In this episode of Mother Mayhem, we’re talking about one of the most emotionally damaging tactics used by narcissistic and emotionally limited mothers: the silent treatment.

This episode explores the emotional and psychological effects of the silent treatment and provides listeners with strategies to heal and regain control of their lives.

When your narcissistic mother uses silence as a weapon, it doesn’t just hurt in the moment. It lingers, leaving you trapped in a cycle of self-doubt, anxiety, and emotional chaos.

Learn how to recognize these behaviors for what they are: emotional manipulation. Learn how to break free from the cycle of seeking approval and validation from someone who will never give it to you.

Key points discussed in this episode:

• The Silent Treatment as Emotional Manipulation: Understanding how the silent treatment is used by narcissistic mothers to control, manipulate, and emotionally harm.
  

• The Impact on Your Nervous System: Why silence triggers fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses and how this affects your mental health and emotional regulation.
  

• Breaking the Cycle: Practical steps to stop chasing approval and reclaim your peace.
  

• Nervous System Regulation and Self-Trust: How calming your nervous system and rebuilding self-trust is crucial for healing from the silent treatment.
  

• Moving Beyond the Silence: What to do when your mother’s silence ends, how to prepare for re-engagement, and how to protect yourself from falling back into old patterns.
  

Healing Strategies:

This episode provides actionable advice to help you:

• Recognize the toxic patterns of behavior from your narcissistic mother.

• Manage anxiety and emotional overwhelm caused by the silent treatment.
  

• Focus on self-trust and emotional regulation to reclaim your peace.
  

• Set boundaries and break free from the need for external validation.

Mayhem is here to support you as you navigate the complexities of healing from narcissistic abuse. The journey may be long, but breaking the cycle of emotional manipulation starts today.

If you’re ready to stop chasing approval and reclaim your peace, join us in Mayhem Daughters, our trauma-informed community where daughters of narcissistic mothers come together to heal and support each other.

Check out the Tuesday Group and Thursday Group, where you’ll find the connection, support, and guidance you need on your journey of healing.

Also mentioned: Simple Scripts for Saying Hard Things

In today’s episode of Mother Mayhem, we dive deep into the process of healing from narcissistic abuse and I offer insight into how daughters of narcissistic and emotionally limited mothers can begin to trust themselves and find joy in their lives again.

If you've struggled to feel safe in your body, or have a hard time trusting yourself after years of emotional neglect or narcissistic manipulation, this episode is for you. I walk you through the three key pillars of healing: nervous system safety, emotional processing, and self-trust.

Key topics covered in this episode:

• Understanding the role of the nervous system in healing from trauma

• How to process your emotions safely and without fear of being overwhelmed

• The importance of self-trust in healing and how to start rebuilding it

• Learning to embrace vulnerability and enjoy life despite your past trauma

• Why healing from narcissistic abuse isn’t a one-time fix but a continuous journey of self-compassion and growth

• Grief as a part of healing: How it helps us let go of the past

• Reclaiming joy and learning to connect with others around you without fear of being hurt again
  

Want to feel more supported on your healing journey?

Join Mayhem Daughters, our online community for Daughters

Bring it to TUESDAY GROUP

Bring it to THURSDAY GROUP

Find me at: Heather@DaughtersNPD.com to get more information or share your story.

Also mentioned: Simple Scripts for Saying Hard Things

Welcome to Mother Mayhem, the podcast for daughters of narcissistic and emotionally limited mothers. In today’s episode, we dive into one of the most common struggles many daughters face: questioning whether their childhood trauma and mother wound "count."

If you've ever found yourself wondering, "Am I overreacting?" or "Is my experience really trauma?" this episode is for you. Whether you’ve been dealing with emotional neglect, narcissistic manipulation, or toxic family dynamics, it’s common to doubt the validity of your feelings.

In this episode, we explore:

• The struggle of self-doubt: How trauma brain and wise mind are often at odds, leaving you stuck in a loop of questioning whether your experiences are “bad enough” to be considered trauma.
  

• The shame spiral: Why you may feel guilty or ashamed for even acknowledging the pain of your mother wound, and how this internal conflict can keep you stuck in emotional turmoil.
  

