5 telltale signs you grew up with a defensive parent

1.

Or, they may deny the experience altogether.

Vacation Fling Gets a Reality Check in New Romance Book Swept Away

3.

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Your parent may also exhibitcognitive distortionslike making catastrophizing assumptions about your emotional experience.

Again, this teaches you that there isnt space for your voice or that your voice doesnt matter.

And because it is a behavior, that means one can change it if one chooses.

Two people’s legs touch under a table as they work on their laptops.

psychotherapist and mental health educator

Some may be open to it, but others may not.

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Books on grief are seen floating against a backdrop of clouds.

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Michelle Monaghan, Carrie Coon, and Leslie Bibb in The White Lotus, symbolizing toxic friendships.

psychotherapist and mental health educator

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Courtesy Berkley Publishing