adult children of narcissists
A Covid Thanksgiving
What a strange, strange year this has been. Who could have imagined that as we prepare for what is typically the most traveled-for holiday in the United States, we would be more focused on setting up Zoom calls and washing our masks than making a connecting flight? And who knew that for some of…
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Accepting the unacceptable
Watching the news the last couple of weeks has been like watching an extra-long episode of Black Mirror. Every day has brought new information, sweeping changes to our daily lives, and new waves of uncertainty. From “wash your hands” to “all non-life-sustaining business must close,” we’ve come face to face with the unthinkable in the…
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Finding Connection
Public service announcement: It is normal to long for connection. Take another look at that last sentence: It is normal to long for connection. Healthy, even. Foundational to what it means to be human. And also, a profoundly painful longing when it goes unfulfilled. I am often inspired to write about themes…
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Entering the Holidays with Self-Compassion
Halloween has ended, and the holiday season is upon us. We are entering the time of turkey dinners, festive lights, hot chocolate, and family guilt trips – are you ready? For adults from narcissistic or emotionally immature families, the holidays can be a difficult time of year. November is filled with talk of gratitude,…
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The Umbrella Academy, part 2: The Power of Connections
*Spoiler alert!!* This article is part two of a two-part series that will explore characters in The Umbrella Academy, a television show adapted from an original comic by Gerard Way. Season 1 is currently streaming on Netflix. If you plan to watch the show, be warned! Here there be spoilers. In part 1 of…
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The Umbrella Academy Part 1: Adult Children of Narcissists (with Superpowers!)
*Spoiler alert!!* This article is part one of a two-part series that will explore characters in The Umbrella Academy, a television show adapted from an original comic by Gerard Way. Season 1 is currently streaming on Netflix. If you plan to watch the show, be warned! Here there be spoilers. Spoilers spoilers spoilers…
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You Deserve to Take Up Space
On July 7, 2019 the United States Women’s Soccer team won their fourth World Cup in eight years. Their hard-earned victory has sparked many conversations. The appalling pay discrepancy between the men’s and women’s teams has been a frequent flyer. Another is the now iconic image of co-captain Megan Rapinoe throwing her arms out…
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Golden Child, Scapegoat, and Thanos: Sibling Relationships in the MCU
One of the more interesting – and heartbreaking – storylines of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date is that of Nebula. When we first encounter her in Guardians of the Galaxy, Nebula is a villain. She initially fights her adopted sister Gamora after Gamora joins the Guardians. Early on, we see her trying (unsuccessfully) to…
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You Are Good Enough: An Open Letter
I’ve been seeing a new meme show up on my social media quite often lately. It’s usually very simple text on a plain background. The text usually states something like “I don’t know who needs to hear this, but…” followed by some pearl of wisdom. Some of those pearls are rather profound; others less so.…
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Seeing the Hidden Picture: Narcissistic Families in 3D
Do you remember those old-school 3D puzzle pictures that used to be printed in the comics section of the newspaper? (Remember physical newspapers?) They looked like a bunch of squiggly lines, or a frozen kaleidoscope at first. There was a trick to seeing the image within the squiggles – you had to let your eyes…
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