1 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: I'm Laurie Gottlieb. I'm the author of Maybe You Should 2 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:09,399 Speaker 1: Talk to Someone, and I write the Dear Therapists advice 3 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: column for the Atlantic. 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 2: And I'm Guy Wench. I'm the author of Emotional First Aid, 5 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 2: and I write the Dear Guy advice column for Ted. 6 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 2: And this is Dear Therapists. 7 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: Each week we invite you into a real session where 8 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: we help people confront the problems in their lives and 9 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: then give them actionable advice and have them report back 10 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 1: to let us know what happened when they did what 11 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: we suggested. 12 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:35,560 Speaker 2: So sit back and welcome to today's session. This week, 13 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 2: a woman whose parents are pressuring her to get married 14 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 2: and have a baby, wonders how to set boundaries with 15 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 2: her family. 16 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 3: When I was twenty three, he would say, oh, no, 17 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 3: she doesn't need to get married yet. She's so young, 18 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 3: she has time. And then you know, in a couple 19 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 3: of years after that, it's all you're too old, you 20 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 3: don't have time. 21 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: First a quick note, Dear Therapist is for informational purposes only. 22 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: It does not constitute medical or psychological advice, and is 23 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: not a substitute for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment 24 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: by submitting a letter, you are agreeing to let iHeartMedia 25 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: use it in part orn full, and we may edit 26 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:09,040 Speaker 1: it for length and clarity. In the session, you'll hear 27 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: all names have been changed for the privacy of our guests. 28 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:16,759 Speaker 2: Hi Laurie, Hi Guy. 29 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:19,559 Speaker 1: So I took a little peek in our mailbox because 30 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 1: I couldn't help it, and I saw that we have 31 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: a lot of letters, and I'm really curious to hear 32 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: what we're going to be talking about today. 33 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 2: Well, today we have a letter about setting boundaries, and 34 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 2: it goes like this, deotherapists, I need help navigating the 35 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 2: pressures that my family is putting on me and my 36 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,679 Speaker 2: partner as I get older. When I was younger, they 37 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 2: expected me to study hard. During that time, I met 38 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 2: my partner, who is the same age as me. We 39 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 2: have now been together ten years and are approaching our thirties. 40 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 2: My brother got married, and now my parents are pressuring 41 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 2: me to push my partner to propose so we can 42 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 2: get married and have a baby. My partner and I 43 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 2: have discussed this and it will come, but he's not 44 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 2: ready just yet. I've tried to set boundaries with my 45 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 2: parents and to listen to their concerns. However, they continue 46 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 2: to bring up the issue, which pressures me and causes 47 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 2: me to fight with my partner in order to try 48 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,239 Speaker 2: to please my parents. I'm exhausted by trying to get 49 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 2: my parents to be quiet about it. I have incredible 50 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 2: anxiety about this, and while I know my family loves me, 51 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:24,119 Speaker 2: I feel incredibly judged by them and like I'm disappointing them. 52 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 2: I'd love some help getting my parents to stop asking 53 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 2: me about this once and for all. Thanks Alexis Well. 54 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: Alexis is really caught in the middle of her past 55 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: and her present. She's still in this phase where intellectually, 56 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: as an adult, she says, I know I need to 57 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 1: live my life for me and not do things solely 58 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: to please my parents. But on the other hand, she 59 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: still feels that pressure to make sure that, as she said, 60 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: she's not disappointing them. And I think it's great that 61 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: she and her partner have already discussed this and they 62 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 1: together have come to a consensus. So it's not one 63 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: of those letters of one of us wants to move 64 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: forward and have children and the other one doesn't. They 65 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 1: seem to be on the same page. The question is 66 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: how can she get that voice out of her head 67 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 1: around I don't want to disappoint my parents. 68 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 2: It's interesting because they've been together for ten years, and 69 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 2: the parents might be thinking ten years, why aren't you 70 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 2: married yet? And I don't know how much she's had 71 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,399 Speaker 2: a full discussion with her parents about what really their 72 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:32,079 Speaker 2: concerns are. Are they worried he actually won't or are 73 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 2: they just worried that it looks bad. So it'd be 74 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 2: interesting to hear more about what those discussions have been 75 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 2: like so far. 76 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: And I think the important thing here is that she 77 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: doesn't really need to explain to her parents why things 78 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: are the way they are. I think what the parents 79 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: need to know is that she and her partner feel 80 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: good about whatever they've decided, because that's very different from 81 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 1: her having to justify to her parents we're doing it 82 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: this way because. 83 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 2: I agree, and I would like to confirm indeed that 84 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 2: she does feel good about it, whether she's fully on 85 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: board with waiting. But let's go talk to her and 86 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 2: find out. 87 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: Yes, let's go talk to her. You're listening to Dear 88 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: Therapists for my Heart Radio. We'll be back after a 89 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: short break. I'm Laurie Gottlieb. 90 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 2: And I'm Guy Wench and this is Dear Therapists. So hi, alexis, 91 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 2: welcome to the show. 92 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 3: Thanks for having me. 93 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 2: Guys, we'd like you to start, perhaps by telling us 94 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 2: a little bit about the relationship, how you met your boyfriend, 95 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 2: how things went, and how things are right now. 96 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 3: So I met my boyfriend when I was about eighteen 97 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 3: years old, so I was a white tressing and I 98 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 3: met him through that. And our own families have their 99 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 3: own complex relationship that neither of us knew at the 100 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 3: time of a meeting. So that complex relationship wasn't something 101 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 3: my dad as extremely happy about it at the time. 102 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 3: But as my dad got to know my boyfriend, he 103 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 3: definitely softened to him. He's a really kind and gentle person, 104 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 3: and so my dad really took to that and our 105 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 3: relationship got a lot stronger as a result. We are 106 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 3: in the process of now building our first home and 107 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 3: moving in together, but that has created some of its 108 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 3: own complexities with my family, particularly gain my dad, who 109 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 3: feels that we've been together long enough that maybe our 110 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 3: relationship should look a little different to what it currently does. 111 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: Can you tell us more about the complicated relationship. 112 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 3: So our parents had known each other when they were younger. 113 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 3: Both our dads had worked in the same industry and 114 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 3: they had clashed a little bit in that industry, and 115 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 3: so my dad just didn't like that idea that I 116 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 3: was dating a guy that he had clashed with their father. 117 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 2: And did your boyfriend's dad also have concerns like that 118 00:05:57,640 --> 00:05:58,239 Speaker 2: at the beginning? 119 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:02,280 Speaker 3: Probably My boyfriend's dad's not much of a share a talker. 120 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 3: My parents and his parents still don't talk. I don't think. 121 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 3: I think I could probably count on one hand the 122 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:13,039 Speaker 3: number of times we've all been in the same room 123 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 3: at the same time. 124 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 1: How have you and your boyfriend talked about the fact 125 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: that there is this tension between both sets of parents. 126 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 3: When I was younger, I think it used to concern 127 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 3: me a lot more. For him, it was more of 128 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 3: a will work it out. We love each other when 129 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 3: it's our relationship, and that's what matters. I should say 130 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 3: that we both get along with each other's family, and 131 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 3: that took a little bit of time. My family was 132 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 3: more open to welcoming him. His family were a little 133 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 3: less open. I don't know if that was because of 134 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 3: the complex relationship or just because of his own complex 135 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,159 Speaker 3: relationship with his own family. It's just that when you 136 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 3: think about having a wedding, I don't think anything terrible 137 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 3: would happen, but I get anxious that there would be 138 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 3: some uncomfortableness or awkwardness. But I do have trust in 139 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 3: my family that if it was a big celebratory event, 140 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 3: that they would be my supports and be able to 141 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 3: talk and play nice. 142 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: Basically, what has it been like to talk with your 143 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: boyfriend about the fact that your families don't get along. 144 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 3: To be honest, uncomfortable and I think we avoid it regularly. 145 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 3: For me, it definitely feels stressful and anxiety provoking at times. 146 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 3: He's a more laid back person, so when I have 147 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 3: talked about it with him, he's very much like, it'll 148 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 3: be fine. I wouldn't worry about it, but I do 149 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 3: worry about it. 150 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 2: What are you worried about, specifically? 151 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 3: Just whether it would be uncomfortable when we do have 152 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 3: family events that I would lack our whole family to 153 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 3: be at, whether everyone will sort of get along, whether 154 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 3: they'll say something that will upset somebody else. 155 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 2: Who are the characters that you're most concerned about their 156 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 2: two sets of parents. You get along with his, he 157 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 2: gets along with yours, his mom. 158 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 3: And dad probably upsetting my mom and dad, or my 159 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 3: mom and dad somehow upsetting his mom and dad. And 160 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 3: I wonder if that's just like a warrior I have 161 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 3: in my mind, that wouldn't actually happen. It's been so 162 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 3: long since they'd had any conflict. Almost twenty years ago 163 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 3: they had their conflict. 