BUZZING· 78%1h 15m·2026-07-20·Mental HealthHealing from Parentification: When the “Gifted Child” Grows Up
Some kids learn early on that the way to be loved is to be useful. They take on the emotional or practical care of their parents in a process known as parentification, and today Dr. Rick and Forrest explore the costs of being a “gifted child.” They discuss the “bargain” these kids make: suppressing their authentic…
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What people are saying
“Being parentified was incredibly painful. My mother would come through like an emotional weather system and I was taught from a young age I had to sit in. She also defined herself through helping others so if I wanted to assert my agency, s…”
“15:21 so, I was a parentified girl, gifted, and turned out to have undiagnosed ADHD— and this created an even more complicated problem, because I was having difficulty, due to this issue. It meant I was intellectually capable in a way adult…”
“When Rick said "numb from the neck down" I gasped. Yesterday, I was thinking about how I felt like a "brain in a jar" up until a few years ago. I am having a blast learning and getting to know my body and exploring the woods pretending to b…”
“My therapist said a few weeks ago: “Ever heard of parentification?” Damn it. I will listen to this now 😂❤️”
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