There is little more painful than when an adult child decides they no longer want to have a relationship with a parent. Sometimes, we sense the fracture coming but aren't sure how to stop the destruction. For others, their son or daughter's desire to cut contact feels unexpected and without provocation. Things may feel so tense, we fear there's no hope for reconciliation. But no situation, relationship, or individual is beyond God's transformative, healing grace. In this episode, mental health professional, speaker and author Gina Berkemeier returns to talk with host Jennifer Slattery on signs a fracture might be coming, how we can avoid adding to our child's pain and the distance developing between us, how to respond when they accuse us of something we don't remember doing, and more. 

Resource referenced: Generations Deep: Unmasking Inherited Dysfunction and Trauma to Rewrite Our Stories Through Faith and Therapy

Discussion/Reflective Questions:
What resonated with you most in this episode?
Where would you currently place your relationship(s) with your adult child(ren)––becoming steadily healthier, tense and potentially on the verse of fracture, or nonexistent?
How do you tend to react when your adult child tells you something you did hurt them? 

If you've become defensive, what unhealed wounds and/or insecurities might have impacted your reaction?
In what ways might estrangement or relational dysfunction be generational in your family?
What are some ways you are actively working on (or have you worked on) becoming your healthiest self?
When you become aware or think of parenting mistakes, what are some ways you resist falling into shame? 
What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Connect with Gina Birkemeier:

On her website

On Instagram

On Facebook

Follow her on Amazon

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Have a topic you'd like us to discuss? Contact Jennifer through her website to suggest a focus for an upcoming episode. 

There is little more painful than when an adult child decides they no longer want to have a relationship with a parent. Sometimes, we sense the fracture coming but aren't sure how to stop the destruction. For others, their son or daughter's desire to cut contact feels unexpected and without provocation. Things may feel so tense, we fear there's no hope for reconciliation. But no situation, relationship, or individual is beyond God's transformative, healing grace. In this episode, mental health professional, speaker and author Gina Berkemeier returns to talk with host Jennifer Slattery on signs a fracture might be coming, how we can avoid adding to our child's pain and the distance developing between us, how to respond when they accuse us of something we don't remember doing, and more.&nbsp;
Resource referenced: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Generations-Deep-Unmasking-Inherited-Dysfunction/dp/1732954526">Generations Deep: Unmasking Inherited Dysfunction and Trauma to Rewrite Our Stories Through Faith and Therapy</a>
Discussion/Reflective Questions:
<ol>
<li>What resonated with you most in this episode?</li>
<li>Where would you currently place your relationship(s) with your adult child(ren)&ndash;&ndash;becoming steadily healthier, tense and potentially on the verse of fracture, or nonexistent?</li>
<li>How do you tend to react when your adult child tells you something you did hurt them?&nbsp;
<ol>
<li>If you've become defensive, what unhealed wounds and/or insecurities might have impacted your reaction?</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>In what ways might estrangement or relational dysfunction be generational in your family?</li>
<li>What are some ways you are actively working on (or have you worked on) becoming your healthiest self?</li>
<li>When you become aware or think of parenting mistakes, what are some ways you resist falling into shame?&nbsp;</li>
<li>What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?</li>
</ol>
Connect with Gina Birkemeier:
<a href="https://www.ginabirkemeier.com/">On her website</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/myoutloudvoice">On Instagram</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/itsmyoutloudvoice">On Facebook</a>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Gina-Birkemeier-LPC/author/B08XY6ZH8M?ref=ap_rdr&amp;isDramIntegrated=true&amp;shoppingPortalEnabled=true">Follow her on Amazon</a>
Find Jennifer Slattery:
<a href="http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com">On her website</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/slatteryjennifer/">Instagram</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083247680572">Facebook</a>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00JKQ4ZTW">Amazon</a>
<a href="https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/s5w7a8">Subscribe to her free newsletter</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/442736966614671">Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group</a>&nbsp;
(Inquire about advertising opportunities at <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/contact-us">lifeaudio.com/contact-us</a>.)
Have a topic you'd like us to discuss? Contact Jennifer through her&nbsp;<a href="http://jenniferaslattery@gmail.com">website</a> to suggest a focus for an upcoming episode.&nbsp;

Life is too short and God has too much for us to do for any of us to live enslaved. Jesus promised His followers would experience filled to overflowing life, a life characterized by joy, peace, and spiritual and emotional vitality. And yet, we daily make decisions based on fear, not faith. In Faith Over Fear, author and speaker Jennifer Slattery helps us see different areas of life where fear has a foothold, and how our identity as children of God can help us move from fear to faithful, bold living.

This podcast covers topics like:

⭐️ How to Overcome Fear
⭐️ Biblical Strategies for Overcoming Fear and Anxiety
⭐️ Powerful Steps to Fight Anxiety
⭐️ Finding God Faithful in Hard Seasons
⭐️ Courage to Wait on God

Jesus has more planned for us than we could imagine and He’s fully committed to perfecting that which concerns us. Fear holds us back, but His perfect love has the power to cast out all fear!

Life is too short and God has too much for us to do for any of us to live enslaved. Jesus promised His followers would experience filled to overflowing life, a life characterized by joy, peace, and spiritual and emotional vitality. And yet, we daily make decisions based on fear, not faith. In Faith Over Fear, author and speaker Jennifer Slattery helps us see different areas of life where fear has a foothold, and how our identity as children of God can help us move from fear to faithful, bold living.
This podcast covers topics like:
⭐️ How to Overcome Fear ⭐️ Biblical Strategies for Overcoming Fear and Anxiety ⭐️ Powerful Steps to Fight Anxiety ⭐️ Finding God Faithful in Hard Seasons ⭐️ Courage to Wait on God
Jesus has more planned for us than we could imagine and He’s fully committed to perfecting that which concerns us. Fear holds us back, but His perfect love has the power to cast out all fear!

Life is too short and God has too much for us to do for any of us to live enslaved. Jesus promised His followers would experience filled to overflowing life, a life characterized by joy, peace, and spiritual and emotional vitality. And yet, we daily...