Have you ever found yourself stuck in conversation torture at a family gathering? Maybe you have a nosy aunt who loves asking you super personal questions that you don’t want to answer. Or a cousin who manages to dump all their problems on you at every party. Let’s get you a plan to create better conversational boundaries for your mental health. You can keep these in your back pocket for if-and-when these awkward situations arise, so you can enjoy your family gatherings and avoid conversation torture! Feeling like you’re stuck in a conversation you can’t seem to get out of is the worst! If this is an experience you have often with close family, it can speak to a deeper boundary dysfunction. Setting boundaries with our family of origin can be especially difficult. So many of us learned disordered boundaries growing up, and there are different ways this can present in our adult lives. Even when you get good at setting boundaries in other areas of your life, when it comes to family, you might still struggle. Have you ever gone home for the holidays and before you know it, you start feeling like your 12-yearold self again? Maybe you’re extra defensive or angry because your parental impactors are treating you like a child. If you can relate, you’re not alone. You can think of relationship dynamics like a dance – and we’ve been dancing with the people we grew up with for a long time. Family holidays and gatherings can feel like the original dance troop getting back together – and not always in a good way. So, when we try a new dance step, like setting a new boundary, there’s usually pushback. But rest assured there is always a way you can express...... Read more on Full Issue!