Dealing with emotionally immature parents? We want your questions!Dealing with emotionally immature parents? We want your questions!
All In The Mind
You might remember Dr Lindsay Gibson from our 2021 episode titled 'The damage done by emotionally immature parents (and how to heal)' — it was our most popular episode ever! Turns out a lot of you have emotionally immature parents… Lindsay is coming back on the show in a few weeks, so this time, we want to ask her your questions in a mailbag episode. Dr Lindsay Gibson is a clinical psychologist, bestselling author and an influential figure in the parent-child relationships space, so we're keen for questions about everything from narcissistic parents to family estrangement to modelling good parenting behaviour when you have your own kids… Send your questions to allinthemind@abc.net.au with the subject line "question for Lindsay Gibson". Please let us know if you're happy for us to use your first name or if you'd rather be anonymous. The deadline for questions is May 26. Thank you!
1:58•20 May 2026
Questions for Dr Lindsay Gibson on Emotionally Immature Parents
Episode Overview
- The episode invites questions about emotionally immature parents and how they affect adult children.
- Listeners are asked to share concerns about becoming emotionally immature parents themselves.
- A future conversation with Dr Lindsay Gibson will focus on raising emotionally mature children.
- Questions are welcome on topics such as narcissistic parents, family estrangement and modelling good parenting behaviour.
- The planned mailbag segment aims to address real-life parenting experiences and worries.
“Did you grow up with parents you could reasonably describe as emotionally immature?”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction, tricky family patterns, and their own emotional habits? This short All In The Mind episode sets the stage for a bigger conversation about emotionally immature parents — and how that legacy can ripple into the next generation. Hosted by Sana Kadar, the episode acts as an open invitation for questions ahead of a longer conversation with clinical psychologist and bestselling author Dr Lindsay Gibson.
Her previous appearance, in an episode titled "The damage done by emotionally immature parents (and how to heal)", became the show’s most listened to instalment, which says a lot about how many people grew up with parents who "psychologically" just weren’t quite adults. Sana asks listeners directly: "Did you grow up with parents you could reasonably describe as emotionally immature? Are you worried you're becoming an emotionally immature parent yourself?
And are you keen to raise emotionally mature children?" From there, she outlines the plan: a new main interview with Dr Gibson about raising emotionally mature children, plus a Q&A-style mailbag where real-life questions shape the conversation. Topics on the table include narcissistic parents, family estrangement, and how to model healthy parenting behaviour when you’re still healing from your own upbringing. The tone stays warm and curious, acknowledging how painful this stuff can be while keeping things practical and down-to-earth.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your childhood is affecting your relationships, or you’re trying hard not to repeat old patterns with your own kids, this episode sets up a chance to hear a seasoned psychologist respond directly to those worries. It’s especially suited to adult children of emotionally immature or narcissistic parents, parents in recovery from alcohol or other addictions who are rethinking how they show up for their kids, and anyone keen to build emotionally healthier families.
So what would you ask a psychologist about emotionally immature parents — and the kind of parent you want to become?
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