daddy issues: recognizing and healing the father wound

In this deep-dive episode, we unravel the complex and often misunderstood concept of "daddy issues"—a term that has been trivialized and sensationalized in popular culture. But beneath the stereotypes lies a significant psychological impact that can shape a person’s life in profound ways. Whether we label it as the "father wound" or simply recognize it as the lingering effects of a strained or absent father figure, these unresolved issues can ripple into our adult relationships, self-worth, and emotional resilience.Together, we explore the father wound beyond the clichés, examining how it manifests in both men and women, its roots in societal expectations, and its distinct differences from the mother wound. From "father hunger" and feelings of abandonment to the ways cultural stereotypes keep men and women alike stuck in cycles of pain, this episode offers both insight and practical guidance on how to start the healing journey. Through storytelling, poetry, and guided introspection, this episode provides tools to understand and begin addressing the father wound—an important step towards self-compassion, healthier relationships, and emotional freedom.  TIME STAMPS00:00 – 04:05: Intro + reflections (why explore the father wound?)04:00 – 17:54: What is the father wound?17:58 – 21:25: How it feels to struggle with an unhealed father complex (poem snippet by Marcus Lee)21:25 – 24:10: High-level description of the father wound and how it presents24:10 – 31:20: Father hunger, father absence, father deficit31:20 – 43:19: The impact the unhealed father wound has on well-being and relationships and how it contributes to the cycle of abuse43:19 – 01:00:44: How the father wound manifests in our daily lives as adult children01:00:44 – 01:08:30: What is the difference between the mother and father wounds?01:08:30 – 01:11:32: How societal expectations and cultural stereotypes keep men stuck in the father wound01:11:42 – 01:20:09: Masculine expressions of an unhealed father wound01:20:09 – 01:34:54: Feminine expressions of an unhealed father wound01:34:55 – 01:42:47: Is the Industrial Revolution to blame for the father wound? (spoiler alert: it’s complicated)01:42:47 – 01:48:30: Psychology of the Father Archetype01:48:30 – 01:55:44: Fathers in mythology and symbolism (exploring our need for heroes and villains)01:55:44 – Practical suggestions and techniques for father wound healing02:08:46 –02:17:48: HEALING SEGMENT - Getting into the meditative state02:17:48 – 02:37:18: Father wound healing visualization exercise (inspired by the work of Virginia Satir)02:37:18 – 02:52:48: Final reflections, where Mollie is at in her current healing journey, additional thoughts + recommendations regarding the father wound Craving more? Become a Premium Submarine. Join an exclusive community and unlock hundreds of hours of members-only content: full-length episodes, deep-dive series, guided meditations, and more—all for the cost of a couple of coffees a month. Start exploring at backfromtheborderline.com.The information contained in this podcast episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment or consultation with a licensed mental health professional. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Om Podcasten

I don’t want to talk to your personality; I want to talk to your soul. Imagine if your most painful and debilitating mental health symptoms and self-sabotaging behaviors aren’t evidence of 'disorder' or 'dysfunction', but adaptive strategies that once kept you safe. My goal is to help you shift from asking ‘What’s wrong with me?’ to ‘What happened to me?’The word ‘borderline’ in this podcast has nothing to do with psychiatric labels. It has everything to do with coming back from the inner psychological brink we all experience. Everyone has found themselves on the edge, in that liminal space where the old self falls apart and the new Self emerges. Here, we explore what it means to undergo true emotional alchemy: that ancient and primordial process of falling apart, confronting the underworld of our psyche, and falling back together into someone stronger, wiser, and more whole.Many highly sensitive people who identify with the seemingly never-ending list of diagnostic mental health labels contained within ‘the bible of psychiatry’ (the DSM) share the same underlying sense of being irreparably broken, disconnected from their intuition, and paralyzed by life’s existential questions. I believe the resulting—and perfectly understandable—chronic feelings of emptiness and spiritual starvation are the TRUE causes of our current collective ‘mental health crisis.’Together, we’ll dive into depth psychology, mythology, human consciousness, critical psychiatry, and the impact of trauma to help you begin the process of emotional alchemy. This exploration will help you get to the root cause of your suffering and free yourself from the toxic shame, limiting beliefs, and mental programming that have kept you locked in the chains of your past.In an era where mental health and spirituality are too often commercialized, I’m not here as a guru with a quick fix to sell you. I don’t believe anyone is ever truly ‘healed’ or ‘cured.’ There is no return to some mythical state of pre-trauma purity, but rather a continuous spiral of unbecoming, unlearning, and transformation. As a fellow seeker, I will be there in your ear, walking alongside you on your path toward wholeness as a sort of parasocial big sister. That, I can promise.By integrating the concepts we explore together, you’ll begin to see that anyone—even you—can come back from the borderline.CRAVING MORE? Visit backfromtheborderline.com to dive into my universe, connect with me, access my Patreon, and discover more about my journey and work. Don’t forget to follow Back from the Borderline so new episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays automatically drop into your podcast feed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.