164 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: How do you feel about the fact that this happened 165 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 1: so long ago, and that the two of you have 166 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:36,839 Speaker 1: been together for ten years, and that your parents, and 167 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 1: by your I mean both sets of parents have not 168 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 1: been able to rise to the occasion and somehow mend 169 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 1: whatever they need to mend, or at least find some 170 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 1: way of being civil with each other. 171 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:56,080 Speaker 3: Now, as my brothers have partners and their partner's families 172 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 3: come to different things, it feels less normal. But it 173 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,439 Speaker 3: felt normal at that because I didn't have a lot 174 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 3: to model it off. In a young relationship. We go 175 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 3: to their house for their occasions, you know, we go 176 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 3: to my house for my occasions, and that just felt 177 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 3: normalized to me. 178 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: But I don't think it feels normal because you think 179 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: about it a lot and you worry about it a lot. 180 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 3: I think about it now, and I worry about it now. 181 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 3: We recently had my brother's engagement and then his wedding, 182 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 3: and seeing everyone getting along nicely and laughing and happy, 183 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 3: that makes me worry. I don't even think we've allowed 184 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 3: them the opportunity to try and do so. And I 185 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 3: think that would be because I get worried that something 186 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:49,679 Speaker 3: will happen and that I will have to have an 187 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:54,959 Speaker 3: argument with my family defending my partner or my partner's family, 188 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 3: so I haven't allowed it. 189 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 2: How much do you think your parents leave are getting 190 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 2: from you this mixed message about I want you to 191 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 2: make this easier on the one hand, but I actually 192 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:12,079 Speaker 2: would rather avoid the entire thing for as long as 193 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 2: possible because I'm worried that it will cause a big problem. 194 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I am giving those mixed messages. 195 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:24,319 Speaker 2: Other than by not bringing it up, in what other 196 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 2: ways do you think you might have communicated that hesitancy. 197 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 3: The avoid part is more strong for me. Don't bring 198 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 3: it up, don't talk about it, don't invite to birthdays 199 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 3: or Christmas events. We all live in the same area, 200 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 3: and I know that they have run into each other 201 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 3: and they have actually, you know, said hello to each 202 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 3: other or waved at each other. And so there is 203 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,560 Speaker 3: some give there. But when I ever think about them 204 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 3: running into each other, it makes me so anxious that 205 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 3: when my family started shopping at a different shopping location, 206 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 3: I was happy that they weren't running into each other. 207 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:06,079 Speaker 3: The times they have bumped into each other haven't been terrible, 208 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 3: but I still avoid trying to bring that together or 209 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 3: have some sort of repair in those relationships. 210 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 2: And just to clarify, the worry is that there'll be 211 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 2: some kind of bruhaha between the two parents, or that 212 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 2: there will be an issue with the parents, and then 213 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:24,679 Speaker 2: that will create an issue with you and your boyfriend. 214 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 3: There will be an issue with the parents, and that 215 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 3: will create an issue for either me or my boyfriend, 216 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 3: or just an issue that I have to somehow fix. 217 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 3: I don't care if they don't get along per se. 218 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,960 Speaker 3: I just care if they say something that I have 219 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 3: to then deal with. 220 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:43,680 Speaker 1: Why would you have to be the one to help 221 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: the adults get along with each other? 222 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 3: That is my role in my family. My role in 223 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 3: the family is the peacekeeper, the responsible one, the helper. 224 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 3: So an example might be when we were at my 225 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 3: brother's wedding, I think someone had made a comment to 226 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 3: my partner, oh, it is your turn to get married now, 227 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,199 Speaker 3: and my partner had said something like, oh, not yet, 228 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 3: and so someone fed that back to my dad, and 229 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 3: then my dad comes up to me a week later 230 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 3: and says, your boyfriend said this at the wedding. And 231 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 3: he says it in a tone that makes you feel 232 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 3: that he's so disappointed. And then I feel anxious. I 233 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 3: feel like I'm letting people down and that I have 234 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 3: to justify where we're at and why we're at where 235 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 3: we're at. 236 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: Can I ask is there a part of you that 237 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:46,319 Speaker 1: feels a little bit like your parents in the sense 238 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: of are you comfortable with where you're at in the 239 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:53,479 Speaker 1: relationship with your boyfriend? You said you're both approaching your thirties. 240 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 1: Is there a part of you that wonders, is my 241 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:00,080 Speaker 1: boyfriend going to be ready? 242 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 3: Sometimes there is, but more and more over the past 243 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:08,200 Speaker 3: couple of years, we're having those more serious conversations, which, 244 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 3: again I'd like to avoid big conversations, but we have 245 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,079 Speaker 3: been having them. And he wants to wait to get 246 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 3: married to when we live in our house and that'll 247 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 3: be all things going well at the end of this year. 248 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 3: And he just says, I have this idea of that 249 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 3: moment in my mind when we get engaged in what 250 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 3: that looks like, and it involves us being in our 251 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 3: home and starting our life on our path in our time. 252 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 3: So I think when I initially pictured all of those 253 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 3: things when I was younger, everything was earlier than what 254 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:44,959 Speaker 3: it is now. I was told you do this by 255 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 3: this age, and this is the order you do things in, 256 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 3: and you don't stray from that line. But I'm also 257 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 3: very happy with my relationship, and I think that's more 258 00:13:55,760 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 3: important to me than this idea that my parents or 259 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,199 Speaker 3: my dad might have in his head of what happiness 260 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 3: in relationships looks like at different stages. 261 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 2: You said you avoid these conversations with your boyfriend and 262 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 2: that you don't really share with him all of these 263 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 2: worries that you have. And I'm curious about why not, 264 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 2: Because right now, in your head, Alexis, it falls to 265 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:25,119 Speaker 2: you to be the helper and the fixer of everything, 266 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 2: and I'm curious about why you don't share with him. Hey, 267 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 2: this is what worries me. It's not our timetable, it's 268 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 2: how well our parents will play together and how difficult 269 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 2: that will make life for us. 270 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 3: I don't share with anyone, but I never have. I 271 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 3: don't know if it's I should be able to just 272 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 3: get over it or manage it, or maybe they're silly worries. 273 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 3: I don't know. 274 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 2: You're tearing up a little bit as you say that 275 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 2: when you say I don't share with anyone. Why is 276 00:14:56,520 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 2: it that you feel you have to carry these burdens alone? 277 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 2: He sounds like a supportive, nice person, Your boyfriend. Why 278 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 2: do you feel he wouldn't be able to be there 279 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 2: for you. 280 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 3: I don't know if it's about him or if it's 281 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 3: just about That's how I've done things my whole life. 282 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 3: I don't share my feelings. I don't share my feelings 283 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 3: or when I'm sad or when I'm worried with anyone. 284 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 3: I haven't felt like anyone has been able to without 285 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 3: it making them uncomfortable be there for me in the past. 286 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: What would happen when you were younger and you tried 287 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: to share feelings sad with your parents? 288 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 3: It would make them sad, or if I was sad 289 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 3: for too long, it would make them angry. I would 290 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 3: be told, you know that's enough now, or don't be silly. 291 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 3: My dad was really sick when we were growing up, 292 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 3: so I didn't want to burden any of them with 293 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 3: my own feelings. I just decided to deal with everything 294 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 3: on my own. 295 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 2: At what age did you decide that the. 296 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 3: Pic cock's like a left what tip? So that was 297 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 3: when my dad was first diagnosed with cancer. I feel 298 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 3: like I've always been the responsible one anyway. It was 299 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 3: pretty much set out for me, firstborn female in a 300 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 3: half ethnic family. It always felt like a lot to 301 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 3: live up to the perfect one. It doesn't get sad, 302 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 3: it doesn't get worried, it doesn't burden other people. You 303 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 3: just go on. And then when my dad got sick, 304 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 3: they came up with this story that didn't say Dad 305 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:09,879 Speaker 3: has cancer. It made me feel like they felt that 306 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 3: I wouldn't be able to cope knowing even though I 307 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:18,920 Speaker 3: was old enough to know why my dad had to 308 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 3: shave all his hair off. And so I called him 309 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:24,200 Speaker 3: out and I said, in a very angry way, how 310 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 3: stupid do you think I am? I know dad has cancer? 311 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 3: And then I sort of took myself to my room 312 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:32,479 Speaker 3: and refused to speak to anyone. And then I just 313 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 3: I cried then, but not in front of anyone. And 314 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 3: when I'd composed myself, I just made a decision to 315 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 3: not be sad about it anymore. I thought, well, if 316 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 3: I show them that I'm strong and I'm not sad, 317 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 3: then they won't be sad anymore, and none of us 318 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 3: have to be sad. 319 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:52,360 Speaker 2: But then it's a family dynamic of you don't burden 320 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 2: each other with each other's feelings because you assume that 321 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 2: they can't handle it, and they assume that you can't 322 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 2: handle it. So that's something you do to one another. 