141: Best of: Boundary stories pt 1: The dad I didn’t cut off

The thing about boundaries is that they are much more complex than most people assume. The world of boundary-setting is rarely colored with clearly defined black-and-white choices. Today’s episode is a conversation with my friend Bethany about her relationship with her father and how she handled boundaries in ways that felt authentic to her. We are discussing how boundaries come into play in the relationships we have and the decision-making process we use. Join us to learn more!

Show Highlights:

●      A little background on Bethany’s dad, their relationship, and how she grew up not feeling wanted and approved by him

●      How Bethany’s relationship with her dad got worse as she became an adult and encountered her personal addiction issues

●      How Bethany learned hard lessons about communicating with her dad

●      Why Bethany decided to maintain her relationship with her dad—even though he gave her every reason not to

●      How Bethany set hard boundaries by not engaging with him when he was drinking and verbally abusive to her

●      How extra complexities came into their relationship when his health declined and he needed her more and more

●      Why Bethany’s decisions to engage and re-engage were never about believing he would change

●      Why the boundary decisions we make are less about what is right or wrong and more about how we can remain an authentic, whole person

●      How Bethany handled his terminal illness in ways that left her with no regrets

 

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