Irina Zhuravleva

Children are remarkably skilled at stitching together a story that allows a parent to be both loving and hurtful at the same time — to...

Some people are utterly unsure what is acceptable to say or do in front of their children when parents behave without boundaries — parading around...

Okay—this video aims to explain why an avoidant partner might shut down during an argument, how you can respond in those moments, and what steps...

Hey — let’s unpack a couple of double standards, one common among men and one among women, so no one gets singled out. Men, take...

Why do people who watched children being harmed almost never step forward to admit they knew or to apologize for failing to protect them? Why...

Hey — can you help me with how we handle conflict? What do you mean? Well, when I’ve tried to mention things before, it often...

Why is it that when he withdraws you instinctively squeeze tighter? Why does his silence sometimes feel oddly familiar or even comforting? Here’s the uncomfortable...

Remember: the only true way out of a relationship with a narcissist is to leave. Staying brings no real gain — your needs will remain...

Listen: avoidant people aren’t terrified of love itself — they’re terrified of investing their heart in the wrong person for years. Too often they’re mislabeled...

If as a child you had to take on the responsibilities of an adult, that was emotional neglect—plain and simple. You were forced into a...

Why isn’t saying “I forgive you” enough to simply move forward? People often tell themselves that the past is behind them and that forgiveness should...

There’s something many people won’t tell you: the usual personal development playbook—the books, workshops, courses, step-by-step strategies—often falls flat for people who carry trauma. It’s...

Roughly one out of every three people — and a far larger portion among younger folks — report feeling so overwhelmed by stress that most...

Every avoidant falls somewhere along five distinct stages. You can actually figure out which stage you’re dealing with by listening to the reasons they give...

You don’t have to express gratitude for things people are simply expected to do — that seems reasonable, right? The trouble with that line of...

Have you ever wondered how people with a dismissive-avoidant attachment style change as they grow older? Do they mellow and become more open-hearted with time,...

Here’s a practical tip many of us forget: you cannot truly resolve conflict with someone who is emotionally immature. Picture this — they do something...

Quick quiz: do you have to be psychic to be in tune with her? No — but you do need to be proactive about recognizing...

If you’re using psychological terminology to excuse sneaking around, attempting to undermine other people’s relationships, and deceiving those who care about you — and then...

It’s obvious to avoid people who have betrayed you and sucked away the love you once felt, but sometimes there are reasons to pause before...

There’s a psychological label for the pattern of constantly privileging someone else’s needs over your own: you prioritize the ways they feel loved, you dodge...

Sometimes people fling the word “privilege” like an accusation — a put-down that lets the accuser feel morally superior and even use shame to discredit...

Listen: marriage can sometimes feel even more isolating than single life, and it’s easy to be swept up in the emotions of the wedding day....

If the grown-ups around you ignored you as a child—if they were neglectful, brushed you off, or simply absent—you might still carry the experience of...