Lying – Age 6
Dear Susan, I am very concerned about my 6-year-old daughter who seems to lie about everything and is very sneaky. Yesterday I caught her with lollipops she had taken from my purse. She knows my purse is out of bounds, but when I confronted her she still denied that she had even touched my purse! […]
Why Talk Therapy?
Dear Susan, I went to my doctor because I feel depressed. (My ex-boyfriend just got engaged!) He prescribed an anti depressant, and made the suggestion that I see a therapist. I have never been to one before. What will we talk about, and how is talking going to make me feel better? Anonymous, London […]
Verbal Abuse
Dear Susan, My boyfriend can be verbally abusive when he gets mad. He has called me a “dummy” and a lot worse. What is the best way to deal with him when he is like this? He is great in every other way. Michelle, London Dear Michelle, Name-calling is the most obvious form of […]
New Baby
Dear Susan, I grew up in a family where my brother and I fought all the time. I have just discovered that I am expecting my second child, and I worry that the house could turn into a war zone of sibling rivalry, like my house was. My eldest child is a three-year-old girl and […]
Workplace Bully
Hello Susan, I am a professional woman in my early 50’s, working for a small non-profit agency here in London. I have worked at the same place for 11 years and have a good employment record. Last year, we got a new General Manager and since then my life has become a nightmare. She picks […]
First Crush
Dear Susan, I have an 11-year-old son already experiencing girl problems! He has his first girl friend. Initially we thought it was cute and teased him about it, but now it looks more serious. He walks her home every single day and has written her letters over the Internet, telling her how much he loves […]
Teens And Sleep
Dear Susan, Our son sleeps a lot. He is 16 and sometimes doesn’t wake up until 1pm on the weekends. Even on school mornings he is grouchy and difficult to wake up. I heard that people who are depressed sleep too much too, so this is a worry. He says that he is not depressed, […]
Divorce – Age 13
Dear Susan, I am 13 and my parents just told us that they are getting divorced. It is very tense in our house. My mother and me are moving out but my brothers are staying with my Dad. I don’t want to move, but I have no choice. I am going to have to go […]
Social Phobia
Dear Susan, I am a successful businessperson with a problem. Every Christmas season I feel very anxious about going to parties. I can’t avoid them because they are often client related, but I feel terribly nervous and can’t wait to leave. I usually don’t relax until I am home again. What can I do? MB […]
Guilty Parent
Dear Susan, I am leaving for University in another province later this week, and I hope that you can help me. My family has always been supportive, let me make my own mistakes, but been there for me when I have messed up. Since I made the decision to go away to school, they have […]