EPISODES 41 - 50
Episode Forty-One: The Tip of the Iceberg
One word that has been with me…every step of the way…is BELIEVE. It isn’t just about others believing me or believing in me, but is also about my journey of self-belief. I learned, early on, that trying to convince narcissistic parents to see the real me and recognise my truth was a hopeless cause. I had to look outside my given family to find those willing to listen. When people responded with doubt, needed proof or offered patronising solutions, I shut down. Eventually, I found those trusted souls who listened, accepted and believed.
Be that person.
Be the one who believes.
Released on 1st June 2025
Episode Forty-Three: Fill in the Cracks
I can’t imagine that I am the only child who spent hours constructing the ‘perfect’ house of cards. It took patience, concentration and skill. Every time I found myself staring at a huge puddle of playing cards, I would become even more determined to make the next one stronger and more robust.
The more houses I built, the better my construction would become. It all boiled down to one thing…the foundation. In a very real way, these card houses remind me of a child’s foundation years. Parents have choices in the ‘building’ of their child’s foundation. I bet you can guess what mine looked like. But, it didn’t have to be a life sentence of gloom and doom.
Throughout life, people have found me, our paths crossed, relationships formed and love was given/received. Each time that happened, the love began to fill in the cracks…making my foundation stronger and more resilient…making me who I am today.
Released on 29th June 2025
Episode Forty-Two: A Fugitive on the Run
I need to have a serious conversation with my body - especially my heart. We have had different agendas for most of my life. I have only ever wanted to live a happy, peaceful, fun-filled life. My heart, on the other hand, decided to turn things into a life-long game of cat and mouse…without a reason to run. Somehow, my heart has convinced me that I am a fugitive on the run. Why? I haven’t committed a crime!
For many trauma survivors, this battle is REAL. I have lived with this struggle all my life without understanding what it was and why my body was behaving that way.
Sit back and learn what I discovered.
Maybe you can stop running too.
Released on 15th June 2025
Episode Forty-Four: Grandparents Who Dare
When I think about my grandparents, I am amazed at their choices…their actions…their words…and their gift of being truth seers.
What I love about those who dare, including my grandparents, is that there isn’t one script, one method or one set of rules. Those who DARE can look very different and sound very different.
The way my grandparents DARED looked very different to mine. But, because they did, I had bucketloads of HOPE. As I have said before, “Where there is love, there is hope.”
I may be a daughter who dares to speak my mind, who is prepared to confront my narcissistic parents, and who isn’t willing to sacrifice who I am and what I believe.
That may not be how you choose to dare.
That’s ok.
You do you.
Released on 13th July 2025
Episode Forty-Five: Are You my Mother?
One of my favourite childhood books was written by Dr Seuss. I remember it being both endearing and hilarious. A baby bird falls out of the nest and begins a quest for his mother. Along the way, he asks a kitten, a cow, a plane, a tugboat and a digger. As he confronts each one, he asks, ‘Are you my mother?’
I didn’t fall out of a nest, but I did go on a quest of my own. However, the question I asked sounded a bit different. I would look at my mom and say, ‘How could you be my mother?’
I knew what kind of mother I imagined and mine was nothing like her. That reality and the utter disappointment that came with it didn’t prevent me from pursuing and fulfilling my lifelong dream of becoming a mother. For the past 30 years, I have been living my dream and have completed my quest. I couldn’t (and can’t) change the mother I have, but I chose to become the mother I had always imagined.
Released on 27th July 2025
Episode Forty-Six: There Isn’t Enough Money in the World!
This will come as no surprise!
No matter where we turn, there are countless injustices in the world. Whether we are walking down the high street in major cities, turning on the news or scrolling on our phone, we are bombarded with many examples of injustice.
All of the scenarios I mentioned are injustices that are happening around us. They are external. We do have the luxury of closing our eyes, burying our head in the sand or living in a bubble if we want.
But, what if the injustices take up space in our mind - our heart - and our body? What if we aren’t given the luxury of escape? What if the injustices aren’t things we have seen, read or heard, but have experienced for a lifetime? What if those injustices were committed by those who should be protecting us? What if we are the children of those who inflict those many injustices?
We have no choice but to learn to live with it. Where is the justice in that?
Well, I will tell you.
My justice is my life.
My justice is the woman I have become and continue to become.
I win!
Released on 10th August 2025
Episode Forty-Seven: Living with my Choices
In this episode, I am discussing the biggest decision I ever had to make and, the crazy thing is, I had to make it on four separate occasions.
No one can tell you if, how or when to do it.
I am going to walk you through each decision…all 4 of them…because they all happened at different stages of my life and each one was unique.
How did I come to my decision to go No Contact with my narcissistic parents? You’ll have to listen to find out. Remember, I had no example to follow. I had no one cheering for me on the sidelines and I had no podcast to listen to. Haha. With each decision came some BIG FEELS. Some of mine may surprise you. The bottom line is I am proud that I made those choices.
However, I am still learning how to live with my choices.
Released on 24th August 2025
Episode Forty-Eight: My Soapbox Moment
For the purpose of this episode, I want you to imagine me stood on my soapbox.
I am about to preach!
I say these things to all of us…including me.
Having reached the ripe old age of 60, I have come to many conclusions. Today, I present you with 10 of them. I encourage you to listen and - if you want - take notes.
Once the episode is finished, I challenge you to do the same. You may not feel confident to go public. That’s okay. Instead, stand in front of your bathroom mirror and preach your truths.
Create your own soapbox moment. Sometimes, we all need to hear our own voice.
Released on 7th September 2025
Episode Forty-Nine: Piece by Piece
We spend our lifetime ‘building ourselves’ …who we are - what we believe - what we think - who and what we love…and so on. If we step back a moment and look at what we’ve built - or should I say - who we built, we can be proud of the person we built…the person we have become. Whether we do that at 18, 25, 30, 40 or 60, the bubble of pride can be popped instantly. In this episode, the pin holder is the narcissist parent (no surprise there!)
Like a human wrecking ball, they can reduce our self-worth to a pile of rubble. They can cause total destruction or knock us off balance. Either way, we are left to rebuild…piece by piece. And, to make things worse, we never know when it is going to happen.
It could be a social media post, a letter, a phone call, a text message, a song or nothing out of the ordinary. Others may find any of these insignificant. I am not others.
I am not going to apologise for my reaction. I will not be ashamed of the way it makes me feel. I will, however, give myself permission to feel ALL of the feels.
Released on 21st September 2025
Episode Fifty: Love Fiercely
Can you believe it? We are celebrating 50 episodes of Daughters Who Dare!
In this episode, I am sharing a short story I felt compelled to write. I listened to my heart and put the words down on paper.
Have a listen.
I hope it helps to demonstrate how it felt and continues to feel to be a daughter of narcissistic parents. The short story ends, but my story doesn’t end there. It happens again…and again…and again.
Due to the endless ‘heart invasions’ I have experienced, I knew one thing for sure. If I was blessed to have children, I would choose to love them fiercely.
I was blessed. I am blessed.
I chose AND choose to love my children fiercely…NO MATTER WHAT!