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Category: manipulation

#1387: “I’m dating a married man, help!”

December 2, 2022December 5, 2022 ~ JenniferP

Another day, another disappointing man who deserves neither wife nor mistress.

#1384: “Was I stating a boundary, or was I abusing?”

September 8, 2022September 8, 2022 ~ JenniferP

When someone is consistently mean to you, and you say "if you keep being mean to me, we might have to break up," may I humbly suggest that you are not The Problem.

#1382: “My mum won’t accept anything I tell her unless it’s been ‘fact-checked’ by my brother or my dad.”

August 10, 2022August 10, 2022 ~ JenniferP

Bold of your mom to set herself up as the sole arbiter of your life circumstances, Letter Writer!

#1381: “How to make someone known for going back on their promises put a big financial promise into writing.”

July 6, 2022July 6, 2022 ~ JenniferP

The answer to "how to make someone _____" is almost always, "Sorry, you can't make anybody do anything."

#1379: Friend is going back on an informal housing agreement.

June 22, 2022June 24, 2022 ~ JenniferP

The problem with informal agreements.

#1375: “Guilt trips with a side of trauma.”

May 11, 2022May 11, 2022 ~ JenniferP

Both anxious and avoidant attachment styles respond badly to pressure and benefit from structure, or, "Mom, I can't be your on-call therapist."

#1366: “Malicious, controlling mother-in-law wants to move in”

February 22, 2022February 22, 2022 ~ JenniferP

Ultimatums are scary for a reason: Sometimes people force you to follow through on them.

#1364: “Gender is elusive, and I cannot teach it to you, Mother!”

January 18, 2022January 19, 2022 ~ JenniferP

Don't let a side quest for understanding get in the way of doing - or demanding - care and kindness.

#1358: GUEST POST: “I think my professors $#@%-ed me up.”

December 20, 2021December 20, 2021 ~ JenniferP

Thriller author Amy Gentry answers this letter about abusive professors who feed like vampires on the potential of their students.

#1347: “My friend asked me if we could add ‘benefits,’ I still feel weird about it, am I justified in ending the friendship?”

August 31, 2021August 31, 2021 ~ JenniferP

"Good news, I finally persuaded my fiancée to let me sleep with other people, now we can finally act out all my fantasies about you over Zoom!" Whoa, seems sexy!

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