: • Why cycle breakers often disconnect from their own needs • How dysfunctional family dynamics train you to ignore your basic needs • The mental health impact of dehydration, hunger, and exhaustion • Why boundaries are often required just to take care of yourself • Simple ways to start prioritizing your basic needs again Sometimes prioritizing your healing means something as simple as drinking enough water. Interested in therapy with Torie? If you’re an adult living in California, Oregon, or Washington and are interested in working together in therapy, you can learn more and schedule a free phone consultation here:  https://toriewikselltherapy.com/schedule

    18 min

  3. 6D AGO

    I Could Win a Gold Medal in Overexplaining Myself: Growing Up With a Narcissistic Parent

    When you spend your childhood being misunderstood, projected onto, or told who you are instead of being seen for who you actually are, it makes sense that you carry that fear of being misunderstood into adulthood. In this episode, I talk about: • Why adult children of narcissistic parents often overexplain themselves • What it feels like to grow up being constantly misunderstood • Why this pattern tends to show up more when you’re overwhelmed or depleted • What real healing actually looks like when these habits still pop up Support the podcast + get access to bonus, archived, and ad-free episodes: Join You’re Not Crazy: The Private Feed to support the growth of the show and get access to bonus episodes, the entire archive, and ad-free new episodes each week! Join here: https://www.confidentboundaries.com/private Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    21 min

  4. MAR 3 • THE PRIVATE FEED ONLY

    I Could Win a Gold Medal in Overexplaining Myself: Growing Up With a Narcissistic Parent

    Overexplaining is something many cycle breakers struggle with after growing up with a narcissistic parent. When you spend your childhood being misunderstood, projected onto, or told who you are instead of being seen for who you actually are, it makes sense that you carry that fear of being misunderstood into adulthood. In this episode, I talk about: • Why adult children of narcissistic parents often overexplain themselves • What it feels like to grow up being constantly misunderstood • Why this pattern tends to show up more when you’re overwhelmed or depleted • What real healing actually looks like when these habits still pop up

    21 min
  5. You’re High Functioning. But Are You Actually Okay?

    FEB 27 • THE PRIVATE FEED ONLY

    You’re High Functioning. But Are You Actually Okay?

    So many cycle breakers are incredibly high functioning. We are calm in a crisis. We anticipate problems. We make decisions quickly. We get things done. But most of those skills were built in survival mode. In this bonus episode, I talk about the hidden cost of being “the capable one” and what happens when your nervous system only knows two speeds: crisis or shutdown. We explore how childhood survival strategies quietly shape your career, relationships, and daily stress levels long after you leave the family system.

    15 min

  6. FEB 24

    The Guilt Trap: How This Tricky Emotion Keeps Cycle Breakers Stuck

    In this episode, we explore: Why guilt feels so overwhelming for adult children of emotionally immature and narcissistic parents How dysfunctional family systems train you to equate guilt with being a bad person The difference between healthy guilt and manipulative guilt Why avoiding guilt keeps you stuck in the toxic cycle How to approach difficult decisions without avoiding or agreeing to things beyond your capacity Learning to sit with guilt instead of immediately jumping into avoidance or problem-solving mode is a skill that many of us cycle breakers were never taught. Listen to this episode to learn more about building the healthy skills necessary to confidently navigate guilt as a cycle breaker. Support the podcast + get bonus episodes: Join You’re Not Crazy: The Private Feed to support the growth of the show and get access to bonus episodes, the entire archive, and ad-free new episodes each week! Join here: https://www.confidentboundaries.com/private Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    21 min

  7. FEB 24 • THE PRIVATE FEED ONLY

    The Guilt Trap: How This Tricky Emotion Keeps Cycle Breakers Stuck

    If you grew up with a narcissistic or emotionally immature parent, guilt might be one of your least favorite emotions. In this episode, we explore: -Why guilt feels so overwhelming for adult children of emotionally immature and narcissistic parents -How dysfunctional family systems train you to equate guilt with being a bad person -The difference between healthy guilt and manipulative guilt -Why avoiding guilt keeps you stuck in the toxic cycle -How to approach difficult decisions without avoiding or agreeing to things beyond your capacity Learning to sit with guilt instead of immediately jumping into avoidance or problem-solving mode is a skill that many of us cycle breakers were never taught. Listen to this episode to learn more about building the healthy skills necessary to confidently navigate guilt as a cycle breaker.

    21 min

  8. FEB 17

    When Parents Say They’re “Walking on Eggshells” Around You: The Truth About Power, Boundaries, and Gaslighting

    If you grew up with a parent who had narcissistic or borderline traits, you may have heard this when you started setting boundaries, going to therapy, or naming the dysfunction in your family. In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, we unpack: Why “walking on eggshells” is not the same thing in a parent-child relationship The lifelong power imbalance that doesn’t magically disappear when you turn 18 Why toxic parents often say this when you stop being compliant How this narrative twists reality and creates a false “both sides” story The subtle gaslighting behind “I have to walk on eggshells around you, too” When a parent says this, it often isn’t about your behavior. It’s about their discomfort with accountability. It’s about losing control of a dynamic where you were expected to stay small, agreeable, and emotionally accommodating. If you’ve started therapy, begun setting boundaries with a toxic parent, or noticed pushback when you stop playing your assigned role in the family, this episode will help you understand what’s actually happening. Support the growth of the show and get access to bonus content by joining You’re Not Crazy: The Private Feed.  Plus, you'll get ad-free versions of all new episodes when you join: https://www.confidentboundaries.com/private Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    17 min
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Trailer

4.6
out of 5
61 Ratings

About

Therapist and boundaries coach, Torie Wiksell, is no stranger to talking about toxic parents and dysfunctional family dynamics. In addition to her focus on supporting the adult children of parents with borderline and narcissistic personality disorders as a therapist, Torie grew up with a mother who had an unmanaged personality disorder and understands the uniquely complicated aspects of these relationships. Torie brings a refreshingly relatable perspective to navigating a relationship with a toxic parent while instilling hope that things can get better and ensuring her listeners they are not alone. Follow Torie on TikTok: tiktok.com/@theboundariescoach Follow Torie on Instagram: instagram.com/torieatconfidentboundaries Learn more about navigating complicated parent relationships and the Confident Boundaries Membership: www.confidentboundaries.com Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy, nor is it a substitute for therapy. If you are in a mental health crisis, please contact the Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. You're Not Crazy is a podcast owned and produced by Torie Wiksell and Confident Boundaries, LLC.

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