323 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 2: Has it occurred to you, you're doing back to them 324 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:05,160 Speaker 2: what they did. 325 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 3: It hasn't occurred to me. It makes a lot of sense. 326 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 3: This is so generationally ingrained in my family. You lie 327 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:20,119 Speaker 3: about how serious something is. This is just something that 328 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 3: my whole family does. 329 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 2: But Alexis, what I'm pointing out is not that you 330 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 2: lie about it. The why you lie about it because 331 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:31,679 Speaker 2: you assume that the other people can't handle it like 332 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 2: they assumed you couldn't. You were perfectly capable of and 333 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,479 Speaker 2: you were annoyed by that. And it's possible they are 334 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 2: capable too. 335 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 3: It's possible. But when I have shown periods of vulnerability 336 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:48,199 Speaker 3: with my parents, it upsets them and they don't like 337 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 3: prolonged emotion. If I have, even as a teenager, cried 338 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:58,439 Speaker 3: for any reason and it's gone on longer than what 339 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 3: they can tolerate, I have been told that's enough, now 340 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:03,719 Speaker 3: stop crying. 341 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: I think the word tolerate is so important here. Instead 342 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:11,399 Speaker 1: of saying how can I sit with you in your sadness, 343 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:17,679 Speaker 1: they feel discomfort because your sadness brings up something that 344 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 1: they can't tolerate, some discomfort in them. And just like 345 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 1: you did the same thing when you said, I know 346 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 1: dad has cancer, and then instead of getting comfort from them, 347 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: you went to your room and closed the door. So 348 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 1: everybody feels like I can maybe show a glimpse of 349 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 1: something anger sadness, but then we don't want it to 350 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 1: go on too long. So, as you said, you made 351 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 1: a decision not to be sad. Yeah, but you can't 352 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 1: just decide yourself out of sadness. You made a decision 353 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: not to show your sadness, yeah, but you were still sad. 354 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 3: Yeah. 355 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 1: I'm curious to hear more about that. When your dad 356 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 1: was going through his treatment cancer, what was that like 357 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: for you? You were eleven. 358 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 3: To be honest, I don't know how I felt. I 359 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 3: think I completely switched myself off I ignored everything and 360 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:18,640 Speaker 3: didn't ask about it, and I pretended that it wasn't happening. 361 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 3: So when my dad was in hospital, I didn't go 362 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:27,359 Speaker 3: to the hospital because then I didn't have to see 363 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 3: what was happening. So I think I was terrified, but 364 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:34,919 Speaker 3: I ignored all of that. 365 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 1: Did your parents try to ask you how you were 366 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 1: feeling and why you didn't want to go to the hospital. 367 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I gave them I just don't want to 368 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 3: see my dad like that, or everything will be fine, 369 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 3: So if you just be positive, then everything will get better. 370 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:55,440 Speaker 1: And how did they respond to that? 371 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 3: I think my dad agreed with that. He didn't want 372 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 3: to talk about it either, so he made him feel, Wow, 373 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:06,159 Speaker 3: she can be so strong, so I can be strong, 374 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 3: because he would then say the same things that I 375 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,400 Speaker 3: was saying, you know, let's not talk about it, let's 376 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 3: not worry about it. I will be fine. I'll get 377 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:20,719 Speaker 3: through this. And his prognosis was I should mention very serious. 378 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:23,880 Speaker 3: He was given three months to live, but he defied 379 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:30,640 Speaker 3: all odds on three separate occasions and he is still here. 380 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 3: So I also feel now as an adult, guilty when 381 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 3: I feel like I'm disappointing him or not living up 382 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 3: to what he would like for me? 383 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 1: Was this going on in the whole family, meaning your 384 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:47,880 Speaker 1: brothers as well, we're not talking about it. 385 00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:51,160 Speaker 3: I don't remember ever talking to my brothers about it. 386 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 3: I just remember thinking, they're, you know, about eight and six, 387 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 3: and they got given this story. 388 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 1: So you had to hold the true story and they 389 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:06,920 Speaker 1: believed something else. 390 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was when I got told that. I was 391 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 3: just angry. But I was just angry because it was happening, 392 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 3: not because they lid. I was just angry that my 393 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 3: happy life had to get really serious. 394 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 2: Well, you're probably much more than just angry. There were 395 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 2: probably all kanes of feelings that were going on. What 396 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,400 Speaker 2: about friends? Did friends notice? Did you talk to any 397 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 2: friends or did you feel that would be disloyal? Did 398 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:39,119 Speaker 2: any friends say, what's going on with your dad? It 399 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 2: looks Unwell. 400 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:42,439 Speaker 3: I didn't talk to any friends. I have a lot 401 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 3: of cousins that are very close with I didn't talk 402 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 3: to anyone. I know. My school knew because they sent 403 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:53,399 Speaker 3: the school counselor and I said, I'm fine. I didn't 404 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 3: talk about it, and nobody asked me. That's really interesting 405 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:00,439 Speaker 3: to me now as an adult, I recently came to 406 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 3: my mum and I said, Mom, I think I had 407 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:07,960 Speaker 3: an eating disorder when I was at school. And she said, yeah, 408 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:12,120 Speaker 3: I know. We took you once to a doctor and 409 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 3: they told us not to tell you and just it'll 410 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 3: figure itself out. 411 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 1: How old were you when you had an eating disorder? 412 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:25,360 Speaker 3: I have so many memories of being in high school, 413 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 3: maybe fourteen or fifteen, and it wasn't about my body 414 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 3: at all, Like I didn't ever have any thoughts like that. 415 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 3: You know, I was big or this or that, but 416 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 3: I was obsessed with food and rules around food. And 417 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 3: then I would only eat this very specific food. So 418 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,840 Speaker 3: my parents would just only buy that one thing, and 419 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,680 Speaker 3: I wouldn't eat breakfast and I would throw my food 420 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:53,639 Speaker 3: away at school. When I became an adult, I just 421 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:59,160 Speaker 3: loved cooking, but not so that I could eat it. 422 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:03,440 Speaker 3: I would cook so that other people could eat that food. 423 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:07,640 Speaker 3: But you know, i'd convinced myself up until maybe four 424 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 3: years ago, I didn't like anything sweet. So on birthdays 425 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:19,920 Speaker 3: I watched others enjoy food, but I never let myself. 426 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 2: Even on your birthday, I just would say. 427 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 3: No, I don't like cake, and everyone just said, okay. 428 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:30,160 Speaker 1: That's such a metaphor for the way that it's all 429 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:36,160 Speaker 1: about taking care of other people and depriving yourself. That deprivation, 430 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 1: whether it's the deprivation of the joy of eating something delicious, 431 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:45,159 Speaker 1: whether it's the deprivation of getting comfort when you're feeling 432 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 1: sad or scared or angry. And again, as part of 433 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:54,520 Speaker 1: that metaphor, nobody questioning why is this happening? And even 434 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 1: though your parents noticed and they took you to a doctor, 435 00:24:57,280 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 1: it was never discussed with you. 436 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:04,520 Speaker 3: No, and took credit to my boyfriend. He knew that 437 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 3: I wouldn't eat, and he would dish up food for me, 438 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 3: and he would say, we have to eat this together, 439 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 3: and I would really like if you ate the whole 440 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 3: bowl of this pasta or the whole bowl of this food. 441 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 3: And I remember i'd go to his mom's house for 442 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:22,920 Speaker 3: dinner and he'd say, you sit down, and I would 443 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:25,920 Speaker 3: dish up for you and he'd sit with me. We'd 444 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:28,760 Speaker 3: get a roll together, and I'd take a few bites 445 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 3: and he'd say, I'd really like it if you could 446 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:35,879 Speaker 3: eat half. And I didn't know what he was doing, 447 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:40,880 Speaker 3: but he lent me just enjoy food. It was just like, hey, 448 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:43,680 Speaker 3: you need energy, you need to eat, let me sit 449 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:46,360 Speaker 3: with you, let me eat with you. And I've never 450 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 3: talked to him about that. Even funnily, as I say it, 451 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 3: I haven't even said thank you. 452 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,600 Speaker 1: So he was saying to you, I want you to 453 00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:03,359 Speaker 1: feel good. I want you to experience joy instead of 454 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 1: just making sure everybody else is enjoying the meal. And 455 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 1: he was almost giving you permission that I think that 456 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:13,160 Speaker 1: you don't give yourself or you hadn't been given yourself 457 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:17,400 Speaker 1: that I'm not allowed so I have to deprive myself. 458 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:23,199 Speaker 1: And he was saying, I'm encouraging you to stop depriving yourself. 459 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:28,920 Speaker 1: And I wonder why, given how meaningful that must have been, 460 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: and you're having such an emotional reaction to it now, 461 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: what has prevented you from saying that was so meaningful 462 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 1: for me. 463 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 3: I don't like to show vulnerability or that I need 464 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 3: other people. As you were talking, I was thinking about 465 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:52,640 Speaker 3: other times where I've needed comfort or support and how 466 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:55,680 Speaker 3: I would let a little bit in from my boyfriend 467 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 3: and then I would consciously shut off and tell myself 468 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 3: that's enough. Now, no, I'm crying. 469 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 1: That's what your parents said, and I. 470 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 3: Would do it to myself and I'm just thinking in 471 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:12,080 Speaker 3: my head, I don't want to rely on anybody except myself, 472 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:16,200 Speaker 3: because I hadn't been able to for so long, and 473 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:21,919 Speaker 3: that makes me feel sad because it stops us connecting 474 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 3: in a lot of ways too. 475 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:28,159 Speaker 1: I'm thinking about this idea of how scary it is 476 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: to rely on somebody else. Those are the words you used, yeah, 477 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:35,120 Speaker 1: as opposed to thinking of it as I'm getting support 478 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: from somebody. But what happened in your family is you 479 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 1: were told, Okay, that's enough. You've been sad for long enough, 480 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:44,679 Speaker 1: we need to stop this. And so you learned that 481 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: you can't actually rely on other people. And that's very 482 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 1: scary for a child to think I can't rely on anybody. 