Stop Doubting Your Dreams
Take Risks Without Fear
Realize Your Full Potential
Episode #6 Raised by a Narcissist and How to Heal
with guest Carling Middlestead
Dawn Taylor invites guest Carling Middlestead, producer and co-host of I Did Not Sign Up For This podcast, onto the show to talk about grief. Specifically they discuss the complicated process of grieving the loss of a parent who wasn’t your superhero, who wasn’t ideal. What is that grief like and how do you navigate it?
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View our Show Notes for more information!
Dawn Taylor invites guest Carling Middlestead, producer and co-host of I Did Not Sign Up For This podcast, onto the show to talk about grief. Specifically they discuss the complicated process of grieving the loss of a parent who wasn’t your superhero, who wasn’t ideal. What is that grief like and how do you navigate it?
Carling shares how she recently lost her father to a type of acute leukemia and the complicated feelings that brought up. Grieving the loss of a father who was narcissistic and dismissive of her growing up, one whom others found charming and generous, left her with much to process. She explains how she sat with her dad in his last weeks, how she saw the man he was with others, and how she works to reconcile that.
Dawn explains how her mother died suddenly in a car crash and how the complexity of their relationship made navigating her grieving difficult. She also saw how her mother was an amazing person to others which did not echo her own experience. Dawn and Carling discuss what it means to hold space for someone facing loss, what the loss feels like, and steps they take to address the complicated process of healing.
About Carling Middlestead:
Carling (she/her) is the producer and co-host of the I Did Not Sign Up For This Podcast. A proud member of the lgbtq+ community, dedicated aunt and step parent, and completely obsessed with her five dogs.
Her endless curiosity about the world around her allows her to connect with people and dive deep into any conversation, always willing to have her own beliefs and views challenged while challenging the way others may look at things.
Carling lives by the motto "Do your best until you know better, and then do better".
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
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“The Five Love Languages: The Secret To Love That Lasts” by Gary D. Chapman
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Carling’s podcast recommendations
Meghan
I felt like my life had been squandered a little bit in the season of having babies and people needing me. But after working with Dawn, I realize I have the potential for greatness. It was the first time in my life that I realized I actually have the potential to do amazing things.
Sarah Snyder, MA, LPC
I had been in therapy since I was 16, over 20 years of going to therapy before I met Dawn. But in 14-15 months of working with her, my brain has essentially rewired itself. How I view my friends, myself, and God has changed. But you have to buy in, and be willing to work through the tough stuff to get to the other side.
I Get It -
Life is Hard!
Like many of my clients, I’ve also felt ugly, useless, and forgotten.
I’ve gone through depression, molestation, and a brain aneurysm.
It took me years to understand what I had gone through and how to use my past to support others in conquering their fears and self talk.
That’s why I’ve condensed what I’ve learned into strategies to help you overcome your own stuff efficiently.
With multiple different certificates, training courses, and a whole lot of courage and stubbornness, I decided that if I could heal myself I could help others heal too.
If you’re ready to take back control of your life so that you can live with more fulfillment and peace, then contact The Taylor Way today!
