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How does the death of an abusive father affect the trauma issues of his adult children? [more inside]
posted by Joan Rivers of Babylon at 4:22 PM - 6 answers

My older brother, 60ish, smokes cigarettes, and I worry about him and its impact on his health, and I wish he would quit. Should I talk to him about this? Particularly interested in hearing from smokers, ex-smokers, or people with loved ones who smoke or have smoked. [more inside]
posted by swheatie at 2:53 PM - 15 answers

I have a 16 yo who is away at camp for 3 weeks and is half way through. She wants to come home now and says that it's not fun, the councillors are passive aggressive, she is sick (cold), she gets a feeling of numb emotions due to anxiety. These are a lot of reasons I am having a hard time parsing out. [more inside]
posted by waving at 7:34 AM - 51 answers

If you or a loved one had experience with Adult Protective Services, can you tell me more about what that experience was like? [more inside]
posted by mosst at 1:13 PM - 5 answers

Please help me develop a polite, pithy, and positive response to the inevitable questions that I will likely receive at my half-brother’s upcoming wedding regarding why I am not in the wedding party. [more inside]
posted by fenwaydirtdog at 11:51 AM - 42 answers

I'm doing an activity with middle school kids (age 10-14) to roleplay solving conflicts. In most examples I can think of, there's a clear "wrong" person. Instead, I'd like examples of conflicts where BOTH kids need to change or compromise. [more inside]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 2:58 PM - 10 answers

I'm living near my grandchildren now, and I want to be an awesome grandparent. If you had awesome grandparents, please share what made them awesome. How did they make you feel safe, loved, and happy in their home? What did they do that made you really want to visit them? [more inside]
posted by FencingGal at 9:04 AM - 39 answers

When my nervous system is well regulated, people love me. I can have a good conversation with anyone, and people like to give me things and bend rules for me. When it's not, people don't seem to like me at all, and even seem to want to pick on me. [more inside]
posted by wheatlets at 10:33 AM - 19 answers

My girlfriend and I are going to have to break up soon. [more inside]
posted by Leontine at 4:17 PM - 20 answers

I'm going speed dating next week and am looking for some fun but not too outlandish but interesting questions and openers to ask. [more inside]
posted by firei at 2:59 PM - 20 answers

How do you teach a child emotional resilience without invalidating their feelings? Trying to help a sensitive tween who cries over a lot of small things, gets easily discouraged and hurt by minor inconveniences or offenses without telling them "it's just not that big a deal" or "just don't let it bother you". How do you be supportive, but at the same time teach them to be stronger in the face of life's (small) challenges?
posted by roaring beast at 12:44 PM - 20 answers

Turning 28 this year, but my oncologist thinks I have ten years left to live; twenty if I'm lucky. [more inside]
posted by antihistameme at 1:24 AM - 34 answers

My partner is feeling hopeless, and I’m having Feelings about it. Help me deal. People who have struggled with these feelings especially wanted. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:29 AM - 12 answers

I'm a therapist in training who worked with a new client today in need of a full checkup and dental work. He's lived in Los Angeles 20-25 years and cannot remember ever being in a doctors office. Only ER trips, Curious to see what I can find regarding free medical and dental services for him in the Los Angeles area. He lives in east county near Chino
posted by goalyeehah at 8:30 PM - 10 answers

I live on the western edge of Cincinnati (a city and neighborhood I ADORE). Four months ago, I took a job further west, which means I spend my days at a small business 20 miles outside the city center. Y’all, it is TRUMP territory. [more inside]
posted by missmary6 at 1:19 PM - 9 answers

Asking people who are close to those with ADHD and those who have it: is it hard for you to focus on a task if someone adds other things into the mix? (I'm talking about a day out furniture shopping.) [more inside]
posted by magdalen123 at 1:09 PM - 23 answers

A confident poise can be also easily faked. However, the face seems to be a totally different kettle of fish. Most people can spot a fake smile a million miles away. How do professional actors mimic emotions like happiness so well without their face betraying them? [more inside]
posted by jacobean at 12:19 PM - 18 answers

I know that connections always have some elements of imperfection, but I'm struggling to figure out the line between imperfection and lack of platonic compatibility. I don't want to be so picky with friendships that I'm lonely, but I also want to be aligned with the people in my life. Any suggestions for how to determine whether a person is an imperfect connection or one that doesn't meet minimum friendship standards? [more inside]
posted by ygmiaa at 7:00 PM - 15 answers

I am looking not for best theoretical approaches, but what has personally worked for *you/* to become less bitter at women, how long it took, and what the progress looked like. Sock puppets welcome. [more inside]
posted by corb at 9:08 AM - 15 answers

I live in Toronto, and have 50% custody of a delightful 9-year-old. A few times this summer, I need to go to nearby Waterloo (a 1-2 hour drive depending on traffic) to run workshops for a client. What are some good options for having my kid cared for? My ideal thing would be, like, a 1-day drop-in fun camp (Minecraft!) in Waterloo, but I think camps all run by the week. Ideas? [more inside]
posted by ManInSuit at 6:47 AM - 12 answers