How to Write
a Parental Dialogue

Which adult had the biggest negative impact on you when you were young?

What would happen if you talked to that person about it?

Visualize that conversation, and then write it down like a movie script.
Be direct, but don’t be mean.
Focus on a single event or a single pattern. This is not a trauma dump.
Include their responses. This is not a monologue.
If they try to evade responsibility, try to track exactly how they’re doing it, and tell them what you see.
If they try to change the subject, point that out.
If they try to make you feel bad, point that out.
You can start by talking about the past, but if they start making harmful moves in the present, tell the what you see them doing.
Talk about their behavior, not your feelings. They're not responsible for how you feel, but they are responsible for what they do.
Don’t take a victim position, and tell them if you see them taking a victim position.
Limit your responses to 10 words or less. Wordy responses lack power.

Format your conversation like this:

Me: I want to talk to you about . . .

Mom/Dad/Etc: . . .

Me: . . .