Siblings reenacting parents insanity

[Rant/Vent, Advice OK]

I (25F) have four adult siblings with families and kids of their own and I am the only one without kids. I cut contact with my parents a few years ago but through therapy and just being away I’m noticing that my siblings (who are still in contact with my parents) perform the same cycles my parents did with their own families.

My sister is constantly berating her husband and being mean to him. She kicks him out of the house/makes him sleep separated in other rooms of the house constantly (maybe for a night or two every couple months). Which, whatever. I’m not in their marriage so I have no idea what goes on behind closed doors. She calls me to weep about him and their separation, but then days later will almost act like it never happened. It makes me feel concerned and crazy.

My mom (66F narcissist) did this growing up. Running away from the house, kicking my dad out, slamming doors, yelling, you guys know the deal. They would spend a day or two days apart then my dad would basically beg on his hands and knees for forgiveness, which she would reluctantly bestow, and then we’d all go to church together like we didn’t just have the most hellacious, evil, rage-filled week.

All my siblings do this to some degree and there’s no way statistically they’re all narcissists. So my conclusion is they’re reenacting the trauma we were exposed to unknowingly.

My issue is it makes me SO ANGRY. And I’m not allowed to say anything because they’re all super religious and will say they don’t believe in divorce (literally days after telling me their therapists have recommended separation/divorce and they’re going through with it).

Do y’all have siblings that do this? How do you handle it? What boundaries do you have with them? I can’t keep fielding these calls which make me feel like I’m a kid and my parents are getting a divorce, wait no they’re not, wait yes they are, wait actually no they’re not… but I also want to be someone my siblings feels safe calling bc I’m the only one outside of the insanity. But I’m also so freaking tired of playing therapist for all these people.

Advice very very welcome.

Posted Feb 15, 2026, 10:55 PM UTC

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