483 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:54,200 Speaker 1: I have to deal with this all on my own. 484 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:58,399 Speaker 1: And when you talk about the behaviors around food, they 485 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:02,360 Speaker 1: were a way to control your vice. It was I 486 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 1: have all these very specific rules, and these very specific 487 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 1: rules keep me safe. I don't rely on food, I 488 00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 1: don't rely on people. I don't need anything. I create 489 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:16,639 Speaker 1: the rules, though, so I'm in control. And when you 490 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:20,439 Speaker 1: open up to someone, it still feels to you like 491 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:24,880 Speaker 1: you're seeding control in some way that somehow, if I 492 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:28,480 Speaker 1: open up to him. I'm not in control anymore. 493 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's exactly that. 494 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:34,440 Speaker 1: But I think what you're not seeing is that you're 495 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 1: not in control by hiding your feelings either. 496 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:37,440 Speaker 3: Yeah. 497 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 2: I think Alexis your boyfriend has learned long ago, probably 498 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 2: with you, that he can't bring up things directly because 499 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 2: that something you avoid that would upset you. So he 500 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:55,760 Speaker 2: has to talk about stuff in a roundabout way. Instead 501 00:28:55,760 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 2: of saying, I'm concerned about your relationship with food, he says, 502 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:03,960 Speaker 2: let's just try and get to half. But he doesn't 503 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:07,040 Speaker 2: talk about the thing. And I know that you think 504 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 2: that it's probably because he's uncomfortable, but he sounds like 505 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 2: he's responding to the very clear messaging from you that 506 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:19,680 Speaker 2: you are the one that's really uncomfortable, so let's not 507 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 2: have that kind of conversation. And he's hearing that. He's 508 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:26,280 Speaker 2: trying to be there for you in the ways in 509 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 2: which you allow him to be, but there are many 510 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 2: ways in which you don't allow him to be. Yeah, 511 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 2: do you think if you did allow yourself to be 512 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 2: more vulnerable with him? And by more vulnerable, what I 513 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 2: mean is just have some of these conversations, some of 514 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:46,400 Speaker 2: the time in a direct way. Do you think he 515 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 2: would be able to be there for you and be supportive. 516 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, I do. We had some other really serious family 517 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:58,760 Speaker 3: stuff happen a couple of years ago. I could not 518 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:02,080 Speaker 3: manage it all because it was really scary. The feelings 519 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 3: were really big. What was going on My youngest brother. 520 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 3: He had a heart attack from an overdose on cocaine, 521 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 3: and he had actually been pronounced dead. He was resuscitated 522 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 3: several times, and then was you know, I see you 523 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 3: in a coma and we were told that he would 524 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:25,520 Speaker 3: be permanently in a vegetative state for the rest of 525 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 3: his life. And I couldn't manage that. I should mention that. 526 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:35,840 Speaker 3: By some miracle, about eight hours after that conversation, which 527 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:37,880 Speaker 3: was a few days after his heart attack, he did 528 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 3: wake up. But I could not deal with that on 529 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:45,000 Speaker 3: my own. And he did such a good job of 530 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 3: even getting me to have a shower and coming in 531 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 3: that shower and washing my hair because I couldn't do 532 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 3: any of that. 533 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:58,719 Speaker 2: Could you talk to him about how you were feeling 534 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 2: in that moment. Yeah. 535 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 3: We'd spent one night up all night just laying in bed, 536 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:09,280 Speaker 3: and he would just listen to what I was saying 537 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 3: and say I'm here and just holding me. 538 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 2: That's lovely and it's supportive, and it's so present, But 539 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 2: it takes a lot for you to allow even that. Right, 540 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 2: You're right. 541 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 3: I let him in that night and then I switched off. 542 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:26,680 Speaker 2: You allowed him to care for you. But that night, 543 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:30,320 Speaker 2: as he's caring for you, were able to express anything 544 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 2: about how you're feeling to him. 545 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:36,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, I was terrified and sad and scared, and I 546 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:39,480 Speaker 3: told him that. But I also told him that I 547 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 3: was scared about all the responsibility that I thought that 548 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:46,480 Speaker 3: I had to take now in this new role that 549 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:50,000 Speaker 3: I started to picture that night where my parents were 550 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 3: cares for my brother, and I envisioned myself now being 551 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 3: a care for three people, not just my brother, but 552 00:31:57,800 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 3: my mom and my dad. And I told him that, 553 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:02,280 Speaker 3: how did that feel to you? It just felt scared. 554 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 3: It made me feel really weak to feel so vulnerable 555 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:13,520 Speaker 3: because I'm smart, I should just figure out what to 556 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 3: do and do it. And I didn't like that I 557 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:20,600 Speaker 3: felt so vulnerable with somebody else. 558 00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: I want you to hear what this sounds like. Your 559 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 1: brother is in a coma and you're told he'll be 560 00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:31,280 Speaker 1: in a vegetative state for the rest of his life. 561 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:35,800 Speaker 1: And you're saying I felt like I shouldn't be having 562 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:40,120 Speaker 1: these feelings. If somebody else had a brother in a 563 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 1: coma who might be in a vegetative state for the 564 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 1: rest of his life, would you feel that that person 565 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:49,360 Speaker 1: shouldn't be having those feelings. They're smart, so they shouldn't 566 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 1: be having those feelings because they know better. 567 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 3: I know how stupid it sounds when I say it 568 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:59,800 Speaker 3: out loudly. It makes no sense because I would expect 569 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:05,239 Speaker 3: that of any other person. I would expect more than 570 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:09,920 Speaker 3: bigger emotions, not to just say, okay, well, this is 571 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:10,560 Speaker 3: a problem that. 572 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:11,280 Speaker 2: We just deal with. 573 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:12,800 Speaker 1: Whose voice is that? 574 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:15,160 Speaker 3: I want to say it's mine, but I think it's 575 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:17,800 Speaker 3: my dad. Yeah. I feel bad saying that, but I 576 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 3: think it is his voice. 577 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:22,520 Speaker 2: And the thing is that exists that you do know better. 578 00:33:22,720 --> 00:33:26,960 Speaker 2: As you said, you do have very different judgment about 579 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 2: other people expressing vulnerability in certain moments. I'm even going 580 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 2: to assume that you know that it's a healthy response 581 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:38,840 Speaker 2: and that there's something not so great about stuffing all 582 00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:42,560 Speaker 2: those feelings down. Yeah, and yet you say I know 583 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:45,720 Speaker 2: it's stupid. It's not stupid because it's fear based and 584 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:50,800 Speaker 2: So the fear is, if I become too vulnerable, you'll 585 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:54,680 Speaker 2: be derelicting all your other duties towards family members and 586 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:57,480 Speaker 2: other people for whom you, from a very young age 587 00:33:57,520 --> 00:34:01,680 Speaker 2: felt a certain responsibility. So how much do you feel 588 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:07,480 Speaker 2: in touch with that real fear about what terrible things 589 00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:11,920 Speaker 2: can happen if you let yourself be vulnerable in a 590 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:14,399 Speaker 2: much more profound way than you have so far? 591 00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:20,320 Speaker 3: Right now, I can intellectually understand it, but emotionally, something's 592 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:22,200 Speaker 3: happened in me, and I've pushed that. 593 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:25,440 Speaker 2: Back down because you can see that growing up, with 594 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:28,880 Speaker 2: the experiences that you've had, there was a lot of 595 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:31,240 Speaker 2: practice in pushing things down. But it takes your brother 596 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:34,680 Speaker 2: to be in an overdose vegetative state for you to 597 00:34:34,719 --> 00:34:37,720 Speaker 2: allow yourself a night. We've getting some support from somebody 598 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:39,439 Speaker 2: who loves you and wants to give it to you, 599 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 2: but that's what it takes, and even then you only 600 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:43,080 Speaker 2: earn a night. 601 00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:47,399 Speaker 3: That's scary to me as well, that it takes such 602 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:56,080 Speaker 3: extreme for me to share anything other than this sort 603 00:34:56,120 --> 00:35:04,360 Speaker 3: of perfect robotic version of whatever I think people expect 604 00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:08,240 Speaker 3: or with lack from me, rather than just letting myself 605 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:14,840 Speaker 3: be or feel or just show that I'm not okay 606 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:16,040 Speaker 3: sometimes too. 607 00:35:16,440 --> 00:35:21,440 Speaker 2: And especially with someone who's proven himself being capable of 608 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:26,840 Speaker 2: being there for you in an exquisitely delicate way. So 609 00:35:27,040 --> 00:35:29,840 Speaker 2: is it as scary to let him see that vulnerable 610 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:31,760 Speaker 2: side as it is other people? 611 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:36,120 Speaker 3: It shouldn't be. But I don't know where to start 612 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:37,560 Speaker 3: or how to start. 613 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:40,200 Speaker 2: Well, you actually have a live issue before you, so 614 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:43,279 Speaker 2: the where to start is not too complicated because you're 615 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:45,760 Speaker 2: asking us how can we help set limits with your parents? 616 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:48,720 Speaker 2: Before your parents, we are interested in how you can 617 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:52,680 Speaker 2: approach this as a unit, not just you and by 618 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:54,919 Speaker 2: stuffing it down? What would it be like to talk 619 00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:58,239 Speaker 2: to him about your feelings about what's going on with 620 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:01,120 Speaker 2: your parents and the pressures in the wedding and how 621 00:36:01,160 --> 00:36:01,920 Speaker 2: court you feel? 622 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:05,960 Speaker 3: Might be nice to get out of my head. I 623 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:10,200 Speaker 3: think it would be nice to feel hurt and understood. 624 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:14,200 Speaker 1: A minute ago, you said I don't let my parents 625 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:17,759 Speaker 1: ask about my life. Are they making an effort at 626 00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:20,719 Speaker 1: this point in your life to understand, not to tell 627 00:36:20,719 --> 00:36:24,560 Speaker 1: you how they feel, but to understand how you feel. 628 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:30,760 Speaker 3: I don't get asked, well, how do you feel about 629 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:35,759 Speaker 3: this situation? I get told how they feel about that 630 00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:40,480 Speaker 3: situation and how I should feel about that situation. But 631 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:47,000 Speaker 3: I don't get asked my feelings or thoughts on those situations. 