🚪 When “Peace of Mind” Becomes the Priority “I just can’t do fake anymore, Monica,” Bryson told me during our third session, hands clasped tightly as though holding onto his conviction. “When relationships start feeling forced, I’d rather walk away […]
Friendships - In the Therapy Room - Monica Dean
In the Therapy Room: Toxic Friendships and the Difficulty of Setting Boundaries
🌪️ When Friendships Feel Like Quicksand I remember Rachel vividly—a bright 28-year-old with kind eyes that couldn’t quite hide her exhaustion when she first walked into my consulting room. She sank into the armchair with a mix of relief and […]
In the Therapy Room - Monica Dean
In the Therapy Room: The Placeholder
Meeting Trevor 🌧️ I met Trevor on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. He arrived early, perched anxiously on the edge of the waiting room chair, scrolling through his phone with such intensity it seemed he was searching for answers between the […]
In the Therapy Room - Monica Dean
In the Therapy Room: Vulnerability Hangovers and the Art of Emotional Disclosure
🌅 When the Sharing Dam Breaks Brooke sat across from me, a successful marketing director who looked like she hadn’t slept in days. “I can’t believe I did it,” she said, twisting the tissue in her hands. “We had this […]
Families - Identity - In the Therapy Room - Monica Dean
In the Therapy Room: When Your Voice Falls on Deaf Ears
📖 The Ghost of Conversations Past Emily was thirty-two when she first sat in my office, shoulders hunched as if carrying an invisible weight. She’d spent thirty minutes explaining her parents’ dismissive patterns before finally looking up and saying, “I […]
Monica Dean
The Invisible Labor I’ve Witnessed in Hundreds of Women’s Lives
I was driving home from a session with a client last night and couldn’t help but notice a pattern I’ve seen hundreds of times before. This woman—successful, bright, in her forties—was describing how she’d spent the weekend reorganizing her entire […]
Monica Dean
When I See Everything As A Threat
I was down the Anchor last Tuesday when Sharon popped in looking proper upset. Her fella, Mark, won’t have her parents round because he thinks they’re snooping on him. Been going on for months, she said. The kicker? Her mum […]
Dating - Marriage - Monica Dean - Relationships
When My Love Language Doesn’t Speak Your Alphabet
Been pondering something lately while chatting with women at my favorite corner café in Chorlton. ☕ It’s fascinating how differently we interpret affection based on our upbringing. Last week, I sat with two friends – both bright, accomplished women about […]
Monica Dean - Relationships
When I Fight About Moving, It’s Not Actually About the Location
Yesterday, I watched a couple at the coffee shop having what they thought was a whisper-fight about moving to Portland. He insisted it would solve everything. She clutched her latte like it contained her hometown’s entire social support network. Neither […]
Families - Monica Dean
Why I’ve Learned to Stop Calling Self-Care Selfish
The other day in my counselling office, a woman walked in looking absolutely shattered. She’d just found out her fiancé had been cheating with her best friend, and two weeks later, his adult son was getting married. The son—who she’d […]