This is an episode re-run and one that is still so relevant and needs a re-listen. It seems actually that it is even more relevant today. Parent's are still asking Parents are still asking, "How do I stay close to my adult child without pushing them away?" Francine Toder's answer isn't another communication technique—it's something much harder: look at yourself first. When our children become adults, many of us assume the hardest years are behind us. But for countless parents, the chall...
Aug 14
42 min
When an adult child moves back home once, many parents see it as temporary. But what happens when it becomes a pattern? In this episode of Straight from the Listener Line: Real Questions, Real Answers, Denise is joined by psychotherapist Joe Nucci to answer a listener's heartfelt question about her adult son, who has returned home five different times. Together they explore the difficult balance between offering support and fostering independence, why curiosity is more helpful than assumption...
Jul 31
6 min
Some conversations are worth revisiting. As we prepared to re-release this conversation with therapist Rachel Haack, I listened to it again for the first time in several years. I thought I knew exactly what Rachel was going to say. After all, I was the one asking the questions. But that's the gift of listening again. Sometimes the conversation hasn't changed at all—you have. This time, Rachel's insights on defensiveness, curiosity, perfection, and the evolving relationship between parents and...
Jul 17
1 hr 7 min
This is our first in a series of our new shorter segments called: Straight from the Listener Line – Real Questions. Real Answers. In this new series, we take one real listener question and bring in an expert to help us think it through honestly, thoughtfully, and with real-life experience behind it. Today’s episode tackles a topic many grandparents quietly struggle with: “What happens when you’re trying your best to help… but it still feels like you can’t do anything right?” A listener ...
Jul 3
12 min
This week we're revisiting one of our most talked-about episodes. Clinical psychologist and bestselling author of the book Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents, Dr. Lindsay Gibson joins us discuss emotional maturity, self-awareness, and why we need to play the long game. Many parents struggle with the feeling that they are constantly being asked to listen, validate, and accommodate their adult children while their own feelings go unheard. Dr. Gibson offers a differ...
Jun 19
53 min
In our first short form episode -- Straight From the Listener Line episode -- we welcome back psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein to answer a heartfelt listener question. A mother shares her struggle after watching her once-close relationship with her son change following his marriage. She feels increasingly pushed aside and wonders how to navigate the growing distance, particularly when she believes her daughter-in-law no longer values a relationship with her husband's family. We discus...
Jun 5
7 min
For this episode of Bite Your Tongue, we’re doing something quite a bit different. This is the last episode of Season 7, and today it’s just me. Me — and excerpts from one of my all-time favorite podcasts, This American Life with Ira Glass. For those who may not know Ira’s work, he is the groundbreaking creator and host of This American Life, whose storytelling helped redefine public radio and podcasting. A recipient of the Peabody, Pulitzer, and Edward R. Murrow Awards, Ira is widely conside...
May 22
15 min
Weddings, Family Tension, and Modern Etiquette Episode Description: If there is one life event that can bring together love, joy, tradition, money, and family tension all at once, it is a wedding. In this episode of Bite Your Tongue, Denise talks with Lizzie Post — co-president of the Emily Post Institute, co-host of the Awesome Etiquette podcast, and great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post — about how weddings have changed and why they still create so many emotional landmines for ...
May 8
54 min
Are you helping your adult child… or accidentally holding them back? Many parents quietly support their adult children financially — paying rent, helping with debt, or covering emergencies. But when does helping become enabling? In this episode, Denise talks with financial psychologist Dr. Brad Klontz about the emotional and psychological forces behind the “Bank of Mom and Dad.” Dr. Brad tells it like it is and doesn't hold back. He's says the right things - but sometimes they are hard ...
Apr 24
42 min
Family estrangement is one of the most painful and least discussed challenges parents face today. In this deeply personal and controversial episode, Denise speaks with journalist, entrepreneur, and author Laura Wellington, known online as Doormat Mom No More. After raising five children as a widowed mother, Laura found herself unexpectedly cut off by one of her adult daughters—an experience that left her heartbroken and searching for answers. She tried desperately to find other parents who we...
Apr 10
52 min
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