And not all of them are “doing their best”. — “All parents love their kids” and “all parents are doing their best” are some of the most damaging ideas we have in our society. These ideas make us believe that we should be grateful for our family, and that family ties are unbreakable regardless of the impact our family has…

The only thing you can do is work on yourself. — It can take many years for us to become aware of dysfunctional patterns and unhealthy dynamics within our families. Many people spend their entire lives normalizing dysfunctional behavior and minimizing generational trauma. I get it — my life used to be much easier when I didn’t question anything. However, without…

You deserve to speak up for yourself. — If you’re new to boundaries, let me tell you this: if you tend to feel drained, manipulated, or taken advantage of when dealing with other people, that’s a clear sign you need boundaries in your life. That’s how I’ve felt for a very long time. I’d say yes every time…

#1 Avoidance and emotional numbing. — At some point in our lives, we all go through something that causes deep distress and changes us forever. It could be an assault, a health emergency, a natural disaster, a car accident or sexual abuse. Trauma can also stem from ongoing circumstances instead of a specific event, such as…

#3 It’s possible to depend on someone else while still keeping your independence. — Five years ago, if you had told me that I’d be in a secure, stable, healthy relationship with someone who loves me unconditionally, I’d have told you that you were out of your mind. I was the typical commitment-phobe. I had a fearful-avoidant attachment style, which means that relationships would…

Do children really “leave for no reason”? — Conversations with parents of estranged adult children are always incredibly similar. “I have no idea what I’ve done wrong! They’ve cut me out of their lives for no reason”, they say. The worst part? Our societal narratives around family and parenting only reinforce these ideas. More often than not, when…

#2 “Nobody’s perfect. They were doing their best.” — If you have a good relationship with your parents, it can be difficult to understand why someone would cut their parents out of their life. The truth is, some families are very complicated. Not all parents are the same, and not all parents treat their children with love and respect. …

Everything you need to know about the cult featured in Netflix’s doc “Keep Sweet: Pray And Obey”. — Netflix has recently released Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, a four-part docuseries that features several survivor stories from former members of the FLDS Church, a religious cult known for its polygamy practices. As expected, the “polygamy” practiced by FLDS members is not even true polygamy — it’s polygyny, the kind…

#3 They express anger and resentment with passive-aggressive comments. — The classic narcissist is often thought of as charming, charismatic, and confident. However, not all narcissists are like that. Some of them hide behind a mask of sensitivity and passive-aggressiveness. Instead of being obvious in their elevated sense of self and their arrogance when interacting with others, their narcissism manifests…