When Healing Hurts: A Mom’s Journey Through Boundaries, Backlash, and Breakthrough

Welcome listeners to this heartfelt episode, “When Healing Hurts: A Mom’s Journey Through Boundaries, Backlash, and Breakthrough,” on Warfare Parenting: Faith-driven strategies for struggling parents of teens and adult children. Host Laine Lawson Craft is joined by guest Tammy Kennington for an authentic and faith-filled look at healing after family crisis, setting boundaries, facing setbacks, and discovering hope during the messy “in-between.” If you’re struggling with a prodigal child or are in a fragile season of healing, this episode offers community, powerful strategies, and reminders that restoration is possible.

Resources & Links Mentioned

About Tammy Kennington

Tammy Kennington is a passionate advocate, speaker, and writer dedicated to supporting families navigating mental health challenges, trauma, and the journey of healing. As a mother who has faced her own family’s crises—including her son’s struggle with complex PTSD—Tammy shares openly from her experiences to break stigma and offer hope. She encourages others to anchor their faith in God as they walk through dark seasons and is committed to building supportive communities for parents and caregivers. Learn more or connect with Tammy at tammykennington.com and on Substack.

Key Talking Points

  • The vulnerability and emotional turmoil experienced in the aftermath of a crisis with a child
  • The surprising length and complexity of the healing process
  • Navigating boundaries: creating, enforcing, and managing backlash from your child
  • Setting black-and-white consequences to provide clarity for parents and children
  • The role of community support, and the challenge of finding nonjudgmental allies
  • Building trust with your child again, one small step at a time
  • Coping with setbacks and relapses as a normal part of the recovery process
  • Staying grounded in faith and scripture through uncertainty and fear
  • The reality of parental self-doubt, exhaustion, and secondary trauma
  • Encouragement that God is working in the “messy middle,” even when breakthroughs seem far off

Detailed Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction: The aftermath and the “in-between” season of healing  
01:37 – Welcome & guest introduction: Tammy Kennington’s story  
02:28 – Recap of Tammy’s crisis and beginning recovery steps  
02:53 – What the first few weeks post-crisis looked like  
04:11 – The biggest surprise in the recovery journey  
04:48 – Discussion on boundaries and handling backlash  
06:21 – Parental self-doubt and relying on community  
07:14 – Staying grounded despite emotional upheaval  
08:20 – Relapses and setbacks: handling them emotionally and spiritually  
10:12 – Helping children reframe setbacks as part of the process  
10:41 – The role (and sometimes absence) of community and overcoming stigma  
12:10 – Learning to trust your child again  
13:34 – Overcoming the lowest points and where strength came from  
15:22 – Key scripture for strength: “He will restore the years the locust have eaten”  
16:04 – Encouragement for parents in the middle of the struggle  
17:07 – Building community: info on Warfare Parenting small groups  
17:56 – How to connect with Tammy Kennington  
18:14 – Final encouragement: God’s faithfulness and your child’s testimony  
19:41 – Closing: hope in the messy middle and resources for parents  
21:00 – Outro and invitation to subscribe

Conclusion

Even when healing feels slow and hope seems fragile, you are not alone. This episode reminds us that God is working, especially in the messy middle. Hold on, seek out supportive community, and remember—your journey and your child’s healing are not over yet. Tune in, subscribe, and share to help other parents find hope and strategies for their own battles.

Warfare Parenting, Laine Lawson Craft, Tammy Kennington, parenting podcast, healing after crisis, faith-based parenting, boundaries with teens, prodigal child, family restoration, Christian parenting, mental health, PTSD, teen depression, suicide prevention, family healing, setting boundaries, spiritual parenting, Christian moms, parenting adult children, recovery process, prayer for children, overcoming trauma, faith and family