Torie Wiksell
98 episodes listed below
PRESS PLAY
Therapist and boundaries coach, Torie Wiksell, is no stranger to talking about toxic parents and dysfunctional family dynamics. In addition to her focus on supporting the adult children of parents with borderline and narcissistic personality disorders as a therapist, Torie grew up with a mother who had an unmanaged personality disorder and understands the uniquely complicated aspects of these relationships. Torie brings a refreshingly relatable perspective to navigating a relationship with a toxic parent while instilling hope that things can get better and ensuring her listeners they are not alone. Follow Torie on TikTok: tiktok.com/@theboundariescoach Follow Torie on...
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Tori Wixel makes toxic family patterns legible while leaving room for uncertainty about diagnoses, forgiveness, and the shape healing takes.
Tori Wixel turns difficult parent-child dynamics into recognizable patterns without making a diagnosis the price of admission. Speaking alone as a therapist and boundaries coach, she connects clinical framing with her own family experience, then follows the effects into adult…
Overexplaining yourself has a backstory here, and Torie Wiksell won't make forgiveness your entry fee.
Press play if you want
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A calm case for why overthinking can be a learned survival skill, not a character flaw.
The episode argues that intellectualizing feelings can become a survival skill, especially for cycle breakers who learned early that analysis felt safer than emotion.
A steady case that acceptance can heal even when forgiveness is not part of the path.
This episode opens with Tori Wixel's difficult update about closing the Confident Boundaries membership, then settles into a clear argument that healing does not depend on forgiveness being forced on a schedule.
Basic care becomes the real work, and the episode treats it that way.
The episode returns to basics: water, food, movement, and sleep. It ties those ordinary habits to the larger pattern of putting other people’s comfort first, and it keeps circling back to the idea that basic needs matter when someone is trying to heal from family patterns that…
A steady look at why overexplaining can feel like survival.
The episode lands on a familiar family pattern: being told who you are, what you think, what you feel, and what you want until overexplaining starts to look like self-defense.
A clear look at how toxic parents turn discomfort into a two-sides narrative.
The episode treats a parent's claim of walking on eggshells around an adult child as part of a familiar two-sides framing that can soften toxic, emotionally immature, or narcissistic behavior.
A clear map of how normalized family behavior can still do real damage.
The episode takes a hard look at family habits that get normalized and makes a strong case for why they can stay damaging well into adulthood.
Practical boundary guidance for adults dealing with toxic parents.
Setting boundaries with toxic parents comes through as a practical skill, not a slogan. The episode keeps its focus on a simple split: control what can be controlled, and stop waiting for someone else to grant permission.
A grounded guide for cycle breakers facing familiar dysfunction in both family life and the wider world.
The episode keeps its focus on dysfunction on two fronts: the gaslighting, lying, deflection, and abuse tied to toxic family systems, and the same patterns the host sees reflected in the wider world.
Jonquilyn Hill chases one listener question per episode to the experts who can answer it.
Three hosts and psychologist Dr Emily talk vulnerability, therapy, and imperfection with guests.
Fearne Cotton interviews guests like Boy George and Bryony Gordon about mental health and identity.
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford pairs therapy insight with Black TV recaps, maternal health, and history.
Tori Wixel, a therapist and boundaries coach, explains why adults raised by toxic or emotionally immature parents may know what not to repeat without knowing how to become emotionally healthy.
Therapist Torie Wiksell introduces a podcast for adult children of toxic parents, discussing understanding family dynamics and breaking cycles of dysfunction.
The host introduces a new course section on understanding family dynamics for adult children of parents with personality disorders.
The host introduces a new resource database called the Cycle Breakers Vault for adult children of toxic parents to access educational materials on healing and boundary-setting.
Torie Wiksell explores why adult children of narcissistic or BPD parents intellectualize their emotions as a coping mechanism from chaotic childhoods, explaining how this disconnection hinders healing.
Forgiveness is not the finish line, and this episode refuses to pretend it is.
Therapist Tori Wixel explores why adults who grew up with narcissistic or borderline parents ('cycle breakers') often neglect fundamental self-care like hydration, nutrition, sleep, and movement.
Tori Wixel, therapist and host of You're Not Crazy, examines over-explaining as a trauma response from growing up with a narcissistic mother.
Therapist Tori Wixel deconstructs the claim made by some parents that they have to 'walk on eggshells' around their adult children.
Therapist Tori Wixel examines behaviors commonly normalized in dysfunctional families—like stonewalling, guilt-tripping, and gaslighting—and argues they often constitute subtle emotional abuse.
Therapist Tori Wixel explains the complexities of setting and enforcing boundaries with toxic parents, offering practical advice like avoiding the word 'boundary' during communication and preparing for emotional pushback.
Therapist Tori Wixel explores the overwhelming experience of being an adult healing from toxic parents while simultaneously navigating a sociopolitical climate that mirrors the same abusive dynamics—gaslighting, deflection, and violence.
Therapist Tori Wixel explores why adults raised by toxic parents struggle with pervasive self-doubt, reframing it as 'self-gaslighting'—an internalized voice that undermines their reality and decision-making.
Labels can feel terrifying.
A year and a half in, Tori is taking stock.
Torie Wiksell discusses why the holidays are particularly stressful for cycle breakers from toxic families, offering advice on managing expectations, making decisions, and practicing self-compassion.
Therapist Torie Wiksell offers practical strategies for cycle breakers to survive the holidays with toxic parents, focusing on self-care, creating separate traditions, and recognizing personal progress.
The host introduces herself and her background as a therapist and cycle breaker, setting the stage for an episode about healing from toxic parents.
A therapist and boundaries coach helps adult children of toxic parents break dysfunctional family cycles.
The host discusses perfectionism in the cycle-breaking journey during the holiday season, offering grounding and focus for those dealing with toxic family dynamics.