Category: Mental Health

Why Some Boys from Single-Mother Households Demonize Mothers over Absent Fathers

There’s a quiet grief that lives in the corners of some single-mother households. It doesn’t only bury itself in mothers, but tightly latches onto their sons. It’s a grief rooted in absence, abandonment, and silence. Yet, in a painful twist of fate, it’s often the present, active mother, the one who stayed, sacrificed, and stitched…
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What Cringe Teaches You (If You Let It)

Everyone has at least one memory that makes their stomach drop. Maybe it’s your voice cracking in a meeting when all eyes are on you. Or that moment you say “you too” to a barista who tells you to enjoy your coffee. Or far worse: the night you say “I love you” and are met…
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Love Stories Don’t Always End with Periods

When a relationship ends, especially one that left you with questions, it’s natural to crave closure. We’re taught that closure is the final step in the healing process: a moment of mutual understanding, a calm conversation, or an explanation that helps us make sense of what went wrong. But, what if healing doesn’t actually require…
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The Savior Complex: Why Some Men Pursue Women They Can “Fix”

There’s a certain kind of man who doesn’t want a partner per se. What he truly wants is a project. He doesn’t say it outright. In fact, his interest might initially seem like compassion. He gravitates toward a woman in distress: the one going through a breakup, recovering from trauma, struggling financially, or battling low…
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Know the Game. Set the Rules. Beat the Bully

We don’t talk enough about how adult bullying operates. It’s not always obvious. It’s not name-calling or shouting. Often, it’s power plays hidden in vague “policies,” passive disrespect, or withholding access in the hopes that you won’t ask too many questions. Bullies count on people not knowing how to respond. They expect silence, compliance, or…
Read more: Know the Game. Set the Rules. Beat the Bully
The Most Naïve Things I’ve Done While Dating Men in the Past & What I Learned the Hard Way

If you’ve ever looked back on a dating situation and cringed, not just at what he did, but at what you tolerated, excused, or tried to rationalize, you’re in good company. Growth isn’t always graceful. Sometimes, it shows up dressed like regret, with a side of “how did I not see that coming?” These are…
Read more: The Most Naïve Things I’ve Done While Dating Men in the Past & What I Learned the Hard Way
Babies, Rings, and Reality Checks: Why Milestones Don’t Save Relationships

One of my neighbors back when I lived in D.C. was in one of those on-and-off relationships with constant (loud) fights, dramatic silences, then they were back together like nothing happened. One day, she caught me in the hallway, flashing a diamond ring and grinning. “We’re engaged and trying for a baby,” she said, like…
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Why Girls with Great Fathers Sometimes Struggle in Love as Women

We often hear, and rightfully so, about the lasting impact of absent or emotionally unavailable fathers on daughters (and yes, sons deserve attention too, but let’s keep the lens here for now; let me cook). From fear of abandonment to codependency to a deep craving for validation in romantic relationships, the emotional imprint is both…
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If You’re Torn Between Two People, It’s Neither — Here’s Why

If you’re ever torn between two people, here’s the truth: it’s not a dilemma. It’s a quiet signal that neither one is fully right for you. Now, before you roll your eyes and say, “But it’s complicated,” I get it. The comfort of one person mixed with the excitement of another can feel like depth.…
Read more: If You’re Torn Between Two People, It’s Neither — Here’s Why
Trauma Bonds: When Love Feels Like a Lifeline, It’s Likely a Loop

Some connections aren’t rooted in love — they’re forged in survival. Trauma bonds are powerful emotional connections formed through repeated cycles of pain and reward. It’s when the person who hurts you is also the person who soothes you, leaving you stuck in a loop that mimics love, but feels like emotional (and for some,…
Read more: Trauma Bonds: When Love Feels Like a Lifeline, It’s Likely a Loop
I Would Never Be Caught Dead Fighting Over a Man — Here’s Why

Let me make something very clear:I will never fight another woman — or anyone, for that matter — over a man. Not in public. Not in private. Not emotionally, not verbally, and certainly not physically. If I have to fight for him, he’s not mine.If I have to argue, compete, beg, or prove myself to…
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Weaponizing the Word “Victim”: How Abusers Twist Language to Silence the Abused

In a culture obsessed with strength, independence, and stoicism, being called a “victim” has become taboo. Somewhere along the way, the word stopped meaning “someone who was harmed” and started being twisted into an insult — a character flaw, a weakness, or even a manipulation tactic. But, who benefits from that redefinition? Often, it’s the…
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I’m Not Your Ex: New Love Deserves a Clean Vessel

One of the most common, but overlooked reasons new relationships fall apart is: someone is being treated like the person who came before them. It’s a quiet, but powerful dynamic that happens when people carry unhealed pain into something new. Instead of starting fresh, they start guarded. Instead of seeing the person in front of…
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The Power of a Reframe: Seeing Value Even When It’s Not Reflected Back

Not every “no” is a reflection of your worth — sometimes it’s just a mismatch, a moment of misalignment, or a missed opportunity on someone else’s part. Still, it’s easy to internalize rejection or silence. When we don’t get the job, the callback, the compliment, or the invitation, our minds can spiral. But the truth…
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There’s No Such Thing as a Homewrecker: Why Blame Actually Belongs to the One Who Betrayed You

We’ve all heard the term “homewrecker” — usually hurled at a third party in the aftermath of an affair, almost always aimed at a woman. It’s a loaded label, drenched in judgment, often used to shield the person who actually made the commitment: your partner. But here’s the truth we need to start saying louder…
Read more: There’s No Such Thing as a Homewrecker: Why Blame Actually Belongs to the One Who Betrayed You
From Scroll to Soul Tie: How We Create People in Our Heads

We don’t talk enough about what it means to fall for someone’s online presence. The curated posts, the charming captions, the thoughtful takes on relationships—it can all create a version of someone that feels real, even when it’s only a fraction of the full picture. And when you start projecting who someone must be based…
Read more: From Scroll to Soul Tie: How We Create People in Our Heads
The Power of Self-Respect After a Breakup: Why Silence Says Everything

There’s a moment after a breakup when you feel tempted to prove something…to show them what they lost, how unbothered you are, or how quickly you’ve leveled up. But here’s the truth: you don’t have to perform your healing. Not on Instagram. Not in group chats. And definitely not for your ex. Let’s be clear:…
Read more: The Power of Self-Respect After a Breakup: Why Silence Says Everything
Picking Up Those Long Wooden Spoons: Why Black Men and Women Need Each Other to Thrive

There’s a well-known parable, often told in African and interfaith traditions, that speaks volumes about human nature, abundance, and how we show up for each other when the solution requires collective care. In the story, people are seated around a large circular table, and in the center sits a lavish feast. Everything anyone could want…
Read more: Picking Up Those Long Wooden Spoons: Why Black Men and Women Need Each Other to Thrive
Recognizing Abuse: The Warning Signs You Should Never Ignore

Abuse doesn’t always begin with bruises or shouting matches. Sometimes, it starts with silence. With a subtle power imbalance. With a slow erosion of your boundaries disguised as love or concern. Abuse can be emotional, physical, verbal, financial, and psychological. It doesn’t always look like what we’ve been taught to expect — which is why…
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What ‘You’re Not My Usual Type’ Really Means — And Why You Should Listen

I recently watched a podcast interview with a married couple. The wife was holding their newborn baby. As she cradled their child, the husband sat beside her and began describing, in painful detail, how his ex was his ideal type and how his current wife wasn’t what he usually goes for. He talked about how…
Read more: What ‘You’re Not My Usual Type’ Really Means — And Why You Should Listen