How to Survive Mother's Day When You Have a Mom with Borderline or Narcissistic Traits

When you grow up with a narcissistic mom or a mom with borderline personality disorder, Mother's Day hits different. The whole holiday is built on a story that doesn't match your reality, and it can feel like there’s no space for the reality you actually lived.
Whether you're still in contact, low contact, no contact, or your mom has passed away, this day can bring up a complicated mix of feelings for adults who grew up with a mom who had borderline or narcissistic traits.
In this episode you’ll learn:
• Why Mother's Day is uniquely painful for adult children of narcissistic and BPD parents
• The different challenges of navigating Mother’s Day when you are in-contact, no-contact, or your mom has passed
• A simple exercise for making hard decisions (like whether to go to brunch, send a gift, or call)
• How to be intentional about social media exposure on Mother's Day instead of doomscrolling into a spiral
• What it actually looks like to cycle break on a hard day, not perfection, just kinder choices
Ready to go deeper?
Stop Getting Pulled Back Into the Chaos (confidentboundaries.com/course) is Torie's self-guided course on how to set and enforce boundaries with a parent who has borderline or narcissistic traits. It covers why your boundaries keep failing, what to do instead, and how to keep going when your parent pushes back.
Learn more and get started: confidentboundaries.com/course
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Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in crisis, please call the 988 Crisis Lifeline.
You're Not Crazy is owned and produced by Torie Wiksell and Confident Boundaries, LLC.