relationships
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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Recognizing Gaslighting: 5 Common Phrases
Of all the tactics in the narcissistic abuse playbook, gaslighting has to be one of the most effective. It can be used against unwitting victims in a wide range of relationships, settings, and specific situations. It is hard to call out, because the very nature of the beast is to confuse and disorient victims. The…
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Grief in the Season of Joy
Everywhere you look, the signs are there: The holidays are here. Turkeys, holly berries, lights, and snowmen are showing up in every store – and on some front lawns – as we roll into the season of joy. At least, it’s supposed to be a season of joy, or so we are told. …
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The Highly Sensitive Person in an Emotionally Immature Family
This week has been a busy and fulfilling one! We had the final session of the fall cycle of Walking on Eggshells, and celebrated our members’ accomplishments. I finished round 1 of edits on my super secret but very exciting writing project. And I listened to a great podcast about the life of a Highly…
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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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When the World Feels Heavy
There are times when, despite the years of training, education, and experience, there are just no words for what lies between two people in the therapy room. When the grief and pain is tangible, with mass and weight and texture – but with no words. When the images and sounds and the felt sense is…
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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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Written in Love
Do you ever look back at your past and think, “There are many pieces of my earlier years that I would erase if I could – but this? This I would keep.” What are your keepers? What makes them special? One of my “keepers” from my earlier life is a favorite old…
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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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