Relationship Issues

Surviving Toxic Authority

May 20, 2024

eating disorders workplace issues

A self-described mental health advocate, Lena credits therapy with helping her overcome the challenges of her past and cope with ongoing depression and anxiety. By appearance, Lena is a petite thirty-something woman with dark, flowing hair and expressive eyes. Read more

Turning the Tide on Trauma

April 09, 2024

child abuse complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) family issues

"My childhood was bad, to say the least," Victoria (pseudonym) starts off. Victoria's parents were drug addicts, and were extremely abusive towards each other and towards Victoria and her younger brother. Read more

From "Parentless" to Parent

February 12, 2024

abuse bipolar disorder borderline personality disorder (BPD) drug addiction family issues post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Annette (pseudonym) spent the first five years of her life living with her parents on her grandparents' farm outside of Spokane, Washington. At age five, she and her parents moved into the city. Read more

Conquering the Chaos

December 27, 2023

anxiety attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) sexual trauma workplace issues

"I was a very chaotic child, just because I had been through a lot that most people at four haven't been through," Ricki starts. After all, when she was just three years old, her caretakers hid her from the government and she ate chicken bones off a dark basement floor to fend off starvation. Read more

Engineering an Escape from Poverty

November 15, 2023

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"You probably couldn't get much poorer in America," James quipped, explaining the small, rural New England town that he grew up in. One part of the town hosted a factory, another a trailer park, and the largest part of the town was farmland. Read more

Handling Hurdles and Heartbreak

May 22, 2023

couples issues family issues

Constance (pseudonym) is a young African American woman in her thirties, unabashedly outgoing and confident. She speaks with a broad grin and has worked to build a positive life for herself, despite dealing with family conflict and instability from an early age. Read more

Surviving Anxiety and Shifting Relationships

May 10, 2023

anxiety family issues mental health therapy obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) online therapy relationship issues

Francine (pseudonym) is a professional in her early thirties who works in a non-profit that advocates for mental health. She was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, a small coastal city known for its beach boardwalk, state university, and relaxed attitude. Read more

Improvising Life, One Note at a Time

May 05, 2023

career difficulties child therapy family issues LGBT issues workplace issues

Jazz (a pseudonym) is an easygoing, light-hearted woman in her early thirties. She has a great sense of humor and is quick to flash her bright smile and crack jokes. From an early age, Jazz has dealt with parental conflict and changes in her family structure. Read more

Seedlings of Resentment, Orchard of Angst

May 03, 2023

couples therapy family issues narcissistic abuse

Apple (pseudonym) is a woman in her late thirties who lives in San Francisco. She wears a perpetual grin and speaks with an easygoing attitude. As Apple reflects on her life experiences and their impact on her mental health, she openly discusses anxiety, loneliness, and concerns about the long-term emotional toll of her strained relationship with her mother. Read more