Still Talking About It

This week, Janelle welcomes Dr. Tracy Dalgleish back for Part Two of their conversation about family dynamics, boundaries, and what it takes to build healthy relationships in complicated family systems. They talk about why honest feedback can be so difficult to hear, how to tell the difference between criticism and genuine concern, and why having people in your life who challenge you isn't always a bad thing. The conversation also explores parenting, boundaries, and the pressure many adults feel when trying to balance their own needs with family expectations. Janelle and Dr. Tracy discuss why boundaries are not a substitute for difficult conversations, the importance of presenting a united front in your relationship, and why it's never too late to change unhealthy patterns. They also tackle the rise of therapy language on social media, including the way terms like "narcissist" are often overused, and why focusing on labels can sometimes distract from the real issue. For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok.

This week, Janelle is tackling a topic that generated a lot of strong opinions from followers… What happens when your mother-in-law continues to maintain contact with your partner's ex? This all starts with a listener sharing how her mother-in-law has maintained a close relationship with her son's former partner, despite being told that it makes him uncomfortable. The listener wanted to know whether this is something you can set a boundary around… and the answers weren't nearly as straightforward as you might think. Janelle also gets into the difference between a request and a boundary, why some family situations are more complicated than a simple right-or-wrong answer, and how to navigate relationships that continue to hurt your feelings even when nobody is technically doing anything "wrong." You'll also hear about the importance of making space for uncomfortable emotions, why validation doesn't always mean agreement, and how relationships can sometimes be maintained without becoming the center of someone's life. For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok. Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order!

This week, Janelle is joined by licensed therapist, content creator, and mom of two Andrea Brambila to talk about modern parenting, family dynamics, and the pressure parents are under to do literally everything perfectly. Andrea shares her thoughts on "90s-style parenting," why kids don't need parents acting like full-time cruise directors, and how independence, boredom, and lower screen time can actually create calmer family dynamics. The conversation also gets into navigating difficult in-laws while raising kids, how to decide which parenting "hills" are actually worth dying on, and why flexibility matters… especially when extended family members do things differently than you would. They also talk about creating a home that people genuinely want to be in, why connection matters more than control, and how trying to force relationships almost always backfires. For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok. Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order!

This week, Janelle is joined by a follower to talk about a situation that goes beyond awkward dynamics or difficult personalities… and into something much more serious. What starts as uncomfortable, boundary-crossing behavior early in the relationship slowly builds into a pattern that becomes harder and harder to ignore. Moments that feel off. Comments that don't sit right. Situations that make you question whether you're overreacting… or finally seeing things clearly. They talk about what it looks like when trust is broken, why some boundaries aren't about preference but about safety, and how quickly things can escalate when those concerns aren't taken seriously. The conversation also touches on navigating situations like this as a couple, especially when one partner is still trying to maintain a relationship when the other one is DONE… And, what it means to stay firm in your decisions and your boundaries when you know what's at stake. For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok. Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order!

This week, Janelle is joined by a follower to talk about what happens when you marry into a family that feels… completely different from your own. What starts as a few uncomfortable dynamics quickly turns into something much bigger. Ongoing tension, unspoken rules, and the kind of behavior that everyone else seems to expect you to just accept. They talk about what it looks like when setting boundaries creates conflict instead of resolving it, how quickly you can become "the problem" for simply refusing to play along, and why some families would rather avoid accountability than address what's ACTUALLY happening. The conversation also gets into navigating loyalty, staying grounded in your own values, and what it takes to call things out in real time… even when it's uncomfortable. For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok. Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order!

This week, Janelle is joined by Erin Junker, mom and pediatric sleep consultant from The Happy Sleep Company, to talk about something that causes a surprising amount of tension in families… baby sleep. Because why does it seem like everyone suddenly has an opinion on YOUR baby's schedule? And does your MIL always insist "it's fiiiiiiine" for your baby to skip a nap when it's really not?! Janelle and Erin talk about the importance of protecting your baby's sleep routine, what actually happens when naps get skipped, and why consistency matters more than people think. They also get into how to confidently push back when well-meaning family members try to override your plan, and how having real information can make those conversations a whole lot easier. Because sometimes it's not just about the nap… it's about respecting how you choose to parent. For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok. Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order! Don't forget, Cozy Earth has a Buy One Get One sale from April 12-18! Just use the code STILLTALKINGBOGO to get a FREE set of sheets with the purchase of another set.

This week, Janelle is joined by another follower, Vanessa, to talk about something that comes up more often than people want to admit… low-effort grandparents. What do you do when your kids want them at an event, like a birthday party, but your experience tells you they might not show up the way your kids are hoping? They talk about the tension between protecting your kids from disappointment and giving them the space to form their own relationships, what it looks like when effort is inconsistent, and how to manage expectations without overpromising on someone else's behalf. Their conversation also touches on navigating these decisions as a parent, how to handle the emotional weight that comes with it, and why sometimes the hardest part is knowing that you can't control how other people show up for your kids (as heartbreaking as that may be). For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok. Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order!

