What happens when caring for others becomes so automatic that you forget how to care for yourself?

Pam Feinberg-Rivkin is joined by Tom Parker, Director of External Relations at the Lindner Center of HOPE, for a thoughtful and surprisingly funny conversation about codependency. Drawing on more than two decades in behavioral health and family systems work, Tom shares the story behind So How Are You Doing?, the playful stage production he helped create to explore the many faces of codependency through humor, music, exaggerated characters, and plenty of self-reflection.

Their conversation looks beyond the idea that codependency is simply something "wrong" with a person. Caring deeply, helping others, and wanting people to be okay can be beautiful qualities, but there can also be a point when giving too much, struggling to say no, or constantly trying to keep everyone happy becomes exhausting. Tom reflects on how those patterns can begin early in life and become so familiar that we barely recognize them.

At the heart of the conversation is permission to take ourselves a little less seriously. Humor can create space to recognize our own patterns, listen to those internal warning signs, set boundaries, and occasionally admit, "I don't need to fix this."

Sometimes resilience means helping others. Sometimes it means taking a break.

Looking for a practical takeaway from this conversation?
Download our complimentary companion resource, Looking Beyond the Behavior, designed to help parents and caregivers shift from asking "What's wrong with my child?" to "What might my child be communicating?" The guide explores how looking at children's emotional, behavioral, and physical health through a holistic lens can open the door to greater understanding, connection, and support.

Contact Pam Feinberg-Rivkin:
Facebook: @FeinbergCare
Instagram: @FeinbergCare
LinkedIn: Feinberg Consulting Inc
YouTube: @FeinbergConsulting8059