632 00:36:47,719 --> 00:36:50,640 Speaker 1: So how are they telling you that you should feel 633 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:54,520 Speaker 1: about the status of your relationship with your boyfriend. 634 00:36:54,840 --> 00:36:59,319 Speaker 3: I should be pressuring him more to get engaged and 635 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:02,560 Speaker 3: to get married, to start a family. I should want 636 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:07,120 Speaker 3: to already have a baby, and like, it's very clear, 637 00:37:07,400 --> 00:37:10,080 Speaker 3: why haven't you had a baby yet? And I would 638 00:37:10,160 --> 00:37:13,439 Speaker 3: say something like, well, right now, I'm focusing on my career. 639 00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:16,080 Speaker 3: I have only been in my career for two years now, 640 00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:19,600 Speaker 3: and I spent a really long time studying to get here. 641 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:22,680 Speaker 3: And I want to settle into my home and settle 642 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:26,960 Speaker 3: into my life before I take on more responsibilities. And 643 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:32,240 Speaker 3: I don't feel quite adult enough to be a mum yet, 644 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:37,360 Speaker 3: and I just get told, well, you're not getting any younger. 645 00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:40,239 Speaker 3: The clock is ticking, and I want to be a grandparent. 646 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:44,359 Speaker 1: I'm wondering if you have a sense, since you tend 647 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:47,160 Speaker 1: to focus on other people's feelings, what is their fear 648 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:49,560 Speaker 1: that you're going to have spent ten years with your 649 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:51,480 Speaker 1: boyfriend and the two of you are not going to 650 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:53,680 Speaker 1: end up together, that you're going to be too old 651 00:37:53,719 --> 00:37:56,480 Speaker 1: to have a child. What is their fear exactly? 652 00:37:57,200 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 3: It's keeping face, It is what will people think about 653 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:06,279 Speaker 3: this situation? And that has been something our whole lives, 654 00:38:06,719 --> 00:38:10,440 Speaker 3: particularly on my dad's side. There's just this expectation you 655 00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:12,879 Speaker 3: should get married and you should have children. And I'm 656 00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:16,799 Speaker 3: sinning in a way because you know, God says that 657 00:38:16,920 --> 00:38:19,759 Speaker 3: you should do this and that. And then the other 658 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:23,680 Speaker 3: part is that there's just this cultural expectation. And so 659 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:27,160 Speaker 3: I'm almost damaged goods because I'm getting older and I 660 00:38:27,239 --> 00:38:30,760 Speaker 3: don't have all of the things that this culture says, Hey, 661 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:34,480 Speaker 3: women should be married and women should have children. But 662 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:38,400 Speaker 3: it's also so confusing to me now that my dad 663 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:42,120 Speaker 3: says these things to me, because my whole life, up 664 00:38:42,239 --> 00:38:46,080 Speaker 3: until I was like twenty five, twenty six, so this 665 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:50,480 Speaker 3: is only now two years different, he had said nothing 666 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:55,160 Speaker 3: about these expectations. He had said things like you have 667 00:38:55,239 --> 00:38:57,439 Speaker 3: to study, and you have to get a good job, 668 00:38:57,520 --> 00:39:00,200 Speaker 3: and you have to focus on your career. And then 669 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:03,440 Speaker 3: once I got to the career, I got all of 670 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:06,120 Speaker 3: these different messages and it was so confusing to me. 671 00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:09,640 Speaker 1: Can I ask what culture you're talking about when you 672 00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 1: say cultural expectations? 673 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:15,440 Speaker 3: My dad is Greek, so I should have been married 674 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:20,279 Speaker 3: ten years ago, essentially eighteen twenty, which was funny because 675 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:22,440 Speaker 3: when I was twenty three, he would say, oh, no, 676 00:39:22,840 --> 00:39:25,600 Speaker 3: she doesn't need to get married yet. She's so young, 677 00:39:25,680 --> 00:39:27,719 Speaker 3: she has time, and then you know, in a couple 678 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:30,160 Speaker 3: of years after that, it's all you're too old. You 679 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:32,200 Speaker 3: don't have time with your dad. 680 00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:35,479 Speaker 2: It would be great to have a conversation with him 681 00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:39,720 Speaker 2: in which you bring your own perspective. You tell him 682 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:43,879 Speaker 2: how you feel about things, what's important to you, so 683 00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:48,719 Speaker 2: he understands your perspective separate from his own. 684 00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:54,800 Speaker 3: I feel like I've tried in times when he's said 685 00:39:54,840 --> 00:39:57,879 Speaker 3: these comments. He never says them like as in, let's 686 00:39:57,880 --> 00:40:00,359 Speaker 3: sit down and let's talk. I could be sitting down 687 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:04,200 Speaker 3: on the couch watching TV and he might just turn 688 00:40:04,239 --> 00:40:06,319 Speaker 3: to me. I don't know what to say. I have 689 00:40:06,400 --> 00:40:08,840 Speaker 3: to say something to you because I love you, but 690 00:40:08,920 --> 00:40:11,520 Speaker 3: I don't want you to get angry. So let's say 691 00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:13,920 Speaker 3: he says to me, you know I want to be 692 00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:18,160 Speaker 3: a grandfather. I might say, well, my brother's married, so 693 00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:22,040 Speaker 3: he'll have a baby soon. They're talking about that, but 694 00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:25,319 Speaker 3: I think you should have a baby. You're running out 695 00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:27,960 Speaker 3: of time, and I might say, well, I don't want 696 00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:30,759 Speaker 3: a baby right now, and then that is met with 697 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:34,440 Speaker 3: him going into this angry mode. It's almost like a 698 00:40:34,480 --> 00:40:36,759 Speaker 3: tar trimming child. And I've said it to my mom, 699 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:40,120 Speaker 3: why does he go into this child tantrum? But my 700 00:40:40,280 --> 00:40:45,200 Speaker 3: mom does not stand up to my dad because it 701 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:49,480 Speaker 3: then would make her life difficult. So my mom will 702 00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:51,880 Speaker 3: agree with my dad in front of my dad to 703 00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:55,080 Speaker 3: appease my dad. But when it's me and my mom, 704 00:40:55,239 --> 00:40:57,560 Speaker 3: she just says, don't worry about it. I don't care 705 00:40:57,560 --> 00:40:59,400 Speaker 3: if you get married. I don't care if you have children. 706 00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:01,560 Speaker 3: You do what you want. That's up to you and 707 00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:02,239 Speaker 3: your boyfriend. 708 00:41:02,640 --> 00:41:04,640 Speaker 2: But alex As, I was asking you about whether you 709 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:07,520 Speaker 2: were able to share with your father your perspective and 710 00:41:07,560 --> 00:41:09,880 Speaker 2: you were able to respond to his But is there 711 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:12,920 Speaker 2: appointed what you say to him. I understand your concerns that. 712 00:41:13,080 --> 00:41:15,520 Speaker 2: Here's my thinking about it. The way I'm thinking. I 713 00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:18,520 Speaker 2: spent all this time getting ready for this career. I 714 00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:20,279 Speaker 2: do want a little bit more of it. I am 715 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:22,680 Speaker 2: still in my twenties, so the ticking clock is not 716 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:25,400 Speaker 2: taking too loudly for me. And here's what I'm thinking. 717 00:41:25,480 --> 00:41:27,799 Speaker 2: Do you explain that to him. 718 00:41:28,520 --> 00:41:32,319 Speaker 3: We have had these conversations, but his view is that 719 00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:36,120 Speaker 3: you're just saying that because that's what your boyfriend wants. 720 00:41:36,360 --> 00:41:41,719 Speaker 3: But I haven't really tried to sit down outside of 721 00:41:42,040 --> 00:41:45,120 Speaker 3: when we've already both been heeded and try and have 722 00:41:46,640 --> 00:41:50,720 Speaker 3: a conversation where I say, I understand what you're saying, 723 00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:52,840 Speaker 3: and I know that you want the best for me, 724 00:41:53,080 --> 00:41:58,520 Speaker 3: but this is what I would also black for me. 725 00:41:59,160 --> 00:42:03,440 Speaker 1: I find it interesting that you and your mom have 726 00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:06,719 Speaker 1: so much in common, so you're smiling. 727 00:42:07,320 --> 00:42:09,080 Speaker 3: I haven't thought about it that way. 728 00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:12,840 Speaker 1: Well, let's think about it for a second. I'm thinking 729 00:42:12,840 --> 00:42:18,040 Speaker 1: about how your mom just puts her own feelings aside 730 00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:22,799 Speaker 1: in order to make sure that your dad doesn't get upset. Yeah, 731 00:42:22,840 --> 00:42:24,719 Speaker 1: and so she has her own thoughts about this, which 732 00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:27,279 Speaker 1: is she's not particularly worried about what you and your 733 00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:29,799 Speaker 1: boyfriend are doing. She wants you to figure that out 734 00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:32,480 Speaker 1: with your boyfriend as is appropriate. 735 00:42:32,800 --> 00:42:34,759 Speaker 3: She just wants us to be happy. 736 00:42:35,000 --> 00:42:38,800 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, And she also wants your dad to be happy, 737 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:43,879 Speaker 1: and she's not really thinking about how she can share 738 00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:47,080 Speaker 1: her feelings with him. She supports him in those moments 739 00:42:47,160 --> 00:42:51,360 Speaker 1: when he's pressuring you instead of saying, hey, you know 740 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:54,960 Speaker 1: what I think something different because that would agitate him. 741 00:42:55,800 --> 00:42:57,920 Speaker 1: You do the same thing, you know. I have to 742 00:42:57,920 --> 00:43:01,440 Speaker 1: make sure that everybody around me is okay and my 743 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:03,239 Speaker 1: feelings all keep to myself. 744 00:43:03,560 --> 00:43:06,719 Speaker 3: Yeah. We are very similar like that, actually, And it's 745 00:43:06,760 --> 00:43:11,520 Speaker 3: funny because I assume my mom can't comfort me. I 746 00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:17,480 Speaker 3: just don't let her do that now as I think 747 00:43:17,560 --> 00:43:20,600 Speaker 3: about it now, she does it for everyone else, so 748 00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:25,080 Speaker 3: there is no reason that I couldn't also share with her. 749 00:43:25,560 --> 00:43:29,400 Speaker 1: And she also does comfort you in a way by saying, listen, 750 00:43:29,640 --> 00:43:31,760 Speaker 1: I just want you to be happy. I'm not putting 751 00:43:31,760 --> 00:43:35,840 Speaker 1: that pressure on you, but I think that part of 752 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:40,080 Speaker 1: supporting you might create some work for her, which is 753 00:43:40,160 --> 00:43:43,320 Speaker 1: that she needs to be able to express her feelings 754 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:45,879 Speaker 1: in front of your dad as well. 755 00:43:46,239 --> 00:43:46,719 Speaker 3: Yeah. 756 00:43:46,760 --> 00:43:50,319 Speaker 1: How are your boyfriend's parents giving the two of you 757 00:43:50,440 --> 00:43:52,239 Speaker 1: space to figure things out on your own. 758 00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:57,279 Speaker 3: They're totally fine. They've never said anything to me, and 759 00:43:57,400 --> 00:44:01,160 Speaker 3: my boyfriend hasn't said that they've ever said anything to him. 760 00:44:01,680 --> 00:44:05,560 Speaker 1: When your parents push you to put pressure on your boyfriend, 761 00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:08,880 Speaker 1: you said that that's created some conflict with your boyfriend. 762 00:44:09,560 --> 00:44:12,400 Speaker 1: What are those conversations look like between you and your boyfriend? 763 00:44:12,880 --> 00:44:17,759 Speaker 3: It looks like me taking all of that in and 764 00:44:17,800 --> 00:44:23,840 Speaker 3: this seed going into my head and ruminating and festering, 765 00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:28,279 Speaker 3: and then by the time I see him, I just 766 00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:32,480 Speaker 3: go into this angry mode. I just say, you know, 767 00:44:33,239 --> 00:44:35,719 Speaker 3: my dad said this, and my dad said that, and 768 00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:37,799 Speaker 3: he just says, like, I don't understand where this is 769 00:44:37,800 --> 00:44:42,239 Speaker 3: coming from. It's like, I just get so anxious that 770 00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:47,400 Speaker 3: I'm disappointing my dad that I ignore any conversations that 771 00:44:47,480 --> 00:44:49,840 Speaker 3: my boyfriend and I have had and I just stomp 772 00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:55,600 Speaker 3: in there and I'm almost like tantruming myself. But I'm 773 00:44:55,640 --> 00:44:59,640 Speaker 3: also quite happy with where things are, and I lack 774 00:45:00,080 --> 00:45:04,080 Speaker 3: that we're on our own timeline because I was so 775 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:08,080 Speaker 3: focused on studying for a very, very very long time 776 00:45:08,320 --> 00:45:11,640 Speaker 3: that I feel that it's only the past few years 777 00:45:11,719 --> 00:45:15,239 Speaker 3: when I've been working that we've been able to solidify 778 00:45:15,520 --> 00:45:20,920 Speaker 3: a more healthy adult relationship where we spend good quality 779 00:45:20,960 --> 00:45:26,320 Speaker 3: time together and we enjoy each other. Versus me being 780 00:45:26,360 --> 00:45:31,080 Speaker 3: stressed and overwhelmed and studying all hours and working three jobs. 781 00:45:31,640 --> 00:45:35,120 Speaker 3: I get to just work one job with normal hours, 782 00:45:35,840 --> 00:45:39,760 Speaker 3: and I want more of that. So it's so strange 783 00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:42,439 Speaker 3: to me that I get so angry when my dad 784 00:45:42,480 --> 00:45:44,440 Speaker 3: says these things, and I stomp over to him and 785 00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:46,239 Speaker 3: I just yell at him. I just want to just 786 00:45:46,440 --> 00:45:48,920 Speaker 3: get it all out because I don't say it to 787 00:45:48,960 --> 00:45:52,360 Speaker 3: my dad, and he's becomes my boxing bag if in 788 00:45:52,400 --> 00:45:53,479 Speaker 3: a way, which is had? 789 00:45:54,280 --> 00:45:57,319 Speaker 2: Are you even clear enough about the distinctions of who 790 00:45:57,360 --> 00:45:59,440 Speaker 2: you're angry at in those. 