• Understanding narcissistic abuse: How narcissistic mothers and emotionally limited parents create environments where their daughters question their reality and invalidate their feelings.
  

• Practical tips for breaking the cycle: Tools and strategies to help you navigate the tension between your trauma brain and wise mind, so you can start validating your own experiences and reclaiming your peace.
  

If you’re wondering whether your trauma “counts” or if you feel like you’ve been stuck in a cycle of doubt and guilt, this episode will help you understand why—and more importantly, how to break free.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Tuesday Group

• Thursday Group

• Mayhem Daughters

• Simple Scripts for Saying Hard Things
  

Support the Show: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or share it with someone who might benefit. Your support helps the show reach more daughters in need of community and healing.

What happens when healing from trauma starts to change everything—your identity, your relationships, even your marriage?

In this episode of Mother Mayhem, I read a powerful letter from a daughter who has done the work to heal… and now finds herself in a life that no longer fits.

She’s changed. Her needs have changed. But her marriage hasn’t—and now she’s wondering: What do I do with the life I built before I healed?

This episode reflects on the cost of becoming your true self after narcissistic abuse or emotional neglect—especially when trauma recovery brings clarity, grief, and new truths that are impossible to ignore.

You’ll hear themes around:

• Healing from trauma and mother wounds

• Identity shifts in long-term relationships

• What daughters of narcissistic mothers learn to tolerate

• The difference between repair and real healing

• Why self-trust can feel like betrayal

• How shame keeps us from taking up space in our own lives
  

Whether you’re rethinking your relationship, your career, or your place in the world, this episode will meet you right where you are—and remind you: you’re not alone, and you don’t have to abandon yourself to keep the peace.

• Join the Mayhem Daughters community

• Tuesday Group

  Thursday Group

• Also mentioned: Simple Scripts for Saying Hard Things
  

Subscribe, rate, and share with someone who needs it. Your healing is valid. Your needs are allowed. Your story matters.

This week, we tackle a situation you daughters of narcissistic and emotionally limited mothers know all too well: how to respond when your mothers emotionally manipulate and use guilt to control you.

Today, we’re breaking down the difference between guilt and shame—how guilt, in its healthiest form, can help you improve yourselves, while shame distorts your sense of self-worth and keeps you stuck in unhealthy patterns.

Narcissistic and emotionally limited mothers excel at cultivating this shame, making it incredibly difficult for you daughters to set boundaries and honor your own feelings.

This episode explores the trauma responses that daughters of narcissistic mothers often experience—particularly the internalized guilt and shame that cloud judgment, lead to second-guessing, and prevent healing

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The difference between guilt and shame, and how they show up in relationships with narcissistic or emotionally limited mothers.

• Why narcissistic mothers use shame to manipulate their children and how it can impact self-worth.

• Practical steps for recognizing emotional manipulation and setting healthy boundaries.

• The importance of retraining your nervous system to see the difference between healthy boundaries and emotional manipulation.

• How healing isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress and taking care of your emotional needs, one step at a time.

Join the Community:

If you are ready to stop carrying the weight of emotional manipulation and start setting boundaries that honor your peace, come join us in Tuesday Group or Thursday Group . Each week, daughters from all over the world meet in these groups to share, heal, and support each other through their unique journeys.

You can also find healing and connection in Mayhem Daughters, our private online community where women come together to reclaim their voices and find support in navigating life after narcissistic abuse.

Also mentioned: Simple Scripts for Saying Hard Things

Remember, healing is a process, and it’s okay to take it one day at a time. You are seen, you are heard, and most importantly, you are not alone.

In this episode of Mother Mayhem, join me as one daughter walks you through her path toward lower contact with narcissistic parents.

Many of you have reached out asking for advice on how to manage relationships with abusive parents, especially when considering lower or no contact, and in this episode, we dig into the real-life process of making that shift.

It’s not an easy decision, and it’s certainly not something that happens overnight. Trauma brain, emotional conditioning, and the weight of years of dysfunctional family dynamics can make it feel impossible. But her journey proves that taking it one day at a time is not only possible, it’s how we start to reclaim our emotional safety and peace.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The steps to take it one day at a time when considering lower contact with narcissistic or emotionally limited parents

• How to trust your nervous system in making decisions that prioritize your well-being

• Real talk about the difficult emotions that come with setting boundaries with toxic parents

• A daughter’s personal story of healing and choosing herself despite the pain of family rejection
  

Whether you’re considering going lower contact, have already made that decision, or are simply exploring what that might look like, this episode is for you.

