Growing up, I was immersed in a culture of "cutting off" whoever, whenever—my home was the original "cancel culture." From friends to close family, I was taught that anyone could get it.  But as I became a therapist and did my own soul work to understand the deeper layers of human connection, I realized something critical:

Boundaries are not barriers.

These terms aren't interchangeable, yet so often, "setting boundaries" is just another way of "canceling" someone who may not truly warrant it. This approach often leaves people feeling lonely and isolated.