One of my friends tells her story of growing up with a mother with “issues” rather matter-of-factly, but the details are pretty grim to listen to. “She would stop talking to me for no reason, for days at a time, and put a gift on my bed when she decided she was done being mad … Continue reading How to Care for Yourself When Dealing with Difficult People.
Category: Boundaries
Anger Is An (Entirely Normal & Useful) Energy
A question for the ladies: How many of you are uncomfortable with your anger? If someone takes advantage of you, hurts you, shames you, dismisses you, do you sometimes suffer in silence rather than speak up? Do you agonize about how you might confront the individual that made you feel small in the first place? … Continue reading Anger Is An (Entirely Normal & Useful) Energy
If it Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It: 3 Tips for Setting Rules for Teenagers
Parents frequently ask me for support in figuring out how best to set rules and expectations for their teenagers. This can be tough to navigate, especially if the teenager pushes back (which they are wont to do) or the parents aren't sure how they "should" approach boundary setting (there are no "shoulds"; there is no … Continue reading If it Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It: 3 Tips for Setting Rules for Teenagers
Books to be better: Melody Beattie’s Codependent No More.
Codependency refers to a relationship in which one party has excessive emotional or psychological reliance on the other. Cited often in terms of addiction (a codependent relationship between an addict and their enabling partner, parent, friend, etc.), codependency also pops up frequently in relationships in which someone is struggling with mental or physical illness. More broadly, … Continue reading Books to be better: Melody Beattie’s Codependent No More.
6 Common Types of Boundary-Pushers: Do You Have One In Your Life?
Free-Photos/PixabayDo you have trouble holding your boundaries? Do you find it even more difficult after a conversation with your significant other, your mother, your best friend? You might be in a relationship with a boundary-pusher. Here are six types of common boundary-pushers I’ve identified in my years as a therapist (and as a human). It’s … Continue reading 6 Common Types of Boundary-Pushers: Do You Have One In Your Life?