791 00:45:59,239 --> 00:46:04,760 Speaker 3: Moments, I'm just angry that, like my dad doesn't listen. 792 00:46:05,719 --> 00:46:11,640 Speaker 3: I'm now at a point where i get anxious being 793 00:46:11,719 --> 00:46:17,239 Speaker 3: alone with my dad because I'm scared that one of 794 00:46:17,280 --> 00:46:23,879 Speaker 3: these comments will come out of nowhere, and then that 795 00:46:23,960 --> 00:46:27,319 Speaker 3: puts me in a bad mood for the rest of 796 00:46:27,360 --> 00:46:27,719 Speaker 3: the day. 797 00:46:28,080 --> 00:46:30,359 Speaker 2: What would happen if you got angry with your dad 798 00:46:30,400 --> 00:46:31,520 Speaker 2: in those moments? 799 00:46:31,880 --> 00:46:35,680 Speaker 3: He gets angry back. And when he gets angry back, 800 00:46:35,719 --> 00:46:40,719 Speaker 3: he can He can be quite nasty. He can pull 801 00:46:40,760 --> 00:46:43,560 Speaker 3: out the book of oh hiss. Anything that I can 802 00:46:43,600 --> 00:46:46,040 Speaker 3: say to that might make you feel bad, like what 803 00:46:46,680 --> 00:46:50,840 Speaker 3: he could say almost anything. Sometimes he will use financial 804 00:46:50,880 --> 00:46:55,600 Speaker 3: support as a way of shutting you down. So you 805 00:46:55,640 --> 00:46:58,440 Speaker 3: know what, I paid for all of your studies, so 806 00:46:58,840 --> 00:47:01,160 Speaker 3: you do what I say most on my timeline. When 807 00:47:01,200 --> 00:47:03,799 Speaker 3: I say you do it, I've kept a roof over 808 00:47:03,840 --> 00:47:07,879 Speaker 3: your head. Or he would even say something like, well, 809 00:47:07,920 --> 00:47:10,719 Speaker 3: why don't you just go live with your stupid boyfriend then? 810 00:47:11,320 --> 00:47:14,439 Speaker 2: And if you said to him in those moments that 811 00:47:14,440 --> 00:47:17,560 Speaker 2: it is my plan, we just disagree about the timeline. 812 00:47:17,800 --> 00:47:21,880 Speaker 3: I've said something like and when I leave, you'll be 813 00:47:22,040 --> 00:47:24,399 Speaker 3: very sad and you'll see when I leave. 814 00:47:25,000 --> 00:47:26,160 Speaker 1: Do you live with your parents? 815 00:47:26,640 --> 00:47:29,280 Speaker 3: I do, because we're building our house, so my partner 816 00:47:29,360 --> 00:47:32,360 Speaker 3: doesn't live with them, but I do live with my parents. 817 00:47:32,400 --> 00:47:36,480 Speaker 3: But also that's another cultural thing as well, because the 818 00:47:36,600 --> 00:47:39,640 Speaker 3: expectation was you don't move out until you're married. I 819 00:47:39,760 --> 00:47:45,120 Speaker 3: used to think the rules applied to all of us siblings. 820 00:47:45,600 --> 00:47:49,239 Speaker 3: But when my brother built his house with his girlfriend 821 00:47:49,280 --> 00:47:53,920 Speaker 3: at the time now wife, it was all happy days 822 00:47:54,320 --> 00:47:57,440 Speaker 3: and it was good and it was okay. And my 823 00:47:57,560 --> 00:48:02,680 Speaker 3: youngest brother his girlfriend actually live at our house and 824 00:48:02,719 --> 00:48:08,760 Speaker 3: they've been together eight months. So it feels more now 825 00:48:09,200 --> 00:48:14,799 Speaker 3: that the rules apply to me. And that's also, though, 826 00:48:14,920 --> 00:48:19,120 Speaker 3: been the expectation that I've had growing up. I had 827 00:48:19,160 --> 00:48:21,480 Speaker 3: to go to UNI, I had to do this. My 828 00:48:21,560 --> 00:48:24,560 Speaker 3: brothers didn't have to do any of that. They could 829 00:48:24,600 --> 00:48:27,320 Speaker 3: be what they wanted on their timelines. 830 00:48:27,800 --> 00:48:32,799 Speaker 1: Given the tension at home, was there ever a consideration 831 00:48:32,920 --> 00:48:34,959 Speaker 1: of moving in with your boyfriend where he lives now. 832 00:48:35,920 --> 00:48:40,040 Speaker 3: I would love to. He lives on his parents' property 833 00:48:40,200 --> 00:48:46,400 Speaker 3: in a little one bedroom, so even if I would 834 00:48:46,440 --> 00:48:50,160 Speaker 3: love to, it just fits his minimal belongings, and I'm 835 00:48:50,200 --> 00:48:55,200 Speaker 3: okay with that. More recently, especially since my brother got married, 836 00:48:55,280 --> 00:48:59,400 Speaker 3: I feel the pressure more, which means I avoid coming 837 00:48:59,440 --> 00:49:04,319 Speaker 3: home a lot now, so I'll work more, or I 838 00:49:04,400 --> 00:49:07,320 Speaker 3: just won't say where I am so I can pretend 839 00:49:07,440 --> 00:49:09,200 Speaker 3: that I'm at work so that I can have some 840 00:49:09,320 --> 00:49:15,440 Speaker 3: breathing space before I get home, because it's so unpredictable 841 00:49:16,960 --> 00:49:20,319 Speaker 3: that I'm now going into. Well, this house couldn't be 842 00:49:20,320 --> 00:49:23,480 Speaker 3: built quick enough, but it's still just dirt on the 843 00:49:23,520 --> 00:49:26,000 Speaker 3: floor right now, so I have to also be patient. 844 00:49:26,640 --> 00:49:30,200 Speaker 1: Is there a possibility of you getting your own place 845 00:49:30,640 --> 00:49:32,600 Speaker 1: while the house is being built, or you and your 846 00:49:32,600 --> 00:49:36,799 Speaker 1: boyfriend moving to a place together temporarily while the house 847 00:49:36,880 --> 00:49:37,480 Speaker 1: is being built. 848 00:49:38,080 --> 00:49:41,200 Speaker 3: My cousin has actually said, you know, you can live 849 00:49:41,239 --> 00:49:44,840 Speaker 3: here sometimes because he knows that sometimes things get difficult 850 00:49:45,000 --> 00:49:47,880 Speaker 3: at home. But I don't want to do that. I 851 00:49:47,880 --> 00:49:48,520 Speaker 3: don't know why. 852 00:49:48,960 --> 00:49:50,839 Speaker 1: Let's look at that for a minute. This house might 853 00:49:50,880 --> 00:49:53,040 Speaker 1: take a couple of years if it's just dirt right now. 854 00:49:53,400 --> 00:49:56,399 Speaker 1: What is preventing you from saying, I might have more 855 00:49:56,440 --> 00:50:00,480 Speaker 1: peace if I'm not in this environment all the time. 856 00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:04,160 Speaker 1: What is preventing you and your boyfriend from getting a 857 00:50:04,200 --> 00:50:06,840 Speaker 1: place together for the next couple of years while you 858 00:50:06,920 --> 00:50:08,600 Speaker 1: wait for the house. 859 00:50:08,960 --> 00:50:12,600 Speaker 3: For the first part, I also do like spending time 860 00:50:12,640 --> 00:50:14,719 Speaker 3: with my mom and dad when my dad isn't down 861 00:50:14,719 --> 00:50:17,120 Speaker 3: my neck. I do a lot with my mom and dad, 862 00:50:17,120 --> 00:50:19,759 Speaker 3: and I have always very much enjoyed it. 863 00:50:20,080 --> 00:50:20,919 Speaker 1: What do you do with them? 864 00:50:21,239 --> 00:50:25,880 Speaker 3: We go on holidays together. So over Christmas, you know, 865 00:50:26,040 --> 00:50:29,880 Speaker 3: I'd spent three weeks at the holiday house with my parents, 866 00:50:29,880 --> 00:50:33,440 Speaker 3: and my partner came as he could because he was working. 867 00:50:33,520 --> 00:50:37,400 Speaker 3: We go for drives, we do stuff around the house together, 868 00:50:37,440 --> 00:50:39,560 Speaker 3: and I enjoy that. If they don't try and tell 869 00:50:39,600 --> 00:50:41,480 Speaker 3: me what they want or what to do. 870 00:50:42,040 --> 00:50:45,360 Speaker 1: You keep saying they, but it seems like it's your dad. 871 00:50:45,680 --> 00:50:50,000 Speaker 3: It feels like they because my mom is often there 872 00:50:51,320 --> 00:50:54,880 Speaker 3: as an observer to this, so it makes me feel 873 00:50:54,920 --> 00:50:57,160 Speaker 3: like they. But you're right, it's my dad. Because when 874 00:50:57,239 --> 00:51:00,800 Speaker 3: my mom is just home, I don't have this anxious 875 00:51:00,920 --> 00:51:04,600 Speaker 3: feeling to be alone and to just enjoy time together. 876 00:51:04,800 --> 00:51:08,880 Speaker 3: So sometimes in my head it's like Okay, what's happened today? 877 00:51:08,960 --> 00:51:13,040 Speaker 3: Is there anything that I can predict that could come up? No? Okay, great, 878 00:51:13,440 --> 00:51:15,160 Speaker 3: it's probably going to be a good day. 879 00:51:16,239 --> 00:51:19,600 Speaker 2: I hear that you can have good times with your parents, 880 00:51:20,080 --> 00:51:22,480 Speaker 2: but I don't think you're fully in touch with how 881 00:51:22,560 --> 00:51:27,760 Speaker 2: distressing it is on a daily basis to not feel 882 00:51:27,800 --> 00:51:33,239 Speaker 2: safe emotionally in your home, to not feel like you 883 00:51:33,280 --> 00:51:36,000 Speaker 2: can just sit and watch television without your dad turning 884 00:51:36,080 --> 00:51:39,480 Speaker 2: to you and going so you know the clock's ticking 885 00:51:39,520 --> 00:51:42,160 Speaker 2: and any of those things, and knowing that if you respond, 886 00:51:42,239 --> 00:51:44,200 Speaker 2: he's going to get angry, and then if you get angry, 887 00:51:44,200 --> 00:51:47,640 Speaker 2: he'll get angrier. And I'm not sure you're fully in 888 00:51:47,719 --> 00:51:53,160 Speaker 2: touch with how oppressive that is and how stressful. 889 00:51:53,680 --> 00:51:57,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm not. You're right. I make myself very busy 890 00:51:57,600 --> 00:52:00,399 Speaker 3: so that I don't have to worry about that until 891 00:52:00,400 --> 00:52:01,360 Speaker 3: I'm in the moment. 892 00:52:01,640 --> 00:52:06,560 Speaker 2: Almost in your own thinking. What is the life circumstance 893 00:52:06,760 --> 00:52:10,319 Speaker 2: or the age or the point at which you just 894 00:52:10,520 --> 00:52:15,480 Speaker 2: you get to prioritize your feelings over your dad's. Your 895 00:52:15,560 --> 00:52:19,160 Speaker 2: dad prioritizes his own feelings over yours. When do you 896 00:52:19,520 --> 00:52:23,000 Speaker 2: feel ready? What needs to happen for you to feel 897 00:52:23,000 --> 00:52:26,319 Speaker 2: you know what he'll advocate for his My feelings are 898 00:52:26,360 --> 00:52:31,200 Speaker 2: more important. I'm not squashing mine just to please him anymore. 899 00:52:31,880 --> 00:52:34,759 Speaker 3: To be honest, i'd like to do it like now, 900 00:52:34,840 --> 00:52:38,160 Speaker 3: which is why I'm reaching out, because I'm tired of 901 00:52:39,320 --> 00:52:42,560 Speaker 3: feeling this way, and I would like to hope that 902 00:52:43,760 --> 00:52:46,480 Speaker 3: my dad cares and loves me enough that he will 903 00:52:47,640 --> 00:52:50,759 Speaker 3: listen if I can find the way to talk to 904 00:52:50,840 --> 00:52:54,839 Speaker 3: him about how I'm feeling and work together. I don't 905 00:52:54,880 --> 00:52:57,879 Speaker 3: think it'll be a simple conversation and it will all 906 00:52:57,880 --> 00:53:00,200 Speaker 3: magically change. But if I'm being brave, I would like 907 00:53:00,239 --> 00:53:01,160 Speaker 3: to say now. 908 00:53:01,200 --> 00:53:03,680 Speaker 2: It won't be a simple conversation. It won't even be 909 00:53:03,719 --> 00:53:08,799 Speaker 2: a single conversation. You asked about setting boundaries. They have 910 00:53:09,560 --> 00:53:12,160 Speaker 2: two steps for setting boundaries. You've set them, and then 911 00:53:12,239 --> 00:53:15,120 Speaker 2: the maintenance is a difficult one. So you have to 912 00:53:15,120 --> 00:53:19,600 Speaker 2: be ready for an ongoing campaign, not just a one 913 00:53:19,680 --> 00:53:22,279 Speaker 2: time hold my breath and get through it. Yeah, are 914 00:53:22,320 --> 00:53:22,800 Speaker 2: you ready? 915 00:53:23,280 --> 00:53:25,520 Speaker 3: Yeah? If it was at the start of this conversation, 916 00:53:25,600 --> 00:53:27,600 Speaker 3: I probably would have said I want to do it 917 00:53:27,640 --> 00:53:29,880 Speaker 3: when I don't live at the house anymore, because I 918 00:53:29,920 --> 00:53:35,359 Speaker 3: can have space and clarity. But to be honest, I 919 00:53:35,400 --> 00:53:39,680 Speaker 3: don't want to wait a year until I start doing that, 920 00:53:39,880 --> 00:53:44,640 Speaker 3: because I want to come home and feel calm and 921 00:53:45,360 --> 00:53:49,640 Speaker 3: enjoy the time that I also get to have staying 922 00:53:49,640 --> 00:53:52,719 Speaker 3: at home with my parents. Before you know, I don't 923 00:53:52,760 --> 00:53:55,960 Speaker 3: see them as regularly and life just changes. 924 00:53:56,520 --> 00:54:00,720 Speaker 1: Part of it, Alexis, is the way that this pressure 925 00:54:01,160 --> 00:54:04,680 Speaker 1: is unpredictable. You never know when it's going to happen, 926 00:54:04,719 --> 00:54:07,080 Speaker 1: and you don't know how to respond to it. The 927 00:54:07,160 --> 00:54:09,520 Speaker 1: other part of it, though, is that you were talking 928 00:54:09,600 --> 00:54:14,319 Speaker 1: at the beginning of the terror that you have around 929 00:54:14,600 --> 00:54:19,120 Speaker 1: both sets of parents being together, and I don't think 930 00:54:19,120 --> 00:54:23,160 Speaker 1: these are two unrelated things. It's the same terror that 931 00:54:23,200 --> 00:54:25,560 Speaker 1: you have. I never know what's going to happen when 932 00:54:25,560 --> 00:54:27,840 Speaker 1: I'm sitting on the couch watching TV with my dad, 933 00:54:28,080 --> 00:54:29,640 Speaker 1: and I never know what's going to happen if our 934 00:54:29,680 --> 00:54:30,759 Speaker 1: parents run into each other. 935 00:54:30,920 --> 00:54:34,319 Speaker 3: And it's also funny because I don't know if I'm 936 00:54:34,320 --> 00:54:38,759 Speaker 3: giving any of the four of them any credit here, 937 00:54:39,120 --> 00:54:43,840 Speaker 3: because I wonder if some of the terror isn't valid 938 00:54:44,360 --> 00:54:48,120 Speaker 3: anymore now that we've been together for so long and 939 00:54:48,160 --> 00:54:51,560 Speaker 3: they know that we're serious and they know how much 940 00:54:51,640 --> 00:54:52,399 Speaker 3: we love each other. 941 00:54:52,800 --> 00:54:54,839 Speaker 1: Has your boyfriend ever said, Hey, it would be really 942 00:54:54,920 --> 00:54:57,759 Speaker 1: nice if we could get our parents in the same room. 943 00:54:58,080 --> 00:54:59,080 Speaker 1: No is he afraid. 944 00:54:59,120 --> 00:55:02,080 Speaker 3: Also, I don't even know if that's because it's about 945 00:55:02,160 --> 00:55:06,799 Speaker 3: him or because he knows how anxious it makes me, 946 00:55:07,200 --> 00:55:08,920 Speaker 3: so he just doesn't bring it up. 947 00:55:09,680 --> 00:55:12,880 Speaker 1: So he does a lot of protecting of you, knowing 948 00:55:12,880 --> 00:55:16,319 Speaker 1: that conversations are a challenge for you. 949 00:55:16,960 --> 00:55:17,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. 950 00:55:17,600 --> 00:55:21,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I wonder when you think about the future together, 951 00:55:22,200 --> 00:55:25,879 Speaker 1: what would a different future look like in terms of communication. 952 00:55:26,040 --> 00:55:29,360 Speaker 1: You said you're ready to start now doing something different 953 00:55:29,400 --> 00:55:33,359 Speaker 1: with your dad. What about doing something different with your 954 00:55:33,360 --> 00:55:38,120 Speaker 1: boyfriend so that the rules are not he takes care 955 00:55:38,160 --> 00:55:41,240 Speaker 1: of you any kind of silently into it's what you need, 956 00:55:42,000 --> 00:55:45,640 Speaker 1: but you're able to participate in that conversation. 957 00:55:46,239 --> 00:55:49,040 Speaker 3: I think I would really like that. I think the 958 00:55:49,080 --> 00:55:52,160 Speaker 3: more that we've been talking today, I've also realized that 959 00:55:53,120 --> 00:55:56,879 Speaker 3: I think he stops sharing sometimes with me because he 960 00:55:56,920 --> 00:56:00,600 Speaker 3: doesn't want me to feel upset. I would love if 961 00:56:00,640 --> 00:56:05,239 Speaker 3: he felt comfortable enough that I wouldn't respond in a 962 00:56:05,239 --> 00:56:08,439 Speaker 3: way that made him feel shut down either. I think 963 00:56:08,440 --> 00:56:11,000 Speaker 3: it would just feel really nice to be able to 964 00:56:11,160 --> 00:56:14,080 Speaker 3: walk in and say, hey, this is how I'm feeling. 965 00:56:14,160 --> 00:56:16,840 Speaker 3: It would help me feel more like an adult in 966 00:56:16,920 --> 00:56:21,360 Speaker 3: my relationship than this sort of teenager that I sometimes 967 00:56:21,760 --> 00:56:24,440 Speaker 3: still feel like in that relationship because I just I 968 00:56:24,560 --> 00:56:26,120 Speaker 3: just avoid and avoid and avoid. 969 00:56:26,600 --> 00:56:28,759 Speaker 2: It's very difficult to feel like an adult when you're 970 00:56:28,800 --> 00:56:31,000 Speaker 2: living in the same room that you grew up in 971 00:56:31,040 --> 00:56:33,480 Speaker 2: with the same people who treat you in the same way. 972 00:56:34,120 --> 00:56:38,200 Speaker 3: Yes, and look, I think we haven't had the conversation 973 00:56:38,280 --> 00:56:41,040 Speaker 3: why don't we just rent somewhere for a little while 974 00:56:41,080 --> 00:56:42,880 Speaker 3: until the house is built. I kind of think I 975 00:56:42,920 --> 00:56:46,400 Speaker 3: would like to put that money onto the mortgage more 976 00:56:46,520 --> 00:56:50,000 Speaker 3: because but then when I think about it, Sorry, I'm smiling, 977 00:56:50,080 --> 00:56:53,440 Speaker 3: because I have this voice in my head that's my duds, 978 00:56:53,440 --> 00:56:57,319 Speaker 3: that would say renting is wasting money. So as I 979 00:56:57,400 --> 00:56:59,560 Speaker 3: say that, I realized that it's also not my own 980 00:56:59,600 --> 00:57:02,360 Speaker 3: thought process there, right. 