The real question of this letter is how do siblings navigate these competing narratives when they're so much at stake? And also, how does our friend here stay supportive of his sister whom he clearly loves while also being true to his experience? Right. Like given how intent she is on having him corroborate her memories, can they stay close if they end up disagreeing about this? Yes, exactly. But in order for that to happen, they'll both probably have to get to a place where they can accept that the other has vastly different memories of the same childhood or just had different experiences completely.
Your sister's therapy is dredging up traumatic "memories" you're not even sure are real, and it's tearing your family apart. Welcome to Feedback Friday!
And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in!
On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss:
- PSA: Listeners using Stitcher should be aware that the service is going the way of the dodo soon. Recommended alternatives: Podcast Addict (Android) or Overcast (iOS).
- Your sister's EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy sessions are dredging up traumatic childhood "memories" you're not even sure are real, and it's tearing your family apart. How can you separate fact from fiction and mend the rift that's grown between you? [Thanks to Brad Watts, a licensed professional counselor and the author of Sibling Sexual Abuse: A Guide for Confronting America’s Silent Epidemic for helping us sort this one out!]
- You worry that your significant other's "close" coworker is trying to get a bit too close, and their dynamic seems tantamount to an emotional affair. He insists on maintaining this friendship in spite of how uncomfortable it makes you feel. Are you overreacting, or are your concerns perfectly reasonable? What should you do?
- How do you communicate your disinterest in the boring stories your significant other constantly shares about people you don't even know in a way that won't be hurtful or offensive?
- How does a stay-at-home dad on military disability who used his downtime to hone his education and skill set explain his unorthodox break in employment as a feature — not a bug — to prospective employers?
- How do you help your aging mom through her struggles with depression, anxiety, alcoholism, financial difficulties, and declining health without completely draining your resources and derailing your own efforts to succeed?
- Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com!
- Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger.
- Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi and Instagram...
