You're Not Crazy: A Podcast for the Adult Children of Parents with Borderline and Narcissistic Personality Disorders

Torie Wiksell

You're Not Crazy: A Podcast for the Adult Children of Parents with Borderline and Narcissistic Personality Disorders

Self-Improvement Mental Health Personal Journals English

Torie Wiksell, is no stranger to talking about toxic parents and dysfunctional family dynamics. As a therapist Torie focuses on supporting the adult children of parents with borderline and narcissistic personality disorders. She also grew up with a mother who had an unmanaged personality disorder and understands the uniquely complicated aspects of these relationships. Torie brings a refreshingly relatable perspective to navigating a complicated relationship with a parent who has BPD or narcissistic traits while instilling hope that things can get better and ensuring her listeners they are not alone.

Follow Torie on TikTok: tiktok.com/@cyclebreakertherapist

Follow Torie on Instagram: instagram.com/cyclebreakertherapist

Learn more about navigating complicated parent relationships and find resources that can help at www.confidentboundaries.com Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy, nor is it a substitute for therapy. If you are in a mental health crisis, please contact the Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. You're Not Crazy is a podcast owned and produced by Torie Wiksell and Confident Boundaries, LLC.

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14 April 2026

What It’s Like to Have a Parent with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder

In this episode, I walk you through: What patterns are common in narcissistic vs. borderline personality disorder Why the diagnosis itself isn’t what matters most What it feels like to grow up as a child dealing with a parent with these dynamics The key differences in behavior, motivation, and emotional impact Why these relationships feel so confusing, intense, and destabilizing We also talk...

07 April 2026

Breaking the Cycle Is Complicated: Here’s a Roadmap

If you grew up with a parent who had narcissistic or borderline traits, chances are no one ever showed you what being an emotionally healthy adult actually looks like. In this episode, I’m breaking down why healing feels so confusing, messy, and unclear and what you actually need in order to move forward. We’re talking about: Why “I don’t want to be like them” isn’t enough to create healthy...

01 April 2026

Does Your Parent Mean to Hurt You? Why Intent Doesn’t Matter (and What Actually Does)

When you grow up with an emotionally unpredictable or narcissistic parent, it’s easy to get stuck trying to figure out their intent especially when there were both good and painful moments. In this episode, we’re breaking down why that question keeps you stuck and what actually matters when it comes to healing and setting boundaries. Because the truth is, it’s not about whether they mean to hurt...

24 March 2026

Why You Intellectualize Your Feelings (and Why It’s So Hard to Stop)

In this episode, I’m talking about why that happens and why “just feel your feelings” isn’t actually helpful for most people who grew up in chaotic or emotionally unpredictable family environments. When you grow up with a parent who lacks emotional regulation skills, you learn to analyze, anticipate, and problem-solve. Not because something is wrong with you, but because it helped you function in...

17 March 2026

Forgiveness Is Overrated: What Actually Helps You Heal from a Toxic Parent

In this episode, we’re talking about: Why forgiveness is often misunderstood Why you don’t need to forgive your parent to heal How focusing on forgiveness can actually keep you stuck The difference between forgiveness and healing Why acceptance is what actually helps you move forward What “radical acceptance” looks like in real life Listen to learn more about the fallacy of forgiveness and what...

10 March 2026

The Basic Needs Cycle Breakers Often Ignore (And How This Wrecks Your Mental Health)

In this episode, we’re going back to the basics and talking about why things like staying hydrated, eating enough, sleeping, and moving your body matter far more for your mental health than most people realize. We cover: • Why cycle breakers often disconnect from their own needs• How dysfunctional family dynamics train you to ignore your basic needs• The mental health impact of dehydration,...

03 March 2026

I Could Win a Gold Medal in Overexplaining Myself: Growing Up With a Narcissistic Parent

When you spend your childhood being misunderstood, projected onto, or told who you are instead of being seen for who you actually are, it makes sense that you carry that fear of being misunderstood into adulthood. In this episode, I talk about: • Why adult children of narcissistic parents often overexplain themselves • What it feels like to grow up being constantly misunderstood • Why this...

24 February 2026

The Guilt Trap: How This Tricky Emotion Keeps Cycle Breakers Stuck

In this episode, we explore: Why guilt feels so overwhelming for adult children of emotionally immature and narcissistic parents How dysfunctional family systems train you to equate guilt with being a bad person The difference between healthy guilt and manipulative guilt Why avoiding guilt keeps you stuck in the toxic cycle How to approach difficult decisions without avoiding or agreeing to...

17 February 2026

When Parents Say They’re “Walking on Eggshells” Around You: The Truth About Power, Boundaries, and Gaslighting

If you grew up with a parent who had narcissistic or borderline traits, you may have heard this when you started setting boundaries, going to therapy, or naming the dysfunction in your family. In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, we unpack: Why “walking on eggshells” is not the same thing in a parent-child relationship The lifelong power imbalance that doesn’t magically disappear when you turn 18...

10 February 2026

When Dysfunction Is “Normal”: Subtle Emotional Abuse in Toxic Families and Why It’s So Damaging

In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, therapist and boundaries coach Torie Wiksell breaks down common behaviors that toxic families often label as “normal,” but that are actually deeply damaging and abusive. We talk about why these dynamics are so confusing, why they impact you as deeply as they do, and why your reactions are not a personal flaw. You’ll learn: Why emotional and psychological abuse...