981 00:57:02,239 --> 00:57:05,160 Speaker 1: And we want to help you understand what your thoughts 982 00:57:05,239 --> 00:57:07,799 Speaker 1: are that are separate from other people's and then how 983 00:57:07,800 --> 00:57:08,719 Speaker 1: to communicate them. 984 00:57:09,200 --> 00:57:12,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, it would be maybe nice in some ways to 985 00:57:12,800 --> 00:57:16,640 Speaker 3: move out and rent together and do that now. But 986 00:57:16,760 --> 00:57:19,480 Speaker 3: I wonder if maybe I could stay at his house 987 00:57:19,600 --> 00:57:22,720 Speaker 3: more and just take a big overnight bag with me 988 00:57:23,000 --> 00:57:25,360 Speaker 3: for a few days and not have to go home 989 00:57:25,440 --> 00:57:27,080 Speaker 3: and come back to his house and home and back 990 00:57:27,120 --> 00:57:29,720 Speaker 3: to his house. I could, you know, situate myself there 991 00:57:30,280 --> 00:57:33,520 Speaker 3: a little bit more so that we could do more 992 00:57:33,560 --> 00:57:36,600 Speaker 3: things like cooked dinner together more. Because it's funny. He 993 00:57:36,760 --> 00:57:40,560 Speaker 3: has said things to me like, it's when you want 994 00:57:40,640 --> 00:57:44,479 Speaker 3: to we do this when it feels convenient for you, 995 00:57:45,080 --> 00:57:49,040 Speaker 3: and that hurts. But the way I do things probably 996 00:57:49,400 --> 00:57:51,200 Speaker 3: does send that message. 997 00:57:51,760 --> 00:57:56,680 Speaker 1: And everything that you just said is illustrating how an 998 00:57:56,720 --> 00:58:00,320 Speaker 1: adult thinks. Now you're problem solving. Now you're trying to 999 00:58:00,440 --> 00:58:03,080 Speaker 1: understand more about what it would look like to be 1000 00:58:03,200 --> 00:58:06,760 Speaker 1: your own person and stay connected to your family. Yeah, 1001 00:58:06,840 --> 00:58:09,320 Speaker 1: how can you do both? And do you see how 1002 00:58:09,760 --> 00:58:13,640 Speaker 1: in just those few minutes you went into your adult 1003 00:58:13,680 --> 00:58:16,840 Speaker 1: space and you said, yeah, I do have more flexibility 1004 00:58:16,880 --> 00:58:20,000 Speaker 1: around this. This might be healthier for my relationship. This 1005 00:58:20,160 --> 00:58:22,160 Speaker 1: is a way I could stay connected to my family 1006 00:58:22,560 --> 00:58:24,840 Speaker 1: and also move into this new phase. 1007 00:58:25,320 --> 00:58:29,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, rather than how do I please my family? Be home, 1008 00:58:29,280 --> 00:58:31,880 Speaker 3: eat with the family, then leave, then go to you know, 1009 00:58:32,000 --> 00:58:35,840 Speaker 3: and wonder why I'm so tired all the time because 1010 00:58:35,920 --> 00:58:39,600 Speaker 3: I'm trying my best to please everyone, and yet I'm 1011 00:58:39,600 --> 00:58:43,800 Speaker 3: not only not pleasing all of them, I'm also not 1012 00:58:44,400 --> 00:58:45,200 Speaker 3: looking after me. 1013 00:58:50,360 --> 00:58:54,040 Speaker 1: So Alexis we have some advice for you, and probably 1014 00:58:54,080 --> 00:58:56,959 Speaker 1: not surprisingly, we would like you to talk with your dad, 1015 00:58:58,520 --> 00:59:01,520 Speaker 1: and we would like you to say to him, Dad, 1016 00:59:01,920 --> 00:59:05,400 Speaker 1: I love you so much and our relationship is really 1017 00:59:05,640 --> 00:59:10,200 Speaker 1: important to me. But when you bring up these questions 1018 00:59:10,360 --> 00:59:14,600 Speaker 1: about what's happening between me and my boyfriend, I actually 1019 00:59:14,800 --> 00:59:17,960 Speaker 1: dread coming home. I wonder if we're going to have 1020 00:59:18,280 --> 00:59:20,840 Speaker 1: the good time that we usually have, or if something's 1021 00:59:20,920 --> 00:59:23,320 Speaker 1: going to come up that's really going to put me 1022 00:59:23,760 --> 00:59:26,040 Speaker 1: in a bad mood. And I don't want to dread 1023 00:59:26,360 --> 00:59:31,640 Speaker 1: being around you. I'm an adult now and my boyfriend 1024 00:59:31,680 --> 00:59:34,400 Speaker 1: and I have a timeline that works for us and 1025 00:59:34,440 --> 00:59:37,640 Speaker 1: we're both really happy with it. And so Dad, I'm 1026 00:59:37,760 --> 00:59:42,080 Speaker 1: asking that you not bring this up anymore. If there's 1027 00:59:42,080 --> 00:59:44,640 Speaker 1: a change to the timeline, I will let you know. 1028 00:59:45,000 --> 00:59:47,000 Speaker 1: But nothing you say in the meantime is going to 1029 00:59:47,080 --> 00:59:50,000 Speaker 1: change the timeline, and it's only going to make me 1030 00:59:50,600 --> 00:59:53,560 Speaker 1: dread being around you, and I don't want that to happen. 1031 00:59:55,120 --> 00:59:57,280 Speaker 1: So if you do bring it up, I'm going to 1032 00:59:57,320 --> 00:59:59,800 Speaker 1: ask you to let it go or I'm going to 1033 01:00:00,160 --> 01:00:04,320 Speaker 1: the room. And I'm doing this so that we can 1034 01:00:04,440 --> 01:00:05,520 Speaker 1: enjoy our time together. 1035 01:00:06,160 --> 01:00:09,960 Speaker 2: And so remember there that's the limit. Setting conversation phase 1036 01:00:09,960 --> 01:00:13,240 Speaker 2: one and then the phase two is the maintenance of 1037 01:00:13,320 --> 01:00:17,640 Speaker 2: the boundary. And the good thing about doing what we 1038 01:00:17,720 --> 01:00:21,360 Speaker 2: suggested in phase one is that you can shorthand phase 1039 01:00:21,400 --> 01:00:23,959 Speaker 2: two communications. You don't have to start explaining the whole 1040 01:00:23,960 --> 01:00:26,360 Speaker 2: thing over again. The minute he starts by saying, so 1041 01:00:26,640 --> 01:00:29,440 Speaker 2: look about the wedding. You said to him, Dad, please 1042 01:00:29,520 --> 01:00:31,400 Speaker 2: to remind you, I really don't feel like leaving the 1043 01:00:31,480 --> 01:00:34,720 Speaker 2: room right now, so could you please drop it? He 1044 01:00:34,800 --> 01:00:37,000 Speaker 2: keeps going, Okay, you know what, I'll come back later, 1045 01:00:37,080 --> 01:00:39,720 Speaker 2: because I really asked. I don't want to have this conversation. 1046 01:00:40,040 --> 01:00:43,680 Speaker 2: And if you go very nicely, very respectfully, even you 1047 01:00:43,720 --> 01:00:45,680 Speaker 2: start standing up and go Dad, can we let it go? 1048 01:00:46,040 --> 01:00:48,800 Speaker 2: You just telegraph and remind him of the intent. 1049 01:00:50,640 --> 01:00:52,960 Speaker 1: And the thing that guy said about doing it very 1050 01:00:53,040 --> 01:00:55,000 Speaker 1: nicely and calmly is that you're doing it from the 1051 01:00:55,040 --> 01:00:58,440 Speaker 1: adult place now and not from that teenager place. This 1052 01:00:58,480 --> 01:01:01,200 Speaker 1: is all about transitioning you in to adulthood, so that 1053 01:01:01,600 --> 01:01:04,320 Speaker 1: being an adult means staying connected to your family, but 1054 01:01:04,480 --> 01:01:10,040 Speaker 1: also being yourself. How can you navigate those boundaries. 1055 01:01:10,000 --> 01:01:13,280 Speaker 2: And in this case knowing not just what's better for you, 1056 01:01:13,600 --> 01:01:16,320 Speaker 2: but what's better for your relationship with him than he does, 1057 01:01:17,440 --> 01:01:20,200 Speaker 2: so that really has to company the place of the adult. Yeah, 1058 01:01:20,360 --> 01:01:25,800 Speaker 2: all right, Task number two conversation with boyfriend. We want 1059 01:01:25,840 --> 01:01:31,120 Speaker 2: you to say to him, I really appreciate how well 1060 01:01:31,320 --> 01:01:36,080 Speaker 2: you see me and you get me, and you care 1061 01:01:36,160 --> 01:01:40,400 Speaker 2: for me, and you do it so sensitively. And I'm 1062 01:01:40,400 --> 01:01:45,120 Speaker 2: not sure I've told you how wonderful that feels. And 1063 01:01:45,200 --> 01:01:47,600 Speaker 2: it happens at times of distress, so it might not 1064 01:01:47,720 --> 01:01:50,320 Speaker 2: look like it feels wonderful because I'm going through a 1065 01:01:50,320 --> 01:01:53,960 Speaker 2: difficult time, but I so appreciate it that I'm not 1066 01:01:54,000 --> 01:01:57,800 Speaker 2: sure i've told you how much I really value it, 1067 01:01:58,440 --> 01:02:03,840 Speaker 2: because I'm not great talking about my feelings and that's 1068 01:02:03,840 --> 01:02:07,480 Speaker 2: something I'm really trying to work on. But that's probably 1069 01:02:07,560 --> 01:02:11,880 Speaker 2: made you hesitant to talk about yours, and I want 1070 01:02:11,880 --> 01:02:14,000 Speaker 2: you to be able to talk about yours, and I 1071 01:02:14,040 --> 01:02:17,680 Speaker 2: want to keep working to talk more openly about mine. 1072 01:02:18,320 --> 01:02:20,640 Speaker 2: So I wanted to let you know those are conversations 1073 01:02:20,640 --> 01:02:23,520 Speaker 2: I would like us to have, and one of the 1074 01:02:23,560 --> 01:02:25,600 Speaker 2: ways I want us to have that conversation is to 1075 01:02:25,640 --> 01:02:29,600 Speaker 2: talk about things like the following. I know we have 1076 01:02:29,680 --> 01:02:33,200 Speaker 2: our life plan, but I would love to start our 1077 01:02:33,280 --> 01:02:38,400 Speaker 2: life together a little sooner. Construction can take a long time, 1078 01:02:39,600 --> 01:02:42,200 Speaker 2: and I want us to talk together about what we 1079 01:02:42,240 --> 01:02:46,240 Speaker 2: can do to spend more nights together. Maybe I have 1080 01:02:46,280 --> 01:02:50,160 Speaker 2: an overnight bag at your place, Maybe we can both 1081 01:02:50,200 --> 01:02:52,680 Speaker 2: spend time at my cousin's place, just so we can 1082 01:02:52,800 --> 01:02:54,880 Speaker 2: kind of start our lives and not feel like we 1083 01:02:54,960 --> 01:02:58,280 Speaker 2: have to wait for the construction to be completed. You're 1084 01:02:58,280 --> 01:03:01,480 Speaker 2: not mentioning marriage. This is just kind of being together. 1085 01:03:02,200 --> 01:03:05,800 Speaker 2: But I would love to know how you feel about that. 1086 01:03:06,960 --> 01:03:10,080 Speaker 2: And then you toss it to him, and he's going 1087 01:03:10,120 --> 01:03:11,640 Speaker 2: to be hesitant. I mean, you're saying I want to 1088 01:03:11,640 --> 01:03:14,280 Speaker 2: hear how you feel, but he's used to dancing around. 1089 01:03:14,360 --> 01:03:16,960 Speaker 2: So catch him and go like, okay, but tell me 1090 01:03:17,000 --> 01:03:19,840 Speaker 2: really how you feel about that. I really want to 1091 01:03:19,880 --> 01:03:21,680 Speaker 2: have that discussion. 1092 01:03:22,360 --> 01:03:25,120 Speaker 1: And his telling you how he feels isn't just yeah, 1093 01:03:25,120 --> 01:03:27,480 Speaker 1: that's a good idea. No that's not a good idea. 1094 01:03:28,280 --> 01:03:32,640 Speaker 1: But the why. So if he says, you know, I 1095 01:03:32,640 --> 01:03:36,120 Speaker 1: don't really think I'm ready to do that yet, you 1096 01:03:36,120 --> 01:03:39,280 Speaker 1: don't just leave it there. So it's about what comes 1097 01:03:39,360 --> 01:03:42,480 Speaker 1: up for you around this, What are you worried about? 1098 01:03:43,560 --> 01:03:47,520 Speaker 1: You can tell me I can handle it right, and 1099 01:03:47,560 --> 01:03:49,640 Speaker 1: then you tell him how you feel and you might 1100 01:03:49,680 --> 01:03:53,320 Speaker 1: have feelings about whatever he says, and you can say 1101 01:03:53,600 --> 01:03:57,080 Speaker 1: and let me tell you how I feel about the 1102 01:03:57,160 --> 01:04:00,280 Speaker 1: fact that you're not ready to do this or is 1103 01:04:00,400 --> 01:04:02,160 Speaker 1: let me tell you how happy I am to hear 1104 01:04:03,120 --> 01:04:06,000 Speaker 1: that you are ready to do this. And let me 1105 01:04:06,040 --> 01:04:08,600 Speaker 1: also tell you that I'm scared a little bit because 1106 01:04:08,680 --> 01:04:10,800 Speaker 1: I'm very connected to my family, so this is a 1107 01:04:10,800 --> 01:04:14,720 Speaker 1: big step for me and I'm excited to do this 1108 01:04:15,280 --> 01:04:17,080 Speaker 1: and it's also going to be a big change for me. 1109 01:04:17,360 --> 01:04:19,320 Speaker 1: You can share all kinds of feelings. They can be 1110 01:04:19,720 --> 01:04:24,320 Speaker 1: happy feelings, they can be worried feelings, ambivalence, whatever it is, 1111 01:04:25,080 --> 01:04:27,120 Speaker 1: but just being able to be open with each other 1112 01:04:27,200 --> 01:04:30,440 Speaker 1: and have a true conversation, not just logistically, but how 1113 01:04:30,440 --> 01:04:34,120 Speaker 1: do we both feel about potentially taking these steps and 1114 01:04:34,160 --> 01:04:37,000 Speaker 1: doing it now while we're waiting for the big plan, 1115 01:04:37,080 --> 01:04:38,640 Speaker 1: which is we're going to move into this house that 1116 01:04:38,680 --> 01:04:39,520 Speaker 1: we're building together. 1117 01:04:39,960 --> 01:04:42,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm excited to have that conversation. 1118 01:04:43,520 --> 01:04:46,120 Speaker 1: And then the last piece of advice we have for 1119 01:04:46,160 --> 01:04:49,560 Speaker 1: you is you said that actually the parents seem to 1120 01:04:49,600 --> 01:04:52,080 Speaker 1: be quite civil to each other from what you've heard, 1121 01:04:53,080 --> 01:04:54,600 Speaker 1: but we don't want you to have that feeling at 1122 01:04:54,640 --> 01:04:56,480 Speaker 1: your wedding of what's going to happen. We don't want 1123 01:04:56,520 --> 01:04:58,480 Speaker 1: that to be the very first time that all the 1124 01:04:58,520 --> 01:05:00,840 Speaker 1: parents are in the room together. So we would like 1125 01:05:00,960 --> 01:05:07,120 Speaker 1: you and your boyfriend together to plan a very casual gathering, 1126 01:05:07,680 --> 01:05:10,000 Speaker 1: not just with both sets of parents, but there will 1127 01:05:10,040 --> 01:05:11,880 Speaker 1: be other people there as well. Maybe you have a 1128 01:05:11,880 --> 01:05:15,520 Speaker 1: big family, maybe friends, and something very casual. Maybe it's 1129 01:05:15,520 --> 01:05:19,160 Speaker 1: a barbecue, something outside where people can escape, whatever it 1130 01:05:19,160 --> 01:05:22,200 Speaker 1: needs to be. But it's not like and now we're 1131 01:05:22,200 --> 01:05:24,680 Speaker 1: going to put you together. It's just, hey, we're having 1132 01:05:24,680 --> 01:05:26,880 Speaker 1: this gathering and you're doing what most couples do, which 1133 01:05:26,880 --> 01:05:31,640 Speaker 1: is we're inviting our family, and so it makes sense 1134 01:05:31,680 --> 01:05:34,680 Speaker 1: that both parents would be invited to this, and you're 1135 01:05:34,720 --> 01:05:36,200 Speaker 1: not going to make a big deal and you're not 1136 01:05:36,200 --> 01:05:39,080 Speaker 1: going to have conversations with people about it beforehand. It's 1137 01:05:39,200 --> 01:05:43,400 Speaker 1: just let's see how this goes. And so then if 1138 01:05:43,440 --> 01:05:47,080 Speaker 1: it doesn't go well, you have some runway there, you 1139 01:05:47,160 --> 01:05:49,680 Speaker 1: have some space to talk about you and your boyfriend 1140 01:05:49,720 --> 01:05:52,040 Speaker 1: together so that it's not all on you and you 1141 01:05:52,120 --> 01:05:54,640 Speaker 1: have to problem solve the whole thing. But you can say, oh, wow, 1142 01:05:54,680 --> 01:05:58,000 Speaker 1: did you see this happened? How do we manage this 1143 01:05:58,200 --> 01:06:00,920 Speaker 1: let's come up with some ideas together, or maybe it 1144 01:06:00,960 --> 01:06:03,560 Speaker 1: goes really well and everybody's very civil, and then you 1145 01:06:03,600 --> 01:06:07,040 Speaker 1: don't have to feel that sense of dread going into 1146 01:06:07,320 --> 01:06:10,680 Speaker 1: any kind of family occasion that might come up, including 1147 01:06:10,960 --> 01:06:12,160 Speaker 1: your wedding here. 1148 01:06:12,760 --> 01:06:15,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, so how does all that sound. 1149 01:06:16,000 --> 01:06:19,520 Speaker 3: I'm probably most excited to have the conversation with my partner, 1150 01:06:19,600 --> 01:06:22,520 Speaker 3: like almost like, ah, I wish he was awake. I 1151 01:06:22,560 --> 01:06:26,520 Speaker 3: could go and have that conversation with him. Now. I 1152 01:06:26,560 --> 01:06:29,560 Speaker 3: am nervous about talking to my dad, not even about 1153 01:06:29,840 --> 01:06:32,040 Speaker 3: the gathering. I think it's the talking to my dad 1154 01:06:32,640 --> 01:06:37,280 Speaker 3: that feels very foreign to me. That is my most 1155 01:06:37,320 --> 01:06:42,160 Speaker 3: nerve wracking conversation, but the most important one. I think 1156 01:06:42,760 --> 01:06:44,280 Speaker 3: that needs to happen as well. 1157 01:06:44,800 --> 01:06:48,240 Speaker 2: And the bar for success has nothing to do with 1158 01:06:48,280 --> 01:06:52,240 Speaker 2: his response, only with what you put forth. If you 1159 01:06:52,360 --> 01:06:56,720 Speaker 2: put forth your truth, success regardless of how he responds. 