Beyond Survival - The Therapy Podcast with Katie McKenna

Katie McKenna
  • 5.0 (24)
  • Mental Health

This Podcast is for anyone who grew up up in a dysfunctional or narcissistic family system and now finds themselves stuck in patterns of people-pleasing, anxiety or unhealthy relationships. Each episode offers real-world insight into trauma recovery, relationships, boundaries, nervous system healing and reconnecting to your true self.  Whether your just starting your healing journey or looking to deepen it, you’re welcome here - just as you are 

  1. 1d ago

    Am I Mad For Even Wanting to Try? (S6 Ep.8)

    How do I build and maintain a boundaried relationship with narcissistic parents? Or am I mad for even wanting to try? This week, a listener asks: What happens when the parents who hurt you are finally trying — but still fall back into the same old patterns? After years of being parentified, emotionally manipulated, and punished whenever she tried to assert her independence – this weeks listener went no contact and it gave her the space she needed to heal. She's learned to regulate herself, break old patterns, and show up differently in her own relationships and as a parent. But now comes the hard part. Her parents went to family therapy for 9 months – and the picture is mixed. She can now see the manipulation as it happens, rather than weeks later. There are signs of genuine effort, but the old patterns still emerge when they feel challenged or don't get what they want.  In this episode, Ruth and I explore the complexities of reconnecting after estrangement, how to distinguish genuine change from attempts to regain access, and what it means to maintain boundaries when someone is making an effort but still isn't able to fully take accountability. We also explore neurodivergence, intergenerational trauma, parentification, and the difficult question at the heart of this letter: How do I build and maintain a boundaried relationship with narcissistic parents that includes my children? Watch this episode on YouTube Quiz - "Are You Really Going From Zero to Ten?" Find out where you're actually starting from BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast

  2. Jul 17

    Am I The Only One? (S6 Ep.7)

    "I feel stupid for tolerating it for so long" This week's listener grew up in a narcissistic evangelical family where religion was used to justify fear, control and abuse.  As the eldest child, she became a high-achiever, believing that self-sacrifice and obedience were the keys to love and acceptance. Decades later, after her sister disclosed childhood sexual abuse by their father, everything changed.  Therapy, reporting her own abuse and finally leaving her own coercive and abusive marriage brought freedom—but also devastating loss when another sister chose to defend the perpetrator instead. Katie and Ruth explore why some siblings remain loyal to abusive parents. How narcissistic family systems operate like cults.  And why so many survivors unknowingly repeat abusive patterns in adulthood.  You're not alone — and this episode explains why. Watch 'Beyond Survival' on YouTube SERVE  – My Lost Years At The Heart of Opus Dei – by Anne Marie Allen  Uncultured – A memoir of growing up in a Cult – by Daniella Mestyanek Young MonteMader on Instagram - Platform on deconstructing Christian Nationalism Quiz - "Are You Really Going From Zero to Ten?" Find out where you're actually starting from BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast

  3. Jul 10

    Does Illness Change Everything? (S6 Ep.6)

    When you finally find the strength to go no contact with abusive parents, it can feel like the hardest decision you'll ever make.  But what when of those parents becomes seriously ill? This week we hear from a listener who spent decades trying to make sense of life with a covertly narcissistic mother and an enabling father before choosing to protect herself and her own family through estrangement.  Over time, things have quietened, but the attempts to provoke contact have never fully stopped. And then a brief letter arrives revealing her father's diagnosis, bringing with it an unexpected wave of grief, guilt and emotional conflict. Together, Ruth and I explore one of the most painful questions adult children of narcissistic families face:  Does a parent's illness change anything?  Are boundaries possible? Can you hold compassion for someone's suffering while still protecting yourself from further harm?  If you've ever questioned your decision to remain no contact, worried that illness means you "should" go back, or struggled with the guilt that can surface when an abusive parent becomes vulnerable, this episode offers understanding, validation, and a compassionate framework for navigating one of the most emotionally complex situations adult survivors can face. www.callaghancounselling.ie Quiz - "Are You Really Going From Zero to Ten?" Find out where you're actually starting from BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast

  4. Jul 3

    Narcissism or Neurodivergent? (S6 Ep.5)

    What happens when the behaviours that hurt you look similar to traits associated with autism or ADHD? Where is the line between someone struggling because they're neurodivergent and someone causing harm through narcissistic patterns? In this episode, we explore the important differences between intention, impact, empathy, accountability, and "own agenda" behaviour.  We also talk about why understanding someone's neurodivergence doesn't require you to minimise your own experience or abandon the boundaries you've worked so hard to build. If you've ever found yourself questioning whether the person who hurt you was narcissistic, neurodivergent, or both, this conversation will help you bring more clarity to a topic that is often misunderstood. www.callaghancounselling.ie Quiz - "Are You Really Going From Zero to Ten?" Find out where you're actually starting from BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast

