Eps 415: Navigating sibling dynamics with Erica Whitfield

Episode 415


My guest today is Erica Whitfield.  

I don’t have many episodes about sibling dynamics, so I’m very excited to have Erica here to dig into scapegoated siblings.  Erica explains what exactly a scapegoated sibling is and why some kiddos may feel disconnected from their parents.  We get into other roles that siblings may fall into and how we, as parents, can make sure we’re there to hold & support all of our kids.  Erica talks about how past trauma can affect our parentings and how we can recognize if we’re starting to scapegoat.  I ask Erica what to do if we notice that we’re in that dynamic, and we touch on how neurodivergence, birth order, & your own relationships and history can affect these roles.  Erica explains what to do to start repair – asking for feedback, negotiating, and finding balance, & justice, and we explore a few different ways to ask for that feedback.   


Guest Description

Erica is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and owner of Positive Development, LLC a therapy practice for gifted and neurodivergent children and adolescents. 

She specializes in providing strengths-based counseling and has helped hundreds of youth unleash their capabilities, transform obstacles into opportunities and find healthy ways to express their energy and creativity.  

Erica has been featured on the podcasts, Raising Adults, The Gifted Mind,  and  Adventures in Being Gifted.  She has experience providing professional development to teachers in her local school system and has also written several parenting articles published by Jacksonville Mom, a well-known parenting online resource in her community.

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Takeaways from the show

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  • What is a scapegoated sibling? 
  • Nurturing communication between siblings 
  • Resentment between siblings 
  • Other roles that kids can fall into 
  • How to communicate to your child that you can handle their challenges & journey 
  • Signs you may be scapegoating one child 
  • How to correct when you see yourself in this dynamic 
  • Neurodivergence, birth order, & your own relationships playing into these roles 
  • “Dynamics play out until they get healed” 
  • Inviting & preparing for feedback from your teens about their experience

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Transcription

SUMMARY KEYWORDS
child, sibling, parents, feel, kids, recognise, love, dynamic, scapegoated, happening, listeners, brother, realise, family, erica, sister, younger sibling, behaviour, experience, homeostasis
SPEAKERS
Casey O'Roarty, Erica Whitfield

Casey O'Roarty 00:04
Hey, welcome to the joyful courage podcast a place for inspiration and transformation as we try and keep it together, while parenting our tweens and teens. This is real work people and when we can focus on our own growth, and nurturing the connection with our kids, we can move through the turbulence in a way that allows for relationships to remain intact. My name is Casey already I am your fearless host. I'm a positive discipline trainer, space holder coach and the adolescent lead. It's browsable. I am also the mama to a 20 year old daughter and 17 year old son walking right beside you on this path of raising our kids with positive discipline and conscious parenting. This show is meant to be a resource to you and I work really hard to keep it real, transparent and authentic so that you feel seen and supported. Today is an interview and I have no doubt that what you hear will be useful to you. Please don't forget sharing truly is caring. If you love today's show, please pass the link around snap a screenshot posted on your socials or texted to your friends. Together we can make an even bigger impact on families all around the globe. I'm so glad that you're here. Enjoy the show.

Casey O'Roarty 01:25
Hi, listeners. Welcome back. I am so excited to introduce you to today's guest Her name is Erica Whitfield. Erica is a licenced mental health counsellor and owner of positive development a therapy practice for gifted and neurodivergent children and adolescents. She specialises in providing strength based counselling and has helped hundreds of youth unleash their capabilities, transform obstacles into opportunities and find healthy ways to express their energy and creativity. Erica has been featured on the podcast raising adults that gifted mind and adventures and being gifted she is experienced providing professional development teachers in her local school system, and has also written several parenting articles published by Jacksonville mom, a well known parenting online resource in her community. Hi, Erica, welcome to the show.

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