Episode 12: How to talk to your mother (or not) with Karen C.L. Anderson Get Writing Podcast

We’re coming up on Mother’s Day, and as much as that’s a holiday to be celebrated, it’s also a difficult one for some of us. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to talk to my mother—and be heard—since I was about 10 years old. I never quite succeeded.

If I had known about my guest today a lot sooner, it would have saved me many years of heartache.

Karen C.L. Anderson is an expert in mother-daughter relationships and is the author of Difficult Mothers, Adult Daughters: A Guide for Separation, Liberation, and a companion journal. She is currently finishing her new book, You Are Not Your Mother: Releasing Generational Trauma and Shame, which speaks to her personal experience with shame.
We talk about:

How adult daughters have the right to break contracts and speak the truth about their mothers;
How important it is to set boundaries with family members and honor them;
How self-concept work can help you understand yourself better so you can approach difficult interactions with your mother from a place of power;
Why setting boundaries doesn’t have to mean not speaking to your mother—but it could.

Whether you’re an adult daughter struggling with your relationship with your mother, or a mother who wants some insights into how to better relate to her daughter, I hope you love this episode. If this feels triggering for you, make sure you’re taking care of yourself.

You can find Karen on social here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kclanderson/