My sister and I both experienced our mother's rage and manipulation growing up but we've responded completely differently — she maintains a relationship with Mom and gets furious when I set boundaries, while I've gone low-contact and she thinks I'm being cruel. We barely talk anymore and it's like our shared trauma is actually pulling us apart instead of bringing us together.
More people experience this than they realize.
Shared childhood trauma can create opposing survival strategies that divide siblings even as they long for mutual understanding.
“Where Are You with Healing from a difficult childhood?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.