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In this Podcast series, Dr Jenny Brown responds to written requests to share her thinking about a tricky relationship challenge. She draws from her understanding of Bowen family systems theory to shed light on especially challenging relationship situations. She provides some ideas to make sense of the issue and draws from her clinical experience to describe a real-life example of dealing with a similar dynamic.

Note: Some details of questions have been changed for protecting privacy.

Read more at: https://www.jennybrown.info/

Ep. 4: From Compliments to Critical Gossip

In this episode, Jenny addresses the following scenario: A pastor has befriended a new church member and finds that after a very positive connection full of compliments, the relationship has become increasingly critical, with negative gossip about him spreading around church members.  Jenny discusses the nature of fast-tracking of togetherness in a relationship. What pacing of a new relationship prevents unhealthy fusion and cultivates thoughtful boundaries? The dynamic described is especially relevant in non-family groups such as community clubs, workplaces, and faith organizations. However, it can also play out in extended families when an in-law enters the fold with an exaggerated welcome.

This podcast is pertinent to this online symposium in a couple of weeks: https://www.thefsi.com.au/events/symposium-navigating-challenging-relationships-in-ministry/

About the Managing Challenging Relationships series: In this Podcast series, Dr Jenny Brown responds to written requests to share her thinking about a tricky relationship challenge. She draws from her understanding of Bowen family systems theory to shed light on especially challenging relationship situations. She provides some ideas to make sense of the issue and draws from her clinical experience to describe a real-life example of dealing with a similar dynamic.

Note: Some details of questions have been changed for protecting privacy. 

Ep. 3: Heightened Upset from a mother to her adult daughter

This scenario involves an adult daughter, her mother and her husband and father.  

She writes: “Another issue that keeps coming up is when I got married and moved out of home. We would visit once a week but to her it wasn’t enough. She wanted us to move in with her and my dad. She stopped communicating with us for half a year because of this. In some ways, she still blames me for her poor mental health and illnesses because I got married and left home.” 

About the Managing Challenging Relationships series: In this Podcast series, Dr Jenny Brown responds to written requests to share her thinking about a tricky relationship challenge. She draws from her understanding of Bowen family systems theory to shed light on especially challenging relationship situations. She provides some ideas to make sense of the issue and draws from her clinical experience to describe a real-life example of dealing with a similar dynamic.

Note: Some details of questions have been changed for protecting privacy. 

Ep. 2: A ruptured relationship between adult siblings

In this episode, Jenny addresses the following question: “How do I deal with my distant adult brother, who cuts off from our family at the first hint of any tension?” Jenny notes how helpful it is to see the perspective over time– that is the backdrop of the current challenge. This family has a history of significant loss and adversity. Jenny locates the challenge within relationship triangles and explores ways to operate more from themself as a sister than from their alliance with their mother.

About the Managing Challenging Relationships series:

In this Podcast series, Dr Jenny Brown responds to written requests to share her thinking about a tricky relationship challenge. She draws from her understanding of Bowen family systems theory to shed light on especially challenging relationship situations. She provides some ideas to make sense of the issue and draws from her clinical experience to describe a real-life example of dealing with a similar dynamic.

Note: Some details of questions have been changed for protecting privacy. 

Ep. 1: Should I cut off from my narcissistic mother?

In this episode, Jenny addresses the following question:

Can you possibly address how efforts at Growing Yourself Up are the same or different when facing a narcissistic individual? In my case, my own mother. Many sources I’ve read on narcissism suggest that often the best course of action is “no contact” (which is obviously in direct opposition to suggestions in your book). I’d be really interested in hearing anything about this unique facet of growing yourself up.

About the Managing Challenging Relationships series:

In this Podcast series, Dr Jenny Brown responds to written requests to share her thinking about a tricky relationship challenge. She draws from her understanding of Bowen family systems theory to shed light on especially challenging relationship situations. She provides some ideas to make sense of the issue and draws from her clinical experience to describe a real-life example of dealing with a similar dynamic.

Note: Some details of questions have been changed for protecting privacy.