In this solo episode, Whitney explores narcissistic family systems - what they look like, what they feel like, and what recovering from them might entail. She explore roles like the scapegoat and enabler, discusses why image matters more than authenticity in these families, and explains how the parenting styles of narcissistic parents create long-term, but not insurmountable, harm. Whitney Goodman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the founder of Calling Home, a membership co...
Jul 08, 2025•31 min
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 he...
Jul 03, 2025•32 min
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.therapis...
Jul 01, 2025•39 min
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 Marri...
Jun 24, 2025•29 min
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 ...
Jun 19, 2025•31 min
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 membersh...
Jun 17, 2025•35 min
In this Q&A episode, I’m discussing the discovery of sexual abuse in the family and providing practical advice for someone struggling with boundary violations from their mother. We explore the concept of true boundaries and concrete strategies when nice requests aren’t working. 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 Follow Whitney on YouTube Order Whitney...
Jun 12, 2025•34 min
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...
Jun 10, 2025•33 min
In this solo episode, Whitney critiques a New York Times opinion piece claiming therapy culture is linked to declining birth rates. Drawing from her work with populations of estranged adults and research for her upcoming book on parent-child estrangement, Whitney addresses harmful misconceptions about why adults choose to limit contact with parents. Whitney Goodman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the founder of Calling Home, a membership community that helps people navigat...
Jun 05, 2025•29 min
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 leav...
Jun 03, 2025•51 min
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 Wh...
May 29, 2025•36 min
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 an...
May 27, 2025•30 min
I'm back with two caller questions this week. Caller 1 has been waiting for her siblings to see her perspective, but now that they have, she's having some conflicting emotions. Caller 2 is trying to make sense of her sister's apparent amnesia of their father's abuse. 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 Y...
May 22, 2025•23 min
You were the responsible one. The quiet one. The one who didn’t need much. And now, as an adult, you feel stuck—like you never got the chance to just be a kid, and it’s holding you back. Grieving a childhood that was chaotic, neglectful, abusive, devoid of emotional connection, or overly parentified can be challenging. You may feel like you’re stuck in your childhood or your child self, and like you can’t seem to let go or move into adulthood. In this episode, I explain what it means to grieve y...
May 20, 2025•17 min
Imagine your parents disapprove of your partner, and they're outwardly hateful about the life you've chosen to live. You had to end your relationship with them because of this. But now you're thinking about having a baby, and you want your baby to have grandparents. What would you do in this situation? That's one of the issues we're navigating in the latest Q&A episode out now. About the Host Whitney Goodman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the founder of Calling Home, ...
May 15, 2025•26 min
Episode #116 of the Calling Home Podcast with Whitney Goodman, LMFT In this solo episode, Whitney Goodman explores the complex grief that comes with mourning a parent who wasn't emotionally or physically present. Whether the parent is still alive but unwilling to change or has passed away, Whitney explores the confusing emotions that can arise and provides practical guidance on navigating both forms of loss. About the Host Whitney Goodman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and th...
May 13, 2025•23 min
Mother's Day is this weekend, and I know that is hard for many of you. In this episode, I discuss who should be "celebrated" on Mother's Day and answer several of your questions about how to grieve and estrangement. Here are those resources I mentioned in the episode: Mother-Daughter Relationship worksheets, videos, scripts, and articles The Adult Daughters with Difficult Mothers Group Q&A: My Mom Didn't Protect Me From My Dad Q&A: My Mom Snuck Alcohol Around My Child Q&A: Mother's D...
May 08, 2025•29 min
This is an episode that every trauma survivor—and the people who love them—should listen to. Nate is an amazing speaker who discusses childhood trauma from a survivor's perspective, and I have no doubt this episode will deeply impact you. You can learn more about Nate and his work here. 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. Fo...
May 06, 2025•1 hr
Wow, so sorry for that mixup. My advice for Caller 1 has completely changed after I heard the entire voicemail, not just half of it. If you've already listened, this is an updated version of that episode. 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 Y...
