My mom and I have this pattern where she gives advice I didn't ask for, I get defensive, she feels rejected, and then we both apologize without actually resolving anything. We love each other fiercely but we keep hurting each other in the same ways and I don't know how to break the cycle without breaking her heart.
More people experience this than they realize.
Decades of learned responses create an emotional choreography that both people want to change but neither knows how to step out of first.
“Where Are You with Parent–Child Love?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.