Parentification is a term we use to describe a situation where a child is forced into a role of providing emotional or physical care for their parent or siblings, instead of receiving appropriate care and nurturing themselves. While it can impact everyone differently, being parentified as a child can have pretty profound effects as you move into adulthood, especially in terms of your relationships, emotional development, and mental health. In this week’s blog, we'll explore what parentification is, what some typical signs of parentification in adults, and overall how it can impact your mental health.

Have you heard this buzz word, but you’re not quite sure what it means? Ever felt like your happiness was tied to someone else's, or that your worth depended on the approval of others? Welcome to the world of codependency — a place where our own identities can become a bit fuzzy as we get wrapped up in the powerful emotions of close relationships.

Picture this: You're at your favorite coffee shop, sipping on your go-to brew, and suddenly your phone lights up with a new work email. The temptation to dive into those unread messages is real, right? “I just want to get it done,” you may tell yourself. Or “What if my boss gets mad with me if I don’t answer now?”

But here's the thing—finding balance is key to a healthy, happy life. You are not responsible for all the things at work, all the time. You need space for your mind and body to recuperate and separate from work stress. Boundaries are like the superhero capes that shield us from burnout and help us keep the different areas of our lives in check.

I hear this question from clients fairly often, usually with a good dose of hesitancy. I suspect that is because “codependency” is a buzzword we throw around but don’t necessarily really understand. In this post, we’ll learn a bit more about the history of codependency and aim to clarify its defining characteristics.