Nedra Glover Tawwab, LCSW
Licensed therapist and New York Times bestselling author
Natalie Y. Moore
Award-winning journalist and author and senior lecturer and director of audio programming at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University
The Balancing Act: Creating Healthy Dependency and Connection Without Losing Yourself
Bonus Book Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of The Balancing Act to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.
Licensed therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab, LCSW (FAN ’23), has built a remarkable platform exploring relationships and self-care—two New York Times bestsellers, 1.8 million Instagram followers, a weekly podcast, and a widely-read newsletter. Her newest book, The Balancing Act: Creating Healthy Dependency and Connection Without Losing Yourself, extends her groundbreaking work by offering a roadmap to relationships that honor both dependency and individuality.
With signature clarity and honesty, Tawwab explores what it means to cultivate healthy dependency in contrast to the extremes of hyper-independence or codependency that many of us struggle with. While her previous books examine the importance of setting boundaries for internal peace, The Balancing Act combines boundary-setting with building and maintaining relationships through genuine connection. Covering attachment styles, family systems, social media habits, and cultural norms, Tawwab addresses why we swing between hyper-independence and hyper-dependence, how to recognize unhealthy patterns from codependency to indiscriminate distrust, and practical strategies for strengthening relationships while maintaining individuality.
Each chapter combines relatable vignettes, expert guidance, and reflective questions that empower readers to evaluate their patterns, navigate conflict, and build relationships that feel authentic, nourishing, and balanced. Whether seeking more closeness with a partner, clarity with a friend or family member, or greater agency in your own life, The Balancing Act offers a path toward connections that sustain rather than drain you.
Tawwab will be in conversation with Natalie Y. Moore, an award-winning journalist and author and senior lecturer and director of audio programming at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
This event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Event Sponsors
- The Alliance for Early Childhood
- The Avery Coonley School
- Avoca D37
- Baker Demonstration School
- Beacon Academy
- Bennett Day School
- Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School
- Brickton Montessori School
- British International School of Chicago
- Catherine Cook School
- Compass Health Center
- Connections for the Homeless
- Countryside Day School
- Evanston Scholars
- Evanston Township High School D202
- The Family Institute at Northwestern University
- Family Service Center
- Foundation 65
- The Frances Xavier Warde School
- Francis W. Parker School
- Glencoe D35
- Glenview Public Library
- Gorton Center
- Hyde Park Day School
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Kenilworth D38
- Lake Bluff D65
- Latin School of Chicago
- Leo Catholic High School
- Libertyville D70
- Lycée Français de Chicago
- Magnetar Capital
- Near North Montessori School
- North Shore Country Day
- Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations
- Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy
- Pope John XXIII School
- Regina Dominican College Preparatory High School
- Resurrection College Prep High School
- Rogers Park Montessori School
- Roycemore School
- Santa Clara University School of Law
- Science & Arts Academy
- The Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School
- Stevenson High School D125
- Township High School D113
- Township High School D214
- TrueNorth Educational Cooperative #804
- UChicago Network for College Success
- Wilmette Public Library
- Winnetka D36
- Wolcott College Prep
- Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart
- Youth & Opportunity United (Y.O.U.)
Upcoming Events
How to Feel Loved: The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most
Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside
Daniel Pink
#1 New York Times bestselling author
ON ZOOM
The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation
Rep. James E. Clyburn
U.S. Congressman representing South Carolina's 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives
Natalie Y. Moore
Award-winning journalist and author and senior lecturer and director of audio programming at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University
Evanston Township High School Auditorium
Note: Event start time is Central Time (CT).
NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.
Dopamine Kids: A Science-Based Plan to Rewire Your Child’s Brain and Take Back Your Family in the Age of Screens and Ultraprocessed Foods
Michaeleen Doucleff, Ph.D.
Bestselling author, biochemist, and award-winning NPR reporter
Heidi Stevens
Chicago-based writer and Director of External Affairs for the University of Chicago’s TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health
ON ZOOM