This week, Janelle does something a little different and invites a follower onto the podcast to share her own story. And, it's one that so many women will quietly recognize…. What happens when you slowly pull back from your husband's family group chat… and suddenly you're blamed for "ruining" the family dynamic? In modern families, there's often a pressure to perform closeness in digital spaces. But in reality, busy seasons of life naturally shift priorities, and that sometimes looks like pulling back from surface-level interactions, which can be interpreted as rejection. The conversation also touches on what happens when your relationship with your mother-in-law changes, how adult kids becoming more private can shift what you share, and why the daughter-in-law so often becomes the default scapegoat when family dynamics change. If you've ever muted a chat, left a chat, taken space, or been labeled "the problem" for simply refocusing your energy… Yeah, this is for you. For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok. Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order!

This week, Janelle is flying solo and talking about something that a lot of followers have been asking her about lately… "low-effort families." What happens when you marry into a family that doesn't reach out, doesn't anticipate needs, and doesn't show up the way you expected extended family would? And what happens when those same people suddenly start complaining about not seeing you or your kids enough? Janelle breaks down the difference between mismatched expectations and genuinely unhealthy behavior, why disappointment often comes from hoping people will change once grandkids arrive, and how to tell the difference between someone who is being low-effort… and someone who is just being a jerk. She also answers a follower question about in-laws who want access to the grandkids but refuse to make basic accommodations for their health and safety, and why protecting your kids is never "imposing." For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok. Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order!

Before we get into this episode, trigger warning. Part of this conversation includes discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation. This week, we're still talking about emotional manipulation. Janelle answers a deeply layered follower question about misaligned expectations between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and how quickly things can escalate when boundaries are ignored. The follower shares a situation where her soon-to-be mother-in-law invited herself over, berated her in her own home, and lashed out over not having the close, "best friend" relationship she expected. When the fiancé defended his partner, the conflict escalated even further, including a call from the father-in-law claiming the mother-in-law was feeling suicidal because of the distance. Janelle breaks down why expecting instant closeness without mutual effort isn't normal, how emotionally neutral behavior is often mislabeled as rude, and why yelling at an adult in their own home is never appropriate. She also talks about why many daughters-in-law are guarded, especially after past relationships or toxic family dynamics, and why building trust should look like any other adult relationship. The episode really digs into emotional manipulation, triangulation, and misplaced responsibility, especially when adult children are made to feel responsible for a parent's emotional well-being. Janelle is clear about what is and is not appropriate, and why taking space after emotionally aggressive behavior is not the same as giving someone the silent treatment. She talks about the importance of presenting a united front at home, the difference between shared boundaries and individual ones, and why the follower does NOT owe an apology for enforcing basic respect. For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok. Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order!

This week, it's all about you and your questions. Janelle is answering some of the most common and deeply personal questions she gets from her followers, including whether she's ever considered ending being no contact with her mother-in-law, if she worries about how her kids might one day understand that decision, and whether therapy has played a role in navigating mother-in-law issues as a couple. If you've ever wondered whether you're doing the right thing, or questioned your own boundaries after outside pressure crept in, this conversation will probably resonate with you. Grief, guilt, second-guessing yourself… It's all part of the package when you're navigating a difficult relationship with your MIL. So let's get real cozy and talk about it together. For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok. Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order!

The holidays are over… and if you're still recovering emotionally, you're are most DEFINITELY not the only one. This week on Still Talking About It, Janelle has a full holiday season post-mortem for you. Because we all need it. What went well, what absolutely did not, and why family dynamics somehow feel even louder when there's a tree involved. She's also sharing some of the worst (and funniest) gifts listeners received from their in-laws this year. It's giving confusing, passive-aggressive, and "did you even try?" energy. If you opened a gift and had to fake a smile so hard your face hurt, then buckle up, buttercup! This one's for you. For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok. Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order!

'Tis the season for side-eyes, shady comments, and awkward family photos that don't include you. If you're MIL has ever tried to stage a photoshoot with your husband and kids WITHOUT YOU IN IT, you're going to want to listen this week. We're diving into the chaos of family get-togethers, from the weird things relatives say at dinner, to the in-laws who insist on "just one picture" that mysteriously excludes all the spouses. If you're someone who feels the need to prep yourself mentally for Christmas (or whatever holiday madness your family celebrates), and need help learning how to set boundaries before the wine starts flowing, and what to do when your MIL tries to stage-manage the family photo like she's directing a movie, then you don't want to miss this. It's part therapy session, part survival guide, and fully relatable. So grab your drink, practice your fake laugh, and remember… you don't owe anyone a "Merry Christmas" if it costs you your peace. For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok.