Sibling Estrangement in Families with an Emotionally Immature Parent

CALLING HOME with Whitney Goodman, LMFT

In this solo episode, Whitney explores why siblings from the same dysfunctional family often have completely different experiences and reactions to their emotionally immature parents. She breaks down the common dysfunctional family roles - golden child, scapegoat, lost child, parentified child, and enabler - and explains how these roles create lasting divisions between siblings in adulthood. Whitney then gives guidance on how siblings can come to terms with these different reactions to their different experiences.

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Whitney Goodman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the founder of Calling Home, a membership community that helps people navigate complex family dynamics and break harmful cycles.

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This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice.

00:00 Why Siblings Experience the Same Parent Differently

03:19 The Five Dysfunctional Family Roles

07:29 How Childhood Roles Divide Adult Siblings

13:21 Accepting Different Healing Paths

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