Cari Fund on Covert Narcissism, Gaslighting & Boundaries

How do you break generational patterns when you had no healthy models to follow?

In this episode of "Every Soul Has a Story," Dara Levan welcomes Cari Fund, an advocate for women's empowerment and healing from generational trauma. Cari doesn't hold back. From recognizing toxic patterns at just 14 years old to her current work with her Surviving Roots podcast, she shares her journey with narcissistic parents and the difficult decision to establish boundaries. "I took back the f@#$ing pen," she declares, perfectly capturing her determination to rewrite her narrative despite family pressure and societal judgment.

What happens when motherhood becomes the catalyst for breaking cycles? Cari reveals how parenting her own children forced her to confront and heal childhood wounds. She offers practical insights about setting boundaries, navigating estrangement, and creating healthier family dynamics. This conversation isn't about perfect parenting—it's about making hard choices to end toxic patterns. Through personal examples and unflinching honesty, Cari demonstrates how confronting your past can transform your future and protect the next generation from repeating painful histories.

Cari Fund is a fearless advocate for breaking toxic generational patterns and women's empowerment. After spending over a decade in the New York City beauty industry and eight years in corporate social media management, she's now channeling her experiences into her memoir and the "Surviving Roots" podcast. Born in West Virginia and raised on a horse ranch, Cari brings authentic grit to her work helping others heal from toxic parenting. With her trademark honesty, she guides women to become the people they were born to be and the parents they never had.

In This Episode:

• (00:00) Welcome and introduction to Cari Fund

• (03:48) The pivotal decision at age 14

• (06:08) Recognizing covert narcissism as a teenager

• (11:07) Dealing with judgment around family estrangement

• (15:18) Past relationship patterns and control mechanisms

• (17:53) The turning point: choosing herself

• (22:07) Finding purpose through healing your own story

• (26:41) Motherhood as a pathway to healing

• (31:08) Siblings' different responses to toxic upbringing

• (34:38) Standing firm after reconnection attempts

• (40:21) Closing thoughts

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Resources:
Cari Fund
Surviving Roots Podcast
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