  5. Jun 26

    Emotional Eating (S6 Ep4)

    For many children raised by narcissistic parents, their body becomes another battleground where they learn that who they are is never quite acceptable.  Too thin? There's a problem. Too heavy? There's a problem. Trying to improve yourself? That's a problem too. " I always felt that I disappointed my parents and they didn't like me." "I always went from chunky to super skinny and kept moving back and forth with my weight." "As an adult now, I'm an emotional eater. Food is my comfort." "I don't drink or use any substances but when it comes to eating I just struggle."  "When I feel even a bit hungry I start to panic like the food will not be there later."  If you've spent years blaming yourself for emotional eating, binge eating, constantly thinking about food, or feeling out of control around eating, this episode may help you understand something important: What if your relationship with food isn't really about food at all? Many adult children of narcissistic, emotionally immature, or dysfunctional parents grow up believing they have a lack of willpower. They tell themselves they're lazy, undisciplined, or simply incapable of maintaining healthy habits. But often, what looks like a food problem is actually a nervous system problem.   In this week's episode Dr. Ruth Callaghan and I, dive deep into this weeks letter of a listener of growing up with a narcissistic mother, an enabling father, family alcoholism, religious dysfunction, and a childhood where food became tangled up with love, safety, criticism, and survival. Watch 'Beyond Survival' on YouTube www.Bodywhys.ie Quiz - "Are You Really Going From Zero to Ten?" Find out where you're actually starting from BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast

  6. Jun 19

    When The Veil Finally Drops (S6 Ep.3)

    In this episode, Katie & Ruth hear from a listener in the "raw stages of estrangement" – navigating the grief, fear, and disorientation that can come when the reality of a dysfunctional family system finally comes into focus. After years of minimising and carrying the impact of her father's emotional abuse, aggression, and physical violence – everything changed when that same behaviour was directed towards their young child.  Faced with a choice between protecting family relationships or protecting her child – she chose to break a cycle that had been running for generations. If you're currently navigating the painful early stages of estrangement, or questioning whether you're doing the right thing by choosing distance from harmful family dynamics, this conversation offers validation, understanding, and a reminder that protecting your children often begins with protecting yourself. Watch 'Beyond Survival' on YouTube Quiz - "Are You Really Going From Zero to Ten?" Find out where you're actually starting from BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast

  7. Jun 12

    Should I Go To Therapy with my Narcissistic Parent? (S6 Ep.2)

    What happens when the parent who always refused accountability finally agrees to therapy? In this episode, Ruth and Katie explore the complex realities of dysfunctional family systems, the difference between reconciliation and repair, the risks and potential benefits of family therapy with a narcissistic or emotionally immature parent, and we delve deep into the pressure many adult children face to "keep the peace" from extended family – at the expense of their own wellbeing. If you've ever wondered whether attending one final conversation is an act of self-respect or self-betrayal, this episode is for you. Watch 'Beyond Survival' on YouTube Quiz - "Are You Really Going From Zero to Ten?" Find out where you're actually starting from BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast

  8. Jun 5

    How Narcissistic Parents use Abandonment as a Method of Control (S6 - Ep.1)

    "Do as I say and you can stay. Piss me off and you are out." That was the message our listener received throughout her childhood. In this powerful letter, she reflects on growing up with a mother who repeatedly used the threat of abandonment to maintain control — leaving her with severe anxiety, a deep fear of rejection, and the sense that love could be withdrawn at any moment. Now a parent herself, she finds herself facing a different challenge. As she sets boundaries to protect her children, her mother accuses her of being angry, difficult to love, and responsible for breaking up the family. At the same time, she appears increasingly focused on building relationships with her grandchildren while refusing to address the hurt in her relationship with her daughter. In this episode, we explore abandonment as a form of narcissistic abuse, the impact of growing up with conditional love, and why protecting your children can sometimes bring old family dynamics into sharp focus. We also discuss the grief of accepting that some parents are more invested in access than accountability — and what healing can look like when repair isn't possible. Watch Beyond Survival on YouTube Contact Dr. Ruth Callaghan: www.callaghancounselling.ie Quiz - "Are You Really Going From Zero to Ten?" Find out where you're actually starting from BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast

See All (59)

5
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

This Podcast is for anyone who grew up up in a dysfunctional or narcissistic family system and now finds themselves stuck in patterns of people-pleasing, anxiety or unhealthy relationships. Each episode offers real-world insight into trauma recovery, relationships, boundaries, nervous system healing and reconnecting to your true self.  Whether your just starting your healing journey or looking to deepen it, you’re welcome here - just as you are 

Information

You Might Also Like