Joe Polish’s interview with Dr. Gerber Maté had me weeping not once but twice. Once for the reminder of trauma I thought was forgotten; once for the damage caused by wrong responses… responses that perpetuate the narcissism/trauma/addiction cycle in our families. And, for the record, we’re all in dysfunctional families. What with sin and selfishness, that’s the only kind there have ever been.
In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts: A Candid Conversation About Addiction with Gabor Maté and Joe Polish
From my perspective as a Christian, this interview is a reminder of how vital it is that we find our identity in Christ. That’s because only God’s love — agape love, unconditional love — doesn’t need the other person to reciprocate for it to continue. But if we don’t know we’re loved… if we go around hungry for affirmation… we’ll be stuck. We’re hopelessly unable to give out what we don’t have.
This podcast has really influenced my revision of 7 Gifts. The second edition will include thoughts about giving the 7 Gifts to ourselves, learning to be happier moms. We’ve all come from dysfunctional families. And it’s vital that we rethink the past so we can experience joy and accept our children right where they are.