Irina Zhuravleva

Experiencing abuse and neglect as a child can leave you convinced that you must manage everyone’s emotions wherever you go. If your family is unhappy,...

The blunt truth is this: trying to force an emotionally avoidant person into full commitment is a losing strategy. Chasing someone who withdraws from intimacy...

Some of the messages that appear on my YouTube channel are fascinating — occasionally warm and thoughtful, and at other times they provoke a strong...

They walked away and left you feeling like you’ve been hit with emotional whiplash — one moment you were their closest confidant, the next you...

Avoidant men often project an image of being unbothered — composed, aloof, untouchable. Yet this apparent indifference is not strength; it’s avoidance rooted in fear:...

Grief isn’t reserved only for deaths. If your childhood was marked by trauma, grief can arrive when you finally grasp that the childhood you needed—more...

The most genuinely powerful people I’ve encountered were quietly kind. They weren’t trying to please everyone or easily pushed around. They were centered, direct, and...

Many people who have survived traumatic experiences end up surrounded by excess stuff, and because clutter can hold you back, it’s empowering when you find...

You were raised to believe that love equals betrayal, that being cheated on is commonplace, and that casual hookups are not only acceptable but safer...

They left without warmth. No tears. No memorable farewell. Just a wall of silence, blocks, unfollows, disappearance. It feels as if you never mattered. Your...

A few years back I asked Emily whether she had ever gone along with something sexual with me when she actually didn’t want to, and...

They didn’t capture you with grand vows; they held you captive with their absence. Not by what they offered, but by what they refused to...

There’s a common idea that people squander whatever they have in surplus — whether it’s food, money, time, or health. When something is plentiful, it’s...

Have you ever known you ought to do something—get to work on time, put away laundry, finish a creative piece, or even brush your teeth...

Here’s why a regular weekly check-in can be the thing that rescues your relationship: so often we shy away from the hard conversations. Especially men...

To be honest, I’m embarrassed when I look back at the times people treated me badly and, instead of removing myself from the situation, I...

Let’s be honest for a moment: being rejected hurts. It bites. Whether it’s a job you wanted, a friendship, or a relationship you invested in,...

May I offer a piece of advice? Don’t allow tenderness to fade from your partnership; don’t let romance fall by the wayside. You often don’t...

If adults you relied on betrayed you as a child, your sense of self-worth and personal boundaries can be so damaged that you become blind...

It’s heartbreaking when caregivers overlook a child whose need for affection, attention and safety is as vital as eating, breathing and drinking. If you grew...

You’ve endured enough silence in your life, haven’t you? That heavy, unsettling quiet that follows their disappearance — the rooms that still seem to echo...

Okay, correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems like when you constantly go out of your way for a partner who never returns the...

When I first began teaching about trauma, I never imagined that one of the most persistent, defining consequences of childhood abuse and neglect would also...

The early phase of a romantic relationship—especially after a long period of solitude or when you fear you may never be truly loved—can feel all-consuming....