A family reveals their frustration for their daughter’s behavior.
The episode begins with Iyanla meeting with Lil Karla’s family Karla, Sheron, and Kevric. They are meeting with Iyanla to discuss their child and her troubling behavior. Iyanla suspects the issues stem from her “village.”
Their child is now an adult, age 24. They say that she can’t control her anger. Her mother was in a group home because Kevric had trouble raising her and correcting his daughter’s behavior.
Karla, age 49, says she’s been defiant since she was a 5-year-old. Iyanla emphasizes that their daughter wasn’t taught responsibility by any of them. Sheron agrees and mentions a time where she was caught with a bike kickstand she was going to use to hit other little kids.
Iyanla says that the incident was a cry for help at even that young age.
It comes out Kevric got custody of his daughter after her mom gave birth while she was serving a jail sentence.
The family function comes out fully as matriarch Sheron reveals she was smoking crack and selling it, and Kevric says he and his sisters were raised in a crack house.
Iyanla concludes Lil Karla’s behavior stemmed from their family’s dysfunction. To drive home that point, she holds up cards with words on them. When Iyanla holds up the “death” card, everyone begins to cry.
Kevric reveals his first wife past away after a c-section to give birth to his daughter. He also lost his son at age 16. Kevric’s son was shot as we walked to a friend’s house. Iyanla asks Kevric how he deals with it and doesn’t know how to.
Next, Iyanla holds a card that says “Good Family Image” to demonstrate there’s a real false image they’re all wearing that’s hurting Lil Karla.
Kevric’s daughter reveals she tried to harm herself.
Afterward, Lil Karla shows up next for her first one on one meeting. Karla says she sees a damaged person in the mirror and she wonders why she lives. She says being without her mom hurt and the numerous women in and out his life weren’t there for her.
Iyanla asks if anyone told her if they wanted her, Kayla says no.
During their conversation, Iyanla consoles her and Karla cries. Karla tells Iyanla she recently tried to take her own life by cutting her wrists.
“I kind of don’t want to live anymore.” – Lil Karla
However, Lil Karla says she just wants her family to love her for who she is. Karla’s relationship with her mom and dad greatly influenced her behavior.
Things got worse for Karla when she finally met her mom. She wanted to have a relationship with her.
“Right now, you can’t have a relationship with your mom. It ain’t personal.” – Iyanla
Lil Karla goes through the card exercise to find out who she is. Ironically, Karla reveals she’s a manager a Chipotlé, which surprises Iyanla.
Iyanla believes if she can be a manager, she can manage her anger off the clock with her family.
Hard truths are revealed to Lil Karla’s family.
So Iyanla returns with Karla’s family to tell them some harsh truths. She reveals to them that Lil Karla tried to kill herself. That brings the mall to tears.
Iyanla tells them Kayla has always felt she was a problem and she’s had issues ever since she was born to a drug addict in jail.
“She wasn’t raised. She grew up with family.” – Iyanla
She then runs down quotes where Kevirc says he’s not comfortable around Karla and has always been a “project.”
Overall, Iyanla feels that none of Kayla’s family wanted her around. As a result, Kayla can’t feel any love from them.
So Iyanla is going to bring everyone together to have everyone hash things out.
Kevric and Lil Karla has a breakthrough.
Everyone comes together and the tears flow. Kayla reads to her family how she feels. Iyanla gets Kayla to ask the family to notice how she’s changing and to know she’s trying to better herself. Sheron says it hurts to hear Kayla tried to kill herself.
Kevric says he’s fearful that he’s going to lose another child. Iyanla has to coach Kevric on how to acknowledge the past as the past and not as the present.
Iyanla then sets up a one on one conversation between Kevric and Karla. The next morning, Iyanla get them to have the conversation. During the conversation, it comes up how one of Kevric’s exes used Karla as a decoy for stealing from him.
However, Kevric brings up how Karla stole his recent wife’s car. That is the reason why he doesn’t believe his daughter. Karla cries when she says his wife is trying to split them up.
Iyanla tells Kevric Karla says the numerous women in his life made her feel unwanted. However, Kevric tells Karla stories of how he tried to care for her when he was in his early 20s. Iyanla explains that Karla was a motherless daughter.
A breakthrough occurs when Kevric tells Karla he feels like he failed her. Karla says he didn’t fail her and they share a hug.
Before the live, they are given new cards that they’ll fill out, representing new beginnings for their relationship.
After the episode, Lil Karla says she’s done well to keep her anger in check, planning to keep it that way. Meanwhile, Kevric has been receipting to Lil Karla and is working on building a bond with her.
What are your thoughts on the episode?