Setting boundaries with toxic parents is never easy, but our daughter’s story will remind you that you are not alone, and that taking small steps toward healing and self-protection can make all the difference.

Healing from narcissistic abuse takes time, effort, and the courage to trust yourself and your decisions. You have the right to protect your peace, and you have the right to choose what’s best for you—no matter how difficult it may feel in the moment.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Mayhem Daughters - Join our community for ongoing support and guidance as you navigate your healing journey.

• Therapeutic Support Options :

  Tuesday Group

  Thursday Group Waitlist

  Simple Scripts for Saying Hard Things

In this episode of Mother Mayhem, we dive deep into the emotional triggers that often surface during trauma recovery—specifically anger, jealousy, and rejection.

As daughters of narcissistic and emotionally limited mothers, these emotions can feel overwhelming, but they’re not just random feelings—they are powerful tools that can guide your healing process.

We talk about why anger is not only valid but crucial in the recovery process, serving as a signal that something is wrong and that boundaries have been crossed.

You’ll learn how jealousy often appears as a sign of unmet desires and needs, and why rejection can tap into old wounds, making it feel like a personal failure, even when it’s not about you at all.

Understanding and working with these emotions is a key part of reclaiming your peace, setting healthy boundaries, and growing in your recovery from narcissistic abuse. This episode is for anyone who’s been overwhelmed by these feelings and wants to understand how they fit into the larger healing process.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How anger is a tool in trauma recovery and why it’s a sign that something needs to change.
  

• The role of jealousy in healing, and what it reveals about your desires and unmet needs.
  

• Why rejection feels so painful, especially when it mirrors the neglect and emotional abandonment from your past.
  

• How to start recognizing emotional triggers as cues for setting healthier boundaries.
  

• Why feeling these emotions is a necessary part of healing, and how they can help you create a life that honors you.
  

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Mayhem Daughters – A supportive, trauma-informed community for daughters of narcissistic mothers.

• Tuesday Group – Join our weekly peer support group where we explore healing, emotional safety, and recovery together. [Join the Tuesday Group here] (insert link)

• Thursday Group Waitlist: If you are interested in joining our Thursday Evening Group for Daughters

  
  

  
  
  
  

If you’ve been struggling with jealousy, anger, or rejection in your healing journey, this episode will help you make sense of those emotions and reclaim your sense of self. Remember, these emotions are signals—not obstacles—and understanding them can empower you to set stronger, healthier boundaries in your life.

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show! Your support helps us reach more daughters who need to hear that healing is possible.

In this powerful episode of Mother Mayhem, you’ll hear the story of a brave Mayhem Daughter who has been a regular in our Tuesday Group. While we can’t take credit for all that she has overcome, we are incredibly proud to be part of her healing journey.

This daughter shares her raw and transformative experience of growing up with a narcissistic mother. Her story highlights the complexity of surviving emotional, psychological, and physical abuse and the long road to healing.

In her words, she reveals how she faced betrayal, neglect, and manipulation by the person who should have been her protector.

Join us as we dive into the reality of narcissistic abuse, how it shapes our sense of self, and the immense strength it takes to choose healing.

This episode is not just about survival, but about reclaiming one’s life on their own terms.

You’ll gain insights into how to navigate your own healing path, and how community support can play a pivotal role in your journey toward reclaiming your power.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How narcissistic abuse impacts a daughter’s sense of self and relationships.
  

• The emotional and psychological toll of growing up with a narcissistic and emotionally unavailable mother.
  

• Why the word resilience can often minimize the deep unfairness of surviving abuse.
  

• How to honor your healing journey, even when it feels like an uphill battle.
  

• The importance of finding a supportive community to help you heal and grow.
  

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Tuesday Group: A weekly support group for daughters of narcissistic and emotionally limited mothers.
  

• Thursday Evening Group Waitlist: For East Coast listeners and others who prefer an evening group.
  

• Mayhem Daughters: Join our trauma-informed, healing community.

  
  

  Also mentioned: Simple Scripts for Saying Hard Things