Peeling back the layers to take a peek at the writer behind the words. — by: E.B. Johnson As a writer and a coach, I spend a lot of time on this platform talking about mental health, family trauma, and what it takes to build a good life for yourself. I’ve talked a lot about my trauma and my experiences with narcissistic family, but I…

Lessons in life, love, loss, and what it means to be betrayed by the people who you love most. — by E.B. Johnson When I launched my narcissistic abuse recovery program a year ago, I thought I had a lot to teach the world about narcissists and the families that they build. Having experienced narcissistic abuse at the hands of my mother, I have an intimate knowledge of how this…

Coming to terms with a life lived unloved by the ghost of a woman who never was. — Please Note: Some names have been changed to protect the anonymity of individuals both living and deceased. by: E.B. Johnson The day I found my mother’s psychiatric medication is a day that saved my life. Sneaking into my mother’s bedroom had always been a sin, but it became a capital…

The excuses aren’t getting us anywhere anymore. It’s time to admit that our parents knew what they were doing. — One of the biggest sins in this world is the free pass that is handed to parents. Without so much as a second glance, we allow them to explain away the lifelong trauma they inflict on their children with a shrug and a “I didn’t know what I was doing.”…

To break the patterns and prevent the meltdowns, you must first understand why you feel the need to rip yourself apart. — By the time I was in my mid-20s, I had made my way through half-a-dozen best friends. We would be close, close, close for years, and then a major line would get crossed and I would have to walk away. I couldn’t understand why so many people I loved kept…

It’s a currency more valuable than gold. If you were lucky enough to have good parents, you’re miles ahead of the rest of us. — There is a lot of privilege in this world. There is socio-economic privilege, in which those with greater wealth or influence have more access to everything, from healthcare and job opportunities to self-exploration and travel. There’s racial privilege, in which those who racially sit at the top of a skewed…

Have you ever wondered how different you would be if your childhood had been better? This may be your answer. — Who would you be if your childhood had been ideal? If there had been hugs instead of screaming? If there had been compassion instead of annoyance or anger? Do you think you would be a different person if your parents had treated you like a priority, instead of an inconvenience…

Spotting the signs of someone who is cutting their ties. — Is a silence creeping into your relationship? Is there a coldness there you haven’t felt before? There is nothing more empty or alarming than a sudden, quiet shift in your romantic relationship. What once felt so stable and supportive and suddenly become the biggest source of insecurity in your life…