There are certain words that seem to appear everywhere these days and gaslighting is one of them. The problem is that many people hear the word so often that they begin to lose sight of what it actually means. Gaslighting is not simply disagreement or having a different opinion and it is not forgetting something […]
The following story was not written by me. This was written by one of my followers who would prefer to remain anonymous. He asked that I share it though as he feels that there must be many people who are experiencing what he did. He hopes it will help whomever is in a similar situation. […]
This is one of the questions I see asked more than almost any other when people begin learning about narcissistic behaviour. The answer is not as simple as many of us would like it to be. When I first started trying to understand narcissistic behaviour, I desperately wanted a clear answer. I wanted to believe […]
There is a moment that many people who have dealt with narcissists eventually reach.I spent far too much of my life explaining my intentions, defending my choices, justifying my boundaries and proving my worth. Then the day I stopped explaining myself arrived. It does not usually arrive with a dramatic argument, a slammed door or […]
There was a time when I believed that difficult people simply had difficult personalities. I thought that if I was patient enough, kind enough and understanding enough, most relationships could be improved. What I didn’t realise was that some behaviours run much deeper than occasional selfishness or a bad day. One of the things that […]
Some journeys are simply about getting from one place to another. Others become part of the story you carry with you for the rest of your life. The Wild Atlantic Way is one of those journeys. Although I have yet to experience this remarkable route for myself, it has captured my imagination in a way […]
There are certain places in the world that seem to call to us long before we ever set foot there. Ireland is one of those places for me. Perhaps it is the photographs of rolling green hills disappearing into misty horizons. Perhaps it is the stories of ancient castles standing proudly against dramatic coastlines. It […]
Family is often described as the place where we learn about love, belonging and support. For many people that is absolutely true. Families can provide comfort during difficult times, celebrate our successes and offer encouragement when life feels challenging. Yet not every family dynamic is healthy. Sometimes patterns develop that quietly damage relationships, undermine confidence and create […]
When someone you love is living with dementia, safety becomes a concern that quietly follows you throughout the day. I remember reaching a point with a family member when I realised I was constantly worrying. Had the medication been taken? Was the front door locked? Had the cooker been switched off? What would happen if […]
When a loved one is diagnosed with dementia, life changes in ways that are often difficult to anticipate. I remember standing in my mother’s kitchen one afternoon and realising that the home she had lived in safely for years was beginning to present challenges I had never noticed before. There were cleaning products under the […]
