Content warning: This episode discusses childhood abuse, domestic violence, racial slurs, and the death of a sibling.


In this Q&A episode, Whitney reads a single letter from a woman who survived a childhood of severe violence, lost her sister at 24, and is now permanently no contact with a family system that still minimizes what happened. Whitney takes the letter in pieces and answers all three of her questions.


In this episode, you'll learn:

  • How to grieve a sibling whose life was overshadowed by abuse, without reducing them to what was done to them
  • Why thriving after you escape is not a betrayal of the people who didn't
  • What it means when an entire family, including the abuser, admits the violence happened and still asks you to come back
  • Why grief and boundary-holding almost always have to happen at the same time


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.


Have a question for Whitney? Send a voice memo or email to whitney@callinghome.co


Join the Family Cyclebreakers Club: https://callinghome.co

Follow Whitney on Instagram | sitwithwhit

Follow Whitney on YouTube | @whitneygoodmanlmft

Order Whitney's book, Toxic Positivity: https://sitwithwhit.com/toxic-positivity


Sign up for updates on Whitney's new book: https://cmnyyv4kpyt.typeform.com/to/PHMzjy0o


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

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