Barb Nangle (Part 1): Codependency, Trauma, and Why Boundaries Change Everything

2026-03-10

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What if the reason you struggle with boundaries isn’t weakness—but survival? In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with boundaries coach Barb Nangle to talk about codependency, trauma, and the moment that forced Barb to completely rethink how she related to herself and everyone around her. Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and

What if the reason you struggle with boundaries isn’t weakness—but survival?

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with boundaries coach Barb Nangle to talk about codependency, trauma, and the moment that forced Barb to completely rethink how she related to herself and everyone around her.

Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast) with over 4 million downloads and counting.

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Mental Health Quote

“Boundaries are the antidote to codependency.” — Barb Nangle

Episode Description

Many people believe boundaries are simply about saying no. But according to boundaries coach Barb Nangle, that’s only a small part of the story.

In this powerful first half of a two-part conversation, Barb joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to unpack the deeper roots of codependency, trauma, and people-pleasing, and how those patterns shape our relationships long before we recognize them.

Barb shares the life-changing moment that sent her into recovery: inviting a homeless man into her home in an attempt to help him, only to realize she had completely lost herself trying to rescue someone else.

That experience led her into 12-step recovery programs, including Al-Anon, Codependents Anonymous, and Adult Children of Alcoholics, where she began to understand how childhood trauma and emotional abandonment had shaped her behavior.

Through recovery, Barb discovered something profound: boundaries don’t just protect relationships—they create internal safety, allowing us to show up in the world without constantly abandoning ourselves.

This episode is an honest and deeply relatable conversation about healing, awareness, and what it really takes to break free from lifelong patterns.

Keywords: Barb Nangle, codependency recovery, boundaries, trauma healing, people pleasing, emotional safety, adult children of alcoholics, therapy, relationship boundaries, self-awareness, mental health recovery, trauma patterns, emotional healing

Meet Our Guest — Barb Nangle

Barb Nangle is a boundaries coach, speaker, author, and podcaster who helps professional women stop saying yes when they mean no and build emotionally healthy relationships.

After nearly 40 years of therapy and personal development, Barb entered 12-step recovery at age 52, where she discovered that codependency and childhood trauma had shaped her life far more deeply than she realized. Through recovery, she developed the boundary-building framework that now forms the foundation of her coaching and teaching.

Today, Barb helps women create internal safety, healthier relationships, and stronger personal boundaries through coaching, speaking, and her podcast, Fragmented to Whole: Life Lessons from 12 Step Recovery.

Connect with Barb:

Website: https://higherpowercc.com/
Podcast: https://higherpowercc.com/podcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbnangle/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@higherpowercoaching

Key Takeaways

Codependency often develops from childhood trauma and emotional abandonment.
Boundaries are about understanding what is and isn’t okay for you.
Many people confuse helping others with rescuing them.
Recovery begins when you stop focusing on fixing others and start caring for yourself.
Emotional safety is the foundation of healthy relationships.

Actionable Items

Pay attention to moments when you say yes but feel resistance internally.
Ask yourself regularly: “Is this my responsibility or someone else’s?”
Start identifying what feels emotionally safe and unsafe in your relationships.

References Mentioned

Al-Anon
Codependents Anonymous (CoDA)
Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA)
Overeaters Anonymous (OA)

Important Chapters

00:00 – Welcome and why boundaries matter
06:00 – Barb’s work and how she teaches boundaries
13:00 – The story of Dan and the turning point in Barb’s life
22:00 – Discovering Al-Anon and codependency
31:00 – Understanding childhood trauma and emotional abandonment
40:00 – How recovery began transforming Barb’s life

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