Family Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Kerry McAvoy, PhD

Has Your Adult Child Gone No Contact? Here’s How to Rebuild That Damaged Relationship

Has your adult child gone no contact? Cut off all communication with you? Are you struggling to figure out how to repair things with them? This week, psychologist and author Dr. Joshua Coleman, author of Rules of Estrangement, joins Dr. Kerry to unpack why estrangement is on the rise and what actually helps parents reopen the door. Podcast Extra Exclusive Interview Find the exclusive second segment and weekly newsletter here. More About the Podcast Extra Interview In this members-only…

Why I Stopped Being the Perfect Wife and Daughter-in-Law

“How can someone seem loving for years—then suddenly turn cruel?” This week’s Fan Mail revisits a letter that struck a nerve with listeners. A woman wrote about her daughter-in-law, who had seemed like a wonderful addition to the family for seven years—until she “suddenly turned into a monster.” But after the episode aired, Dr. Kerry received another listener’s response who offered the opposite perspective: “I was in a 23-year marriage marked by coercive control and escalating abuse. My in-la…

When Your Mother Hurts Instead of Loves You: Understanding The Controlling Mom

Can you ever be “good enough” for a difficult mother? In this episode, psychotherapist Katherine Fabrizio, author of The Good Daughter Syndrome, reveals why empathic daughters feel trapped in cycles of guilt, exhaustion, and approval-seeking—and how to reclaim your power and identity finally. Tronick’s Still (Blank) Face Experiment PODCAST EXTRA EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Find it here: https://substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse for the exclusive interview and weekly newsletter.&nb…

I Had to Helplessly Watch My Son Battle Cancer

As he hovered near death It was in the middle of June’s heat when I rushed to my son’s bedside. At twenty-eight years of age, he had been living on his own for several years. I was on vacation over a thousand miles away when I got the call that something was wrong. I first … Read more

My Loved One Abused Me with Invalidation

And probably you’ve done to someone you love too. “I’m sorry you feel that way,” my ex muttered, as if conceding. He quickly glanced sideways at me before looking back at the road. With one hand on the steering wheel, he slid his other into mine. I let my hand rest in his, limp and lifeless. … Read more

Grieving Stages: It’s Not That Simple

Grieving Don’t Need Pity, Just the Freedom to Mourn In our way, in our time, and for long as it lasts. It’s been nearly five years since my husband died — the anniversary of his death is in a couple of weeks. You would think I would move through the grieving stages. To be done and through this … Read more

Living With Cancer in a COVID-19 World

My Son’s No-Win Healthcare Decision “Mom, I wanted to let you know I just spoke to the doctor about my cancer treatment. About whether or not I’m going to continue with chemotherapy,” my son texted me. “What did you decide?” I asked. I knew this moment would come. I held my breath as I waited … Read more

Literacy Deepened the Relationship with My Father

My dad’s discovery of audiobooks changed everything. Growing up, I loved yet feared my dad. A strong man who worked with his hands, he rarely spoke unless he was regaling us with tales of his youth around the dinner table.But there was a painful distance and I didn’t know how to deepen the relationship. I … Read more

The Secret on How to Make Love Last a Lifetime

An open letter to my late husband on his birthday Today is my first husband’s birthday. He passed away after a short battle with cancer June 2015. This letter is a tribute to him and to our love. Open Letter To my dearest Bradley, Today would have been your fifty-seventh birthday. Since the boys and I … Read more

The Embrace of our “Abba Father”

Discovering a New Side of God, My Father For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, … Read more