May 01, 2025•27 min
This episode is about repair, not perfection. You will learn: Why we react in ways we don't want to Why self-compassion is crucial for repair How to repair (with exact steps) 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/@whit...
Apr 29, 2025•21 min
Hi! We have two caller questions this week + my three little epiphanies: Some families are “role” families and some families are “relationship families.” Sometimes the most adult thing you can do is stand up for yourself. There is a special pain in families where people know exactly how to act around others, but give you the worst version of themselves. Caller 1 feels like a rest stop to her father and never his actual destination. Caller 2 is asking about personality changes for elderly adults....
Apr 24, 2025•28 min
This episode is for anyone who is navigating estrangement. I sat down with Eamon Dolan, the author of the new book, The Power of Parting. We discuss: The hidden epidemic of child abuse at the hands of their family members Why estrangement is so taboo and challenging Eamon's steps for navigating estrangement and how to approach it Why our family members need to treat us like friends If you are an adult who is estranged from one or both of your parents, please complete my Estranged Adult Survey be...
Apr 22, 2025•43 min
Today, we have two caller questions. I also talk about my three little epiphanies for the week: The most ineffective way to resume contact with someone after estrangement is by demanding a relationship with them. For some adults, their parents are their biggest haters. There’s a big difference between not wanting kids and feeling like you can’t have them because of your own childhood wounds. Join The Family Cyclebreakers Club: www.callinghome.co/join Have a question for Whitney? Call in and leav...
Apr 17, 2025•27 min
I recorded this solo episode of @thecallinghomepodcast for anyone who is parenting without role models or someone who is fearful of having children because they don't have a roadmap from their own childhood. 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 mo...
Apr 15, 2025•28 min
Today, we have a Q&A episode. I answer two caller questions: 1. Caller 1 wants to know if her dad has autism or narcissistic traits. I break down the difference. 2. Caller 2 is struggling to have a surface-level relationship with her family. I also dive into my three little epiphanies for the week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 10, 2025•34 min
Hey everyone, and welcome back! I am so excited to have Carla Fernandez on the podcast today. She's a grief guide, community builder, the author of Renegade Grief, and co-founder of The Dinner Party, an organization that creates spaces where people who have experienced loss can gather around a table and share their stories. Carla's work centers on reimagining how we approach grief, not just as individuals but as communities, especially in a culture that often rushes us to move on or only makes s...
Apr 08, 2025•41 min
Hi! We're back with two caller questions this week. Caller one is a passive-aggressive MIL and caller 2 is concerned about having her family at her wedding. I also share my three little epiphanies for the week about giving grace, the most googled question about estrangement, and Chappell Roan. 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/sitwithwh...
Apr 03, 2025•28 min
With that Chappell Roan clip on Call Her Daddy going viral, this episode couldn't be more timely. I sat down with Amanda White, the author of Fence Sitter and we talk about motherhood, deciding to have children, regret, and the paradox of joy and pain in parenthood. This episode is great for anyone considering having a child or struggling with early parenthood. Join The Family Cyclebreakers Club: www.callinghome.co/join Have a question for Whitney? Call in and leave a voicemail for the show at 8...
Apr 01, 2025•49 min
This week, I'm sharing my three little epiphanies: The show Long Bright River is a great representation of what it's like to love a family member in active addiction and the different paths we can take in a family. (More on that below) Why I'm so tired of quotes like, "It's your parent's first time living too." I saw this video about growing up in an "ask family" or a "guess family," and it's fascinating. I also answer two caller questions. Caller 1 is estranged from her parents but wants to sup...
Mar 27, 2025•27 min
Ok, I go on a little rant in this one because I am so tired of people trying to remain totally neutral about family estrangement. Obviously estrangement is bad. It's not an ideal outcome. No one wants to experience it. And, sometimes it is the only choice. In this episode I cover: how abuse is actually quite common in families why saying estrangement is "bad" isn't going to solve anything what we actually need to do to prevent estrangement in families Join The Family Cyclebreakers Club: www.call...
Mar 25, 2025•26 min
