What happens when your therapist doesn’t provide the support you need? — You exist within the world a little differently after experiencing a toxic, traumatic relationship. You unconsciously start to see red flags everywhere — a look, a word, a moment of silence — anything. Before that toxic relationship, you had no idea what kind of red flags exist. The whole concept…

You have shown me the depths of a parent’s love. — Few decisions conflicted me as much as that of becoming a parent. I regretted bringing a child into the suffering I faced in the abusive relationship. Yet from the moment I first held her in my arms, I knew that my purpose in life had forever changed. I’d always wanted…

The journey of surviving domestic abuse — At age thirty, on April 28th, 2010, after enduring five years of domestic violence, I fled my marital home for the last time. At 9 am, shortly after her father left for work, I grabbed my 22-month-old daughter, some clothes, and the nanny, and headed to my parents' house. A…

It’s all about the long game — I was 26 years old when my partner first assaulted me. We’d barely walked in through the door when he descended on me with insults, kicks, and punches. He was angry at me for questioning his actions while at the club. I was fresh out of uni at my first…

I turned 43 —

Was it worth it? — It’s funny. The thing that gets most people started on a running habit isn’t the thing that helps them stick to it for the long haul. You think that you’ll only keep going because you shed a few pounds. You’re certain your changing physique will fuel your motivation. The biggest…

We really cannot tell our loved ones how they should or shouldn’t feel — At age five, I walked into my parents’ bedroom and saw something I hadn’t seen before. My mom sat facing the window, her head bowed down. She must be praying, I thought to myself, as I slowed my walk. Then I heard a sniffling sound and saw her shoulders shake…

Children are often afraid to speak up. Here’s how to avoid alienating them further. — It’s hard to believe that sexual abuse can happen to a child. The idea that someone can commit such heinous acts against vulnerable children is unsettling and disturbing. This doubt can cause even the most well-meaning of us to excuse, minimise, or deny allegations of abuse when a child brings…

Your good intentions may be having the opposite effect — Have you ever said something to your teenager about their weight because you felt it would benefit them in the future? Have you tried to get them to lose weight because you thought they’d be better off if they were skinnier? You didn’t do it to ridicule or hurt them…