Latest Episode
Real Questions, Real Answers: Loving an Adult Child Through Addiction—Without Losing Yourself
How do you set boundaries with an adult child struggling with addiction when every limit feels frightening—and potentially dangerous?
In this episode, a listener describes the painful cycle her family has been living through: addiction, crisis, promises, hope and then another setback. She loves her adult child and wants to do everything possible to keep them safe. But she is also exhausted, frightened and no longer sure whether repeatedly stepping in is helping—or allowing the cycle to continue
Recent Episodes
Sept. 25, 2026
Real Questions, Real Answers: Loving an Adult Child Through Addiction—Without Losing Yourself
How do you set boundaries with an adult child struggling with addiction when every limit feels frightening—and potentially dangerous? In this episode, a listener describes the painful cycle her family has been living through: addiction, crisis, promises, hope and then another setback. She loves her adult child and wants to do everything possible to keep them safe. But she is also exhausted, frightened and no longer sure whether repeatedly stepping in is helping—or allowing the cycle to continue
132
Sept. 10, 2026
Want a Better Relationship With Your Adult Kids? Start With Yourself—and Your Friends
If you've listened to Bite Your Tongue for a while, you may remember this conversation with friendship expert Shasta Nelson. I'm bringing it back because when I listened to it again, I realized just how much is packed into this episode. Yes, we talk about friendship—but we also talk about something at the very heart of this podcast: How do we build a healthier, more adult relationship with our grown children? Shasta introduces us to what she calls the Friendship Triangle: positivity, consiste...
Aug. 27, 2026
What to Do When Your Adult Child Doesn't Reach Out
If you've ever stared at your phone wondering whether to send that text, this episode is for you. Sometimes the silence lasts longer than you want. Sometimes you feel them pushing away. That's why this episode of Straight from the Listener Line: Real Questions, Real Answers, tackles one of the most emotionally difficult dilemmas parents face. If your adult child isn't reaching out, should you call? Text? Wait? And how do you stay connected without feeling like you're chasing them?...
130
Aug. 13, 2026
Parenting 2.0: The Work Begins With Us | Dr. Francine Toder
This is an episode re-run and one that is still so relevant and needs a re-listen. It seems actually that it is even more relevant today. Parent's are still asking Parents are still asking, "How do I stay close to my adult child without pushing them away?" Francine Toder's answer isn't another communication technique—it's something much harder: look at yourself first. When our children become adults, many of us assume the hardest years are behind us. But for countless parents, the challenges sim
July 30, 2026
Helping or Enabling? When Adult Children Return Home
When an adult child moves back home once, many parents see it as temporary. But what happens when it becomes a pattern? In this episode of Straight from the Listener Line: Real Questions, Real Answers, Denise is joined by psychotherapist Joe Nucci to answer a listener's heartfelt question about her adult son, who has returned home five different times. Together they explore the difficult balance between offering support and fostering independence, why curiosity is more helpful than assumptions
July 17, 2026
Do We Really Know Our Adult Children? A Shift to Curiosity
Some conversations are worth revisiting. As we prepared to re-release this conversation with therapist Rachel Haack, I listened to it again for the first time in several years. I thought I knew exactly what Rachel was going to say. After all, I was the one asking the questions. But that's the gift of listening again. Sometimes the conversation hasn't changed at all—you have. This time, Rachel's insights on defensiveness, curiosity, perfection, and the evolving relationship between parents and...
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