Family Thanksgiving: The Most Expensive Emotional Labor You’ll Ever Pay For đ¸ Ashley came to me after three canceled appointments, sliding into my office with the energy of someone who’d rather be literally anywhere else. Hoodie pulled low, iced coffee […]
Families - Jas Mendola - Marriage - Relationships
Therapy Confessions: The Battle of Boundaries
The man arrived at the hunting cabin with all the essentials: three logs for the fire, a fifth of whiskey in his pack, and a face that said he’d rather be anywhere else. đď¸ He wore his displeasure like an […]
Families - Lola Adams
Therapy Confessions: The Courage to Disappoint and Set Boundaries with Toxic Family Members
They say you will forget most of your clientsâoccupational necessity. But some stories stick with you, carving out permanent residence in your professional memory. Alexandra was one of those clients who walked into my Manhattan office on a rainy Tuesday, […]
Families - Heartbreak - Identity - Lola Adams
Therapy Confessions: When Crisis Reveals Emotional Neglect
She sat across from me in my office, her fingers twisting the strap of her leather handbag â the expensive kind that whispers “I’ve made it” even while its owner is falling apart. Alexandra was successful by every Manhattan measuring […]
Families - Melanie Doss
When My Emotional Needs Became Optional to Others
POV: You’re literally sobbing in the backseat on what should be the happiest day of high school because your mom “forgot” the one thing you asked forâagain. đ˘ The orchid lei wasn’t just a pretty accessory; it was the last […]
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 fiancĂŠ had been cheating with her best friend, and two weeks later, his adult son was getting married. The sonâwho she’d […]
Families - Jas Mendola - Narcisism
The Silent Epidemic Destroying Fathers
The scene replays the same way thousands of times. A man sits across from me, eyes fixed on the floor. His hands grip his knees like they might give way. He has not cried yet, but he will. He came […]
Families - Jas Mendola - Narcisism
The Family Pack Hunt
They circled silently, testing for weakness. The mother’s eyes narrowed as I set my boundary, her words soft but laced with venom. She hesitated, calculating. Then my father entered the room. His presence changed everything. Suddenly she stood taller, spoke […]