1160 01:06:57,160 --> 01:06:58,360 Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah. 1161 01:06:58,520 --> 01:07:02,040 Speaker 1: For example, let's say that he says, well, I'm going 1162 01:07:02,120 --> 01:07:03,960 Speaker 1: to keep bringing it up. I'm your father, and I'm 1163 01:07:03,960 --> 01:07:05,480 Speaker 1: not going to be told what I can bring up 1164 01:07:05,480 --> 01:07:09,800 Speaker 1: and what I can't bring up. You can say, okay, Dad, 1165 01:07:10,400 --> 01:07:12,560 Speaker 1: then I will be coming home with a sense of dread. 1166 01:07:13,440 --> 01:07:16,640 Speaker 1: And if you do bring it up, I will ask 1167 01:07:16,680 --> 01:07:18,680 Speaker 1: you to let it go, or I will leave the 1168 01:07:18,760 --> 01:07:22,560 Speaker 1: room because I'm not going to engage in that conversation. Yeah, 1169 01:07:23,400 --> 01:07:24,920 Speaker 1: you're going to need to take a lot of breaths 1170 01:07:26,200 --> 01:07:29,320 Speaker 1: and get back into the adult space and not go 1171 01:07:29,400 --> 01:07:32,439 Speaker 1: into that automatic place that we tend to go when 1172 01:07:32,480 --> 01:07:35,400 Speaker 1: we get triggered by our parents, which is you go 1173 01:07:35,480 --> 01:07:37,280 Speaker 1: back into that helpless childhood place. 1174 01:07:37,480 --> 01:07:39,880 Speaker 2: We think you're very ready for the adulthood. You just 1175 01:07:39,920 --> 01:07:40,560 Speaker 2: have to grab it. 1176 01:07:40,800 --> 01:07:42,160 Speaker 3: Thank you very much for that. 1177 01:07:42,720 --> 01:07:45,480 Speaker 1: Oh, you're very welcome, and we look forward to hearing 1178 01:07:45,520 --> 01:07:47,200 Speaker 1: how all of these things go this week. 1179 01:07:47,640 --> 01:07:48,000 Speaker 3: Thank you. 1180 01:07:53,760 --> 01:07:57,400 Speaker 2: What was interesting to me about that session was how 1181 01:07:57,680 --> 01:08:01,440 Speaker 2: raw things were for a lie exis. On the one hand, 1182 01:08:01,560 --> 01:08:06,640 Speaker 2: how little practice she's had talking about her feelings, yet 1183 01:08:06,640 --> 01:08:09,520 Speaker 2: how ready she seemed to do it on the other. 1184 01:08:09,920 --> 01:08:11,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, there was a moment in the session when she said, 1185 01:08:12,600 --> 01:08:14,160 Speaker 1: if you had asked me this at the beginning of 1186 01:08:14,160 --> 01:08:16,800 Speaker 1: the session, I don't think I would have been ready 1187 01:08:16,840 --> 01:08:19,680 Speaker 1: to do that, But I am now right, and I 1188 01:08:19,720 --> 01:08:21,720 Speaker 1: think that'spoke most of something she said at the end 1189 01:08:21,760 --> 01:08:24,760 Speaker 1: about she said, I'm really tired. It's really exhausting to 1190 01:08:24,800 --> 01:08:27,600 Speaker 1: feel like you have to hold your feelings. You have 1191 01:08:27,680 --> 01:08:30,080 Speaker 1: to take care of everyone else. She's done it her 1192 01:08:30,120 --> 01:08:33,160 Speaker 1: whole life, so I think that she's kind of ready, 1193 01:08:33,280 --> 01:08:35,200 Speaker 1: like a butterfly, ready to emerge. 1194 01:08:35,360 --> 01:08:36,760 Speaker 2: I agree, And I think it was the fact that 1195 01:08:36,800 --> 01:08:39,640 Speaker 2: she was able to be so open with us and 1196 01:08:39,720 --> 01:08:42,920 Speaker 2: so vulnerable. She cried and she was teary, and the 1197 01:08:42,960 --> 01:08:45,120 Speaker 2: world did an end and everything was okay, and we 1198 01:08:45,160 --> 01:08:47,320 Speaker 2: actually were more interested in how she felt. I think 1199 01:08:47,360 --> 01:08:51,400 Speaker 2: that was also a great illustration for her about how 1200 01:08:51,439 --> 01:08:54,200 Speaker 2: it can feel to open up and be supported. 1201 01:08:54,680 --> 01:08:56,679 Speaker 1: And I like that she's going to be doing something 1202 01:08:56,800 --> 01:08:58,960 Speaker 1: with her dad that she's not used to doing, or 1203 01:08:58,960 --> 01:09:01,200 Speaker 1: pretty much predicting that he's not going to take well 1204 01:09:01,240 --> 01:09:06,000 Speaker 1: to this conversation. So it's really about her saying, let 1205 01:09:06,040 --> 01:09:09,559 Speaker 1: me ask myself, how do I feel in this moment. 1206 01:09:09,600 --> 01:09:12,000 Speaker 1: There were so many times in the conversation where she said, 1207 01:09:12,000 --> 01:09:14,320 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if this is my voice or this 1208 01:09:14,400 --> 01:09:16,000 Speaker 1: is one of my parents' voices. 1209 01:09:16,640 --> 01:09:18,880 Speaker 2: Right. That's why it doesn't matter how it goes on 1210 01:09:18,960 --> 01:09:22,800 Speaker 2: his end. Her doing it despite that fear, because that's 1211 01:09:22,840 --> 01:09:26,520 Speaker 2: what's right for her, I think is going to be 1212 01:09:26,560 --> 01:09:29,120 Speaker 2: really meaningful to her and hopefully set her on the 1213 01:09:29,160 --> 01:09:36,840 Speaker 2: right path. You're listening to deotherapists. We'll be back after 1214 01:09:36,880 --> 01:09:52,000 Speaker 2: a short break. So, Laurie, we heard from Alexis and 1215 01:09:52,040 --> 01:09:54,720 Speaker 2: we gave her a few conversations to have before we 1216 01:09:54,760 --> 01:09:57,200 Speaker 2: get to them. A note to our listeners, Alexis is 1217 01:09:57,240 --> 01:09:59,960 Speaker 2: taping this late at night, and so she's whispering for 1218 01:10:00,080 --> 01:10:02,200 Speaker 2: that reason. She doesn't want to wake people up. Let's 1219 01:10:02,400 --> 01:10:03,160 Speaker 2: hear how she did. 1220 01:10:03,680 --> 01:10:07,600 Speaker 4: Hi guy, Hi Laurie. Just checking in about some of 1221 01:10:07,640 --> 01:10:12,479 Speaker 4: the homework that you guys gave me. So the first 1222 01:10:12,600 --> 01:10:18,960 Speaker 4: task that you gave me was around a conversation with 1223 01:10:19,280 --> 01:10:23,760 Speaker 4: my dad. It took me a couple of days to 1224 01:10:23,920 --> 01:10:27,120 Speaker 4: work up the courage and figure out how to have 1225 01:10:27,840 --> 01:10:30,840 Speaker 4: this conversation with him, but that was a really great 1226 01:10:30,920 --> 01:10:35,400 Speaker 4: opportunity when we were alone together in the car, I 1227 01:10:35,479 --> 01:10:39,799 Speaker 4: was really anxious to have this. But he didn't get angry. 1228 01:10:40,120 --> 01:10:44,560 Speaker 4: We didn't have a fight. It was him being a 1229 01:10:44,600 --> 01:10:47,920 Speaker 4: little bit rigid, saying that he just wants the best 1230 01:10:47,960 --> 01:10:50,680 Speaker 4: for me and he wants me to be happy. So 1231 01:10:50,760 --> 01:10:54,880 Speaker 4: I really just had to highlight that I am really 1232 01:10:54,920 --> 01:11:00,960 Speaker 4: happy and I am happy with my timeline and things 1233 01:11:01,120 --> 01:11:05,760 Speaker 4: are going the way that I and my boyfriend would 1234 01:11:05,880 --> 01:11:08,439 Speaker 4: like them to and that just because that doesn't match 1235 01:11:08,520 --> 01:11:13,000 Speaker 4: up with his timeline, that's okay. He shoult have stopped 1236 01:11:13,000 --> 01:11:17,120 Speaker 4: the conversation there, and things have been good. I have 1237 01:11:17,240 --> 01:11:21,840 Speaker 4: been a little bit less worried about coming home. I 1238 01:11:21,880 --> 01:11:27,240 Speaker 4: am still, however, a little bit worried that this is 1239 01:11:27,280 --> 01:11:30,200 Speaker 4: going to come up again. Sometimes he has these patterns 1240 01:11:30,280 --> 01:11:32,600 Speaker 4: where things will go okay for a little bit. But 1241 01:11:32,680 --> 01:11:37,559 Speaker 4: I'm really much more confident him revisiting this conversation now, 1242 01:11:37,680 --> 01:11:41,280 Speaker 4: knowing how it went and with the advice that he 1243 01:11:41,320 --> 01:11:46,160 Speaker 4: had given me. The second conversation was with my boyfriend. 1244 01:11:47,400 --> 01:11:50,480 Speaker 4: I did this one much quicker, and I really focused 1245 01:11:50,560 --> 01:11:55,680 Speaker 4: on how much I value how he's there for me. 1246 01:11:56,080 --> 01:12:00,879 Speaker 4: In fact, I opened up quite a bit more following 1247 01:12:00,880 --> 01:12:05,759 Speaker 4: that conversation, and he then opened up with me about 1248 01:12:05,880 --> 01:12:09,800 Speaker 4: how he's been feeling just with life and his new job, 1249 01:12:10,840 --> 01:12:15,439 Speaker 4: and it was really really nice. I felt much more 1250 01:12:15,479 --> 01:12:18,599 Speaker 4: connected in that moment. We did have a discussion about 1251 01:12:18,600 --> 01:12:21,559 Speaker 4: spending more time together and what that would look like. 1252 01:12:21,640 --> 01:12:24,680 Speaker 4: We have decided that I will stay there at his 1253 01:12:24,840 --> 01:12:29,639 Speaker 4: house more frequently and for longer periods of time. So 1254 01:12:29,720 --> 01:12:33,439 Speaker 4: we're really excited about this and we're really looking forward 1255 01:12:33,479 --> 01:12:38,200 Speaker 4: to what that looks like. The last piece of advice 1256 01:12:38,560 --> 01:12:42,080 Speaker 4: was to talk to my boyfriend and that we could 1257 01:12:42,160 --> 01:12:46,840 Speaker 4: both organize together catch up for our parents. Just to 1258 01:12:46,920 --> 01:12:49,960 Speaker 4: me in a very casual setting. This is something that 1259 01:12:50,000 --> 01:12:53,599 Speaker 4: we haven't done yet. It's just we both have lots 1260 01:12:53,720 --> 01:12:58,000 Speaker 4: on our schedules in the coming month, but we are 1261 01:12:58,080 --> 01:13:00,240 Speaker 4: really trying to find a time that we know will 1262 01:13:00,240 --> 01:13:03,599 Speaker 4: work really well for both our families. And whilst I 1263 01:13:03,640 --> 01:13:05,960 Speaker 4: am a bit anxious about that, I feel much more 1264 01:13:05,960 --> 01:13:08,960 Speaker 4: supported doing this with my partner. So I just wanted 1265 01:13:09,000 --> 01:13:10,040 Speaker 4: to thank you guys again. 1266 01:13:15,000 --> 01:13:18,680 Speaker 2: It sounded like Alexis did really well. I think that 1267 01:13:18,760 --> 01:13:22,360 Speaker 2: the conversation with her father she was really uncomfortable, but 1268 01:13:22,439 --> 01:13:26,080 Speaker 2: she did very well in saying her piece and explaining 1269 01:13:26,120 --> 01:13:29,640 Speaker 2: it and not prolonging the conversation. The one comment I 1270 01:13:29,680 --> 01:13:31,840 Speaker 2: would have is you said, if it comes up again, 1271 01:13:32,160 --> 01:13:34,360 Speaker 2: it will come up again, and you don't need to 1272 01:13:34,439 --> 01:13:36,880 Speaker 2: have the whole conversation all over again. When it does, 1273 01:13:36,920 --> 01:13:39,799 Speaker 2: you just remind him Dad, we spoke about that. Remember 1274 01:13:39,840 --> 01:13:42,120 Speaker 2: I'm doing it on my own timeline, and then you 1275 01:13:42,240 --> 01:13:42,920 Speaker 2: leave it again. 1276 01:13:43,360 --> 01:13:45,000 Speaker 1: I do think she did a good job. I know 1277 01:13:45,040 --> 01:13:47,120 Speaker 1: this was a really hard conversation for her to have. 1278 01:13:47,680 --> 01:13:51,360 Speaker 1: I did not hear her setting the boundary though, and 1279 01:13:51,400 --> 01:13:54,160 Speaker 1: I think that she needs to go back to our 1280 01:13:54,200 --> 01:13:57,040 Speaker 1: advice and listen to how we explain to her how 1281 01:13:57,080 --> 01:14:02,320 Speaker 1: the boundary setting sounds, because I don't think she said 1282 01:14:02,360 --> 01:14:05,080 Speaker 1: to him if it comes up again, I will leave 1283 01:14:05,120 --> 01:14:08,160 Speaker 1: the conversation. And then she needs to actually leave the 1284 01:14:08,240 --> 01:14:11,479 Speaker 1: room and the conversation in a very warm, friendly way. 1285 01:14:11,840 --> 01:14:14,240 Speaker 1: But she needs to do that consistently because if she 1286 01:14:14,400 --> 01:14:18,240 Speaker 1: doesn't do that consistently, he might just keep bringing it up. 1287 01:14:18,560 --> 01:14:20,519 Speaker 2: Correct and so I think when he does the next time, 1288 01:14:20,560 --> 01:14:22,400 Speaker 2: which she willed, then you say to him, Dan, remember 1289 01:14:22,400 --> 01:14:25,479 Speaker 2: we spoke about this and then Alexis said the boundary, 1290 01:14:25,560 --> 01:14:28,000 Speaker 2: say so, I don't want to talk about it again, 1291 01:14:28,560 --> 01:14:30,200 Speaker 2: and if you keep bringing it up, I'm just going 1292 01:14:30,240 --> 01:14:32,320 Speaker 2: to end the conversation and leave the room. Just be 1293 01:14:32,439 --> 01:14:35,320 Speaker 2: very explicit in the kindest way. That is just unpleasant 1294 01:14:35,360 --> 01:14:37,760 Speaker 2: for me. It stresses me out. This is what I 1295 01:14:37,800 --> 01:14:38,240 Speaker 2: have to do. 1296 01:14:38,600 --> 01:14:40,840 Speaker 1: And I like that she said it was easy to 1297 01:14:40,880 --> 01:14:43,280 Speaker 1: go to her boyfriend and have that conversation. It shows 1298 01:14:43,320 --> 01:14:45,320 Speaker 1: that they have a lot of connection, a lot of 1299 01:14:45,360 --> 01:14:48,920 Speaker 1: trust with each other. It was so nice to hear 1300 01:14:49,040 --> 01:14:51,320 Speaker 1: that when she opened up to him, he opened up 1301 01:14:51,360 --> 01:14:53,920 Speaker 1: so much to her, and it made them feel so 1302 01:14:54,000 --> 01:14:57,400 Speaker 1: much more connected and that they both want to spend 1303 01:14:57,400 --> 01:14:59,720 Speaker 1: more time together and that she will be spending more 1304 01:14:59,720 --> 01:15:00,439 Speaker 1: time his house. 1305 01:15:00,479 --> 01:15:02,680 Speaker 2: I think they need that, and I really got the 1306 01:15:02,720 --> 01:15:06,800 Speaker 2: sense that having that conversation made them feel more unified, 1307 01:15:07,439 --> 01:15:10,080 Speaker 2: and that was also why we wanted them to throw 1308 01:15:10,120 --> 01:15:13,280 Speaker 2: this family event. I also think that planning this family 1309 01:15:13,320 --> 01:15:17,360 Speaker 2: event together will continue to unify you and define you 1310 01:15:17,680 --> 01:15:21,360 Speaker 2: in your eyes and especially in your family's eyes, as 1311 01:15:21,400 --> 01:15:22,880 Speaker 2: a unit as a couple. 1312 01:15:23,040 --> 01:15:25,559 Speaker 1: Alexi said they didn't have time for a get together 1313 01:15:25,720 --> 01:15:28,680 Speaker 1: where the parents would both be there, and I know 1314 01:15:28,760 --> 01:15:31,959 Speaker 1: that they're busy, but I also think it's really important 1315 01:15:31,960 --> 01:15:33,760 Speaker 1: that they prioritize. 1316 01:15:33,040 --> 01:15:36,599 Speaker 2: That absolutely, and even in the planning, there is an 1317 01:15:36,600 --> 01:15:40,280 Speaker 2: intervention there, because it's sufficient that you put both parents 1318 01:15:40,320 --> 01:15:42,640 Speaker 2: on an email together and say, we would like to 1319 01:15:42,680 --> 01:15:45,160 Speaker 2: invite you to a blah blah blah, whatever you choose 1320 01:15:45,200 --> 01:15:47,880 Speaker 2: to do. Let's look at our calendars and try and 1321 01:15:47,920 --> 01:15:51,600 Speaker 2: find dates. So even before it happens, the intention is there. 1322 01:15:51,760 --> 01:15:55,960 Speaker 2: So alexis we are encouraging you strongly to not wait months, 1323 01:15:55,960 --> 01:15:58,360 Speaker 2: but to start the planning and the communicating with the 1324 01:15:58,400 --> 01:16:01,320 Speaker 2: two sets of parents about this right now, because we 1325 01:16:01,360 --> 01:16:04,760 Speaker 2: really think that you and your boyfriend make a good 1326 01:16:04,800 --> 01:16:09,599 Speaker 2: team and this is something you should approach as a team. 1327 01:16:10,240 --> 01:16:13,400 Speaker 1: Next week, a mother and daughter who've been emotionally distant 1328 01:16:13,400 --> 01:16:16,000 Speaker 1: for the past twenty five years try to heal the 1329 01:16:16,000 --> 01:16:17,000 Speaker 1: wounds of the past. 1330 01:16:17,680 --> 01:16:22,160 Speaker 5: From the moment she said she didn't want us to 1331 01:16:22,200 --> 01:16:25,960 Speaker 5: be involved in the adoption process, I felt that Stephanie 1332 01:16:26,080 --> 01:16:28,800 Speaker 5: was rejecting me, and as things have gone on for 1333 01:16:28,880 --> 01:16:32,120 Speaker 5: the past years, I felt like she doesn't approve of me, 1334 01:16:32,600 --> 01:16:34,439 Speaker 5: and so I've just distanced myself. 1335 01:16:34,680 --> 01:16:37,559 Speaker 1: If you're enjoying our podcast, don't forget to subscribe for 1336 01:16:37,640 --> 01:16:40,360 Speaker 1: free so you don't miss any episodes, and please help 1337 01:16:40,400 --> 01:16:43,080 Speaker 1: support your therapists by telling your friends about it and 1338 01:16:43,200 --> 01:16:46,719 Speaker 1: leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Your reviews really help 1339 01:16:46,760 --> 01:16:47,840 Speaker 1: people to find the show. 1340 01:16:48,360 --> 01:16:50,599 Speaker 2: If you have a dilemma you'd like to discuss with us, 1341 01:16:51,040 --> 01:16:56,560 Speaker 2: email us at Loridguy at iHeartMedia dot com. Our executive 1342 01:16:56,600 --> 01:17:00,679 Speaker 2: producer is Noel Brown. We're produced and edited by Josh Fisher, 1343 01:17:00,960 --> 01:17:05,439 Speaker 2: additional editing support by Zachary Fisher and Katie Matty. Our 1344 01:17:05,479 --> 01:17:08,479 Speaker 2: intern is an Anna Doherty and special thanks to our 1345 01:17:08,520 --> 01:17:12,240 Speaker 2: podcast Fairy Godmother Katie Couric. We can't wait to see 1346 01:17:12,240 --> 01:17:15,639 Speaker 2: you at our next session. Deo Therapist is a production 1347 01:17:15,720 --> 01:17:16,640 Speaker 2: of iHeartRadio 1348 01:17:23,360 --> 01:17:24,000 Speaker 3: Fild