For the person who’s questioning if their boundaries are keeping them safe or keeping them stuck, this episode is for you. Today we explore the tension between protection and connection by unpacking rigid vs weak boundaries. If you've ever said "I'm just protecting my peace" but still feel disconnected or lonely, you might be using boundaries as armor rather than alignment. You’ll learn how trauma and survival mode shape overprotective boundaries, and how those once-helpful defenses can unintentionally keep intimacy out.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

• The difference between rigid, weak, and healthy boundaries
• How trauma and survival mode lead to overprotective (rigid) boundaries
• Signs you may have boundaries that are too strong
• How rigid boundaries can feel empowering in the short term but create loneliness in the long run
• Why you might default to weak boundaries in relationships
• How to use discernment, context, and flexibility to shift from rigid to self-honoring boundaries that allow safety and closeness

RESOURCES:

• Episode 6: How to Set and Keep BOUNDARIES, Especially with People Who Don't Respect Them

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DISCLAIMER: The Self Centered with Katie and Allie Podcast is intended for entertainment, educational, and reflective purposes only. The views, opinions, experiences, and content shared by the hosts and guests are personal and subjective. They are not presented as objective facts or as representative of any professional body, organization, or field, including psychotherapy, coaching, or personal training.

This podcast includes personal reflections on dynamics in various relationships, platonic, family, romantic, and professional. General references to “family,” “an ex,” or “a friend”, for example, are intentionally vague to protect anonymity and do not refer to every individual in those categories. When names are used, they are fictitious, and identifying details are altered. Some information shared is based on research or professional experience, not personal history.

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