Crossed Wires: The Role of Emotional Incest in Estrangement

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This one’s tough—there’s no getting around it. And! It is a new and growing element of conversations related to estrangement.

There was a time when incest was all-inclusive - physical, mental, emotional, etc. The times have changed. Around 2002, the mental health world began to recognize emotional incest as its own and different trauma. The core difference between physical and emotional incest is that physical abuse is often not involved in emotional incest.

Emotional incest is a term that can feel offensive, confusing, or just plain shocking, especially if it's thrown at you as an accusation. Learning about the concept of emotional incest also gives you a chance to look at your upbringing and how your parents raised you.

More and more adult children use it to describe parts of their childhood that felt overwhelming or emotionally out of balance.

You’ll hear about:

• What emotional incest shows up in everyday family life
• How emotional boundaries can get blurred, even with good intentions
• Why some adult children are using this term to express pain
• How to reflect without getting stuck in shame or blame

Remember, my podcast content isn’t about agreeing with everything you hear—it’s about understanding where some of the hurt may have come. For both you and for your hurting adult child. If you’ve been accused of emotional incest, or just want to know what it means, take a listen.

This episode gives you a chance to take a peek at emotional incest with honesty and courage. Knowledge is power and can open our eyes to blind spots. Knowledge can lead to compassion for everyone involved.

#EstrangedParents #EmotionalIncest #EmotionalHealing #GriefSupport #MentalHealth

For more information, please go to https://www.WhenOurAdultChildrenWalkAway.com to find resources, strategies and tips to prepare to repair!

The continuum of estrangement discussed today can be found at https://www.togetherestranged.org/levels-of-estrangement.

The stories, examples, reflections, and perspectives shared in this podcast are based on my professional work as an estrangement coach and my personal estrangement journey. Any examples, characters, or stories referenced are either drawn from my own lived experience or represent a composite of multiple real-life situations shared with me over time. The intention of this podcast is not to accuse, label, or defame any individual but to provide insight, validation, and support for those navigating the complexities of family estrangement. All opinions expressed are my own and are shared with you, the listener, from a place of healing and learning.