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Mother Mayhem: For Daughters of Narcissistic or Emotionally Limited Mothers

Heather Gray, LICSW
Mother Mayhem: For Daughters of Narcissistic or Emotionally Limited Mothers
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  • 113. It’s Not Trauma, It’s Life. WTF Do You Do With That?
    Sometimes it isn’t about trauma brain or nervous system talk. Sometimes it’s just about life being messy and complicated and still leaving you asking, what the hell am I supposed to do with this?In this episode, I answer two big questions from a daughter:Trust after rupture: What do you do when someone you love, someone you thought was safe, lashes out, apologizes, and takes responsibility…but you’re still hurt and not sure where to put it? We talk about what it means when trust gets shaken in relationships, how to stop pretending everything’s “fine,” and why real healing comes from honest conversations, not band-aids.Self-doubt at work: What happens when you’re offered a leadership opportunity you’ve always wanted  but instead of celebrating, you’re stuck in fear of messing it up, losing respect, or not being “ready”? I share the real talk about stepping into leadership, owning your power, and saying yes to more without waiting to feel 100% confident first.If you’ve ever struggled with rebuilding trust, navigating self-doubt, or stepping into leadership while carrying the wounds of being a daughter of a narcissistic or emotionally limited mother, we’ve got you covered today.You’ll walk away with:-Clarity on why ruptures in close relationships matter (and what to do about them).-Practical ways to rebuild trust without gaslighting yourself.-Real talk on how to step into leadership even when fear and insecurity show up.-Encouragement to stop waiting to feel “ready” and start saying yes to the life you want.Because sometimes it’s not trauma. It’s just life. And you still deserve to know what to do next.Head to MayhemDaughters.com to join Group, our community, or to become a sponsor of the show.
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  • 112. Finding Yourself After Narcissistic Abuse: Healing Identity, Rage, and Grief
    What happens when you’ve spent a lifetime unseen, unchosen, and defined by someone else’s story? In this episode of Mother Mayhem, a daughter asks: Who Am I, really? Together, we explore:Why daughters of narcissistic or emotionally limited mothers often feel dissociated or split from themselvesHow dissociation shows up in daily life and gentle ways to come back into the presentWhy listening and gathering resources without acting is a trauma response, not a failureHow to begin bridging head and heart after years of survival modeWhat to do with rage and grief when confronting a mother won’t bring healingHow identity is reclaimed, not reinvented and why it’s never too late to beginThis episode offers both a clinical lens and a community one. It reminds daughters that healing happens in connection, not isolation.If you’ve ever wondered who you are beyond the roles you were given, or how to carry rage and grief without being consumed by them, this conversation will meet you right where you are.And if you’re looking to be a sponsor of the show or want to know more about connecting with other Mayhem daughters, you can find us at MayhemDaughters.com
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  • 111. The Messy Middle of Healing: Regret, Relationships, and the Fight for Peace After Trauma
    Healing from childhood trauma isn’t a straight line. There’s a very messy middle. In this episode of Mother Mayhem, we explore what that messy middle really looks like for daughters of narcissistic or emotionally limited mothers.We’ll talk about:Regret in healing: Why it shows up, why it feels like such a gut punch, and how to reframe regret as a sign of growth instead of failure.Relationships under pressure: How marriage, friendships, and partnerships can feel like they’re combusting when one person begins to heal.The nervous system’s role:  Why trauma brain makes joy feel unsafe, why peace is often the real goal, and why partners may misinterpret trauma responses as rejection or complaint.The shock of change: How the people we chose in our fawning, conflict-avoiding, or numbed-out selves often feel destabilized when we start showing up differently.Getting practical: From naming trauma brain in real time, to practicing repair, to re-choosing relationships with new self-awareness.This conversation will help you understand why healing feels so raw, why regret can actually be a milestone, and how to navigate the bumps in relationships with clarity and compassion.Whether you’re in the thick of regret, feeling misunderstood by your partner, or noticing how your healing is shaking up your closest connections, this episode will give you language, validation, and tools for the journey.Resources & Next StepsLearn more about the Mayhem Daughters community: MayhemDaughters.com. Listen to earlier episodes on relationships and healing: Ep. 72 & Ep. 94
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  • 110. The Messy Middle: Grief, Anger, & Self-Trust In Healing from a Childhood Mother Wound
    In this episode of Mother Mayhem, we’re talking about something every daughter eventually faces on the healing journey: the messy middle.You’ve moved beyond survival mode: less hypervigilance, fewer shutdowns but freedom and peace still feel out of reach. Instead, you’re navigating grief, anger, second-guessing, perfectionism, and the uncomfortable work of slowing down. It’s confusing, frustrating, and messy. And yet…it’s where the deepest growth happens.Together we’ll explore:-Why grief and anger are essential parts of healing, not setbacks.-How second-guessing shows up in the messy middle (and what to do about it).-What it means to value rest, quiet, and connection without chaos.-Practical ways to hold both grief and light through “Yes, And.”-How to stop picking up every single thought trauma brain throws your way.All of the questions in this episode came directly from daughters inside the Mayhem Daughters community. If you want to have your own questions answered, hear from other daughters about their experiences, and find a safe, trauma-informed space to heal, visit MayhemDaughters.comYou are not alone in this messy middle. Let’s walk it together.
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  • 109. Bodily Autonomy: The Maternal Abuse Daughters Struggle to Name
    What happens when your body was never fully yours to begin with?In this powerful episode we’re having a conversation many daughters have never had out loud about bodily autonomy, maternal boundary violations, and the silent, insidious ways that narcissistic or emotionally immature mothers can lay claim to their daughters' bodies.We’re not just talking about “bad boundaries” here. We’re talking about unspoken abuse, the kind that hides behind phrases like “for your own good,” and leaves daughters confused, ashamed, and disconnected from their own bodies.What it means when a mother claims ownership over her daughter’s bodyWhy so many daughters hesitate to use the word abuse, even when their bodies tell the truth. Examples of physical invasiveness, coercion, and boundary-crossing framed as “care”The nervous system responses (like freezing or bracing) that reveal stored traumaWhy healing often begins not with rage, but with quiet remembering and somatic truthHow to notice your body's signals and what it looks like to reclaim agencyThis is not a checklist of symptoms. It’s a truth tellingThis episode is tender. It may be activating. Go slowly. Bring water, take breaks, and, if at all possible, don’t listen alone.Felt shame around sexuality, desire, or touchFroze during intimacy, pelvic exams, or physical careBeen told you were “too sensitive” when something felt offHad a mother who shared your private information, commented on your body, or touched you in ways that felt confusing or wrongStruggled to name what happened because it wasn’t “overt” enough to count as abuseYou might relate if you’ve ever:Felt shame around sexuality, desire, or touchFroze during intimacy, pelvic exams, or physical careBeen told you were “too sensitive” when something felt offHad a mother who shared your private information, commented on your body, or touched you in ways that felt confusing or wrongStruggled to name what happened because it wasn’t “overt” enough to count as abuse to learn about joining group, the community, or to share your story with the show.
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About Mother Mayhem: For Daughters of Narcissistic or Emotionally Limited Mothers

Welcome to Mother Mayhem, the podcast for daughters of narcissistic and emotionally limited mothers. I’m Heather Gray, licensed therapist and narcissistic abuse recovery expert. If you're healing from the mother wound, emotional neglect, or childhood trauma, you’re in the right place. Start with the first 8 episodes—they lay the foundation for your healing. Learn to understand your experience, set boundaries, and build more honest, grounded relationships. Listener questions are welcome. You’re not alone. Other daughters are here. I am, too.
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