Is Everyone Toxic, or Are We Just Tired of Being Uncomfortable?

Is Everyone Toxic, or Are We Just Tired of Being Uncomfortable?

“I cut off my mom and I’ve never felt better.”

Statements like this are common on social media—and they’re often met with applause. In a culture increasingly fluent in therapy-speak, cutting people off is being reframed as empowerment. But as a systems-based therapist, I can’t help but wonder: Are we building emotional safety, or simply avoiding discomfort?

The term “toxic” has become a vague stand-in for anyone who challenges us, annoys us, or doesn’t validate us—and the result is a growing tendency to sever relationships rather than repair them. While there are absolutely times when stepping away is necessary, especially in cases of abuse or harm, I worry that this broader cultural shift may be leading us toward isolation, emotional fragility, and a diminished tolerance for difference.

What happens when we stop working through conflict—and simply walk away?

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Beyond Labels: Understanding Attachment Styles Through a Social Construction Lens

Beyond Labels: Understanding Attachment Styles Through a Social Construction Lens

If you’ve ever labeled yourself “anxious” or “avoidant,” you’re not alone — attachment styles are everywhere. But they’re more than just personality quizzes. Through a social construction lens, we explore how your attachment patterns are shaped in context — by relationships, culture, trauma, and experience — and how they can evolve. You’re not stuck. You’re shaped by connection, and capable of building new ones.

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Loving Too Hard? How Over-Nurturing Can Undermine Your Partner’s Growth

Loving Too Hard? How Over-Nurturing Can Undermine Your Partner’s Growth

When caring turns into over-functioning, we risk creating imbalance in our relationships. This blog explores how over-nurturing—though well-intentioned—can lead to partner infantilization, fostering dependence rather than growth. From cleaning up after your partner to managing their schedule, these patterns often stem from anxiety and a desire to help. Learn how trust, vulnerability, and system awareness can restore balance and strengthen your connection.

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When Anxiety Picks a Fight: How Hidden Worries Show Up in Our Relationships

When Anxiety Picks a Fight: How Hidden Worries Show Up in Our Relationships

Struggling with anxiety in your relationship? Learn how anxiety can manifest as irritability, impatience, or conflict, and discover practical tools for self-awareness, communication, and emotional regulation. Strengthen trust with your partner by taking ownership of your feelings. Read more to explore how therapy or coaching can help.

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