Toxic relationships – they’re quite a heavy going topic, aren’t they? And never more so than if that traumatic relationship is with your mum. A person who’s meant to protect you, prize you and put you above all others. In fact even when we know our mum has a negative influence on our mental wellbeing, it can still feel disloyal to talk about the realities of the relationship. So it’s especially courageous that former child star, Jennette McCurdy, has done just that. It feels as though she’s dug deep and put the unspeakable into words. In her autobiography, starkly entitled I’m Glad my Mom Died, she takes an unflinching look at her chaotic early life with her mother. How she managed her mum’s changing moods, tolerated her tantrums and supressed her real sense of self to meet her demands. In this video I give a counsellor’s take on McCurdy’s book, specifically the parts I found most poignant, powerful and impacting.
I’m Glad My Mom Died is not an easy read, and so my video can’t be considered light hearted viewing. At the beginning I’ve included a trigger warning, but it probably bears repeating:
If you’re feeling sensitive to any of the following topics, then please do consider whether you’d be better off not watching. It’s always most important to keep your self feeling safe and practise good self care. I’ll be keeping this video available, so you’re welcome to come back to it at anytime.
This video contains discussion of:
- sexual abuse
- alcoholism
- eating disorders
- toxic relationships
- obsessive compulsive disorder
- abuse of power
As ever, if you have any question or comments, please leave them below. And if you want to request another ‘a counsellor’s take on’ video then let me have your suggestions.