Toxic guilt is that heavy, misplaced guilt that convinces us we’ve done something wrong, even when we haven’t. It’s one of the hardest legacies of childhood trauma, and it can follow us into adulthood, shaping how we see ourselves and our relationships.

In this episode of Beyond Survival, I read a letter from a listener who grew up in a large Irish family that looked perfect from the outside but was full of harmful behaviour and manipulation behind closed doors. Now, years later, the hardest thing to shake isn’t her mother's death, it’s the toxic guilt that still whispers she did something wrong.

Dr. Ruth Callaghan and I explore why guilt sticks so stubbornly for survivors of dysfunctional families, and what it takes to begin letting go of a weight that was never really ours to carry.

If you want us to answer your question on the Podcast email; beyond_survival@outlook.com

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https://www.callaghancounselling.ie/

BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast

In series 2 of Beyond Survival – The Therapy Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Ruth Callaghan where we explore two powerful listener questions.

First, how can you be a better parent when you’ve grown up as a “fawn type” people-pleaser, and why do your underlying motivations matter so much?

Then, we dive into the challenge of managing intrusive, compulsive thoughts - the constant urge to help, fix, or rescue others. We’ll unpack what’s really driving these patterns, and share insights on how to respond with more clarity, balance, and self-compassion.

If you want us to answer your question on the Podcast email; beyond_survival@outlook.com

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https://www.callaghancounselling.ie/

BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast

This week I’m joined by Maggie Nick, a recovering burned-out overachiever, people-pleaser, perfectionist, pushover, and shape-shifting chameleon, what she calls a Recovering Good Kid.

Now a trauma therapist, parenting expert, and cycle-breaking mother, Maggie knows firsthand what it’s like to grow up as “the one nobody ever needed to worry about.” For years, she thought her perfectionism and people-pleasing were simply part of her personality, until therapy at 25 revealed they were actually lifelong relational trauma responses.

In this episode, we dive into what relationships look like after trauma, the challenges and breakthroughs of parenting after trauma, and how to begin breaking free from old survival patterns to build something new.

Maggie Nick, LCSW, MSW

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Learn more about Maggie's Camp Loveable and her other offerings here.

BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast