Weekly Support Group for Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents
Join our
The only thing harder than stopping the cycle is doing it alone.
This group meets weekly on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 pm CST. The first half of each meeting will cover a specific topic for reflection and tool or skill. The second half will be an open forum in which group members can share personal struggles related to ACOEIP and offer each other support.
For adult children of emotionally immature parents navigating parentification, guilt, difficulty setting boundaries, and other repercussions of childhood emotional abuse/neglect. Whether you’re just starting to see some concerning patterns, you’ve been working on this for years, you’re finding ways to build a healthier relationship with your parents, you’re estranged/no-contact, or you’re processing the death of a parent who hurt you, all are welcome.
About This Group
There are many lonely parts of life as an ACOEIP. It’s easy to feel confused or like you’re living in a different reality than your loved ones, especially if you’re the only one in your family willing to question what’s happening. Many who do reach out to others for support, are dismissed by common responses like, “But that’s your dad,” or “It’s their first time living too,” or even, “At least they’re still alive.” You deserve a place where your experience is validated and you don’t feel like the odd one out. There’s no medicine quite like connecting with a group of people who really get it.
Who
This group is Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents. Whether or not you’ve read the book, if you feel the weight of your parents’ emotional limitations, you are welcome. Read more about common signs of emotionally immature parents
What
Based off of the concepts on Dr. Lindsay C. Gibson’s book, Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents, this group is designed to help you to feel less alone, get clarity, and heal. Along with supportive discussion/reflection, walk away from each meeting with real tools you can use right away.
When
Every Wednesday from 6:30-7:30 pm CST
Where
This is a virtual group held on Google Meet. You can join from anywhere in the world.
How
Register and pay online for each individual meeting in advance. You will receive an email with the unique Google Meet link for that date.
Led by Nicole Nelson, LPC-MHSP (Tennessee & Georgia)
Nicole is a licensed therapist who specializes in helping adults deconstruct what they learned in unhealthy family systems, step out of old patterns and roles, and show up differently in relationships. Knowing how inaccessible (and important) this work can be, she designed this group to be much more affordable than individual therapy, offer the convenience of virtual meetings, and not limit who can attend based on their state of residence. Her goal is to cultivate a group of people walking together on a path of similar healing.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No-contact is an impossibly difficult (and personal) choice. The goal of this group is to encourage you to step into your autonomy and choose how you will and won’t engage in relationships. You will never be pushed toward any specific decision. You will be given tools and support for navigating whatever kind of relationship you choose to have (or not have) with your parents and other family members.
Group rules specifically prohibit members from pushing or advising other group members on how they choose to engage with family.
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How you choose to engage with those who have hurt you is a deeply personal choice. The group is here to empower you in your decision-making, not sway you toward a certain outcome. Wherever you land on the spectrum of communication and contact with your family, you’ll receive support and tools for navigating it.
Group rules specifically prohibit members from pushing or advising other group members on how they choose to engage with family.
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That’s okay! It can bring a lot of clarity to hear about common experiences and discuss patterns that may feel familiar. No matter who’s “fault” it is, the things you’re feeling deserve tending to, even if only though small shifts you make within yourself.
Read more about common signs of emotionally immature parents
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Absolutely. BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and all marginalized communities are welcomed and valued here. It is an honor to create a safe space for you to explore yourself, your relationships, and your healing.
Group rules specifically state a no-tolerance policy for any disrespect or harassment.
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We take privacy seriously, and group rules specifically require your stories, name, and personal information will not be shared with anyone outside of the group. The group leader will not record any meetings or share any identifying information online. You are welcome to use a pseudonym and/or keep your camera off during meetings.
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The first half of each group will cover a new topic and tool. Group members are encouraged to recommend topics for future meetings. Some examples of group topics:
-Navigating guilt, grief, anger, and loneliness
-How unhealthy family systems function and how to step away from harmful dynamics
-Ways how you were raised might be affecting your present-day relationships
-Setting boundaries for how you will and won’t engage with others
-Navigating the holidays with emotionally immature parents
-How growing up with emotionally immature parents shaped your nervous system
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This is a support group, which is not the same as a therapy group. We won’t be using any deep trauma-processing modalities, but we’ll be focusing on your experiences and how the affect you now. This also allows anyone to join, instead of limiting the group to members who live within the same state as the therapist.
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Go to https://www.healinghousenashville.com/store/p/adult-children-of-emotionally-immature-parents-support-group to sign up and select the date you’d like to join. You’ll receive an email with the Google Meet link for that meeting.
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The group fee is non-refundable once it is paid, even if you purchase multiple sessions at once and later cannot make one or more. I don’t think it’s fair to judge whose reasons for missing count as true emergencies and whose do not, as we all have different definitions of what constitutes an emergency and mine should not outweigh yours. Therefore, I do not make exceptions for any reason.
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We hope to offer a subscription option in the future for convenience. Right now, paying the $30 fee allows you access to the one meeting date you chose when you registered. If you want to join the following week, you’ll need to return to the registration page and sign up again.
Registration page: https://www.healinghousenashville.com/store/p/adult-children-of-emotionally-immature-parents-support-group
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No group is right for everyone and we all come with our own unique expectations. The pricing and pay-per-meeting model lend themselves to trying out a group without a significant commitment or financial loss. For this reason, we don’t offer refunds unless a specific advertised part of the group was not included in your meeting. Having this policy allows us to keep the group financially accessible while giving new members a chance to learn whether this group is what they’re looking for.
Still have questions? Contact nicole@healinghousenashville.com for more information.