Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a condition that can make trusting other people and establishing lasting relationships extremely difficult. This can make coping with BPD in relationships frustrating for the person carrying the diagnosis, as well as for a loved one trying to understand and be supportive. While navigating borderline…
Being in a romantic relationship has its ups and downs. But what about dating someone who has a mental health condition like bipolar disorder? As it so happens, dating someone with bipolar disorder I or II may not be so different from dating anyone else. Although it’s true that people…
Self-advocacy is the practice of representing yourself and your interests, needs, and rights in various aspects of life, particularly in situations where your voice needs to be heard and acknowledged. Being a good self-advocate can improve life satisfaction and overall well-being, as it facilitates empowerment and allows you to take…
Therapy is a great tool for self-improvement and gaining personal insight. While your clinician will act as a guide and help provide direction in sessions, there are also ways you as the client can foster growth and make sessions more effective for you. There are many ways to get the…
Parent-child relationships aren’t always easy to navigate, and they can become fraught with tension when past conflict goes unresolved. When someone has issues with their mother, it can be difficult to know how to change things. When managing conflict in any relationship including with one’s mother, it’s important to prioritize…
Separation anxiety is a set of symptoms characterized by intense anxiety when separated from a support system or loved one. If symptoms are intense enough and begin to interfere with one’s daily life, it can be a sign of a deeper issue called separation anxiety disorder — a disorder with…
Spotting emotional manipulation is vital—and unfortunately, deceptive behaviors are all too common in many relationships. Whether you’re struggling with manipulative communication, actions, or experiences, it’s crucial to safeguard your emotional health and protect your relationships and yourself. We’ve assembled a streamlined guide to understanding and dealing with emotional manipulation. Learn…
Understanding and navigating relationship dynamics is a complex and ever-evolving journey. Relationships, whether they are romantic, familial, or platonic, form the cornerstone of our lives—and can bring profound joy and fulfillment, but they also come with their unique challenges and complexities. In this article, you’ll explore the fundamental principles that…
Q: I have a friend who always borrows money but never pays me back. He tells me I’m wrong and am being selfish, but I am tired of lending. A: Hi there, I am sorry to hear you are having a difficult time with this friend. The first word that…
Hi ladies, it’s me, Laura, can we talk about boundaries for a bit? The title of this article reflects my hope to boost mental wellness for the distressed reader by providing tips and analogies for forming and enforcing boundaries. These tips can benefit anyone and it provides special consideration to…
Self-care refers to a routine of behaviors a person performs, on their own with the intention to maintain and improve their own health. Because self-care is inherently unique to a person, it is difficult to say what will work for each. For that reason, I have delineated some of the…
Even though relationship OCD is not recognized in the DSM-5 as a formal subtype, this form of OCD causes obsessive thoughts around controlling and/or perfecting one’s partner and/or the relationship. Relationship OCD can occur both when someone is actively in a relationship or even when they are single. Learn more…
