When I started researching emotional abuse 20 years ago, it was still called “that thing that happens but isn’t really abuse” in most psychological circles. Today, we’ve finally acknowledged what victims have always known: psychological abuse leaves scars deeper than […]
Dating - Sophia Rivera
“I’m Dating a Heathen!”
Ever noticed how dating gets weirdly complicated when religion enters the picture? Maybe you’ve watched friends navigate the minefield of interfaith relationships, or perhaps you’re in one yourself. Here’s what decades of research boils down to: it’s not about whether […]
Relationships - Sophia Rivera
“I’m Not Over You”
Ever notice how we talk about “falling out of love” like it’s some mysterious ailment that strikes without warning? One day you’re madly in love, the next you’re looking at your partner wondering what you ever saw in them. But […]
Dating - Sophia Rivera
“My Friends Are Judging Me”
Your Friends Know When You’re Ready for Love (Before You Do) Here’s something that might make you uncomfortable: your friends can predict your romantic future with startling accuracy. They know when you’re ready for love – often before you’ve figured […]
Relationships - Sophia Rivera
I’m a Relationship Grenade
I just read five different academic papers on postpartum mental health and relationships, and let me tell you – they’re all dancing around the same uncomfortable truth that nobody wants to say out loud: The Baby Bomb: Why Nobody Warns […]
Relationships - Sophia Rivera
The Secret Cost of Office Secrets
So you’ve fallen for your coworker. Congratulations – you’ve just signed up for what might be the most unnecessarily complicated relationship of your life. Not because workplace romance is inherently doomed (though HR might disagree), but because of what comes […]
Relationships - Sophia Rivera
The Digital Gray Area: Why We Can’t Agree On What Counts As Cheating Anymore
Here’s a question I get at least once a week: “My partner was sexting someone else. Is that actually cheating?” Twenty years ago, this question wouldn’t have existed. Now it’s practically a relationship pandemic. The research is clear on one […]
Relationships - Sophia Rivera
Text Message Anxiety? It’s Not About the Texts, It’s About Attachment
Have you ever stared at your phone, wondering if three dots are too many or if you’re responding too quickly? Or maybe you’ve been on the other side – wondering why your partner takes forever to text back when they’re […]
Fictional Therapy Stories
Therapy with Kanye West
The rain fell against the windows of Dr. Sophia Rivera’s office like tiny hammers on glass. Ten floors up, Seattle lay shrouded in mist, the Space Needle a ghost in the fog. Ye sat in the leather armchair positioned to […]
Fictional Therapy Stories
Therapy Session with Donald Trump
The Weight of Gold: A Session with Dr. Rivera The rain tapped against the windows like impatient fingers. Ten floors up, Seattle’s skyline vanished and reappeared behind shifting veils of mist. Donald Trump sat in the butter-soft leather chair, his […]