Oprah’s “No Contact” Roundtable, ’Golden Child’ vs. ’Scapegoat,’ and a Path for Reconciliation

The holidays can feel more like a chore for some when strained relations and old behavioral patterns emerge during family gatherings. In this special episode of The Nerve, Maureen Callahan is joined by Psychology Professor Sam Vaknin to discuss how a growing number of people are applying extreme measures to these difficult family dynamics and why in many cases, it is not a solution. They explore the toxic trend of going "no contact," a concept that is being normalized through social media and is bolstered by narcissism. Then Maureen and Sam do a deep dive into the role of the "golden child" and the "scapegoat," differentiating between the two, identifying the origins of each, how they can shift and become interchangeable and how these roles affect sibling relationships.

Professor Sam Vaknin - https://www.youtube.com/samvaknin

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