Counseling offers a space to clarify your parental role, find comfort in your values, and build confidence in the choices you make for your family. When approached with intention, choosing Motherhood or Fatherhood—whether full‑time or alongside work—can be a profoundly empowering decision for the entire family.

Prioritizing parenthood over a professional career is not a step backward. It is a conscious act of stewardship. It strengthens attachment, reduces stress, and supports the mental and emotional well‑being of both parents and children. Feminist thought affirms that caregiving is labor, that raising children is a contribution to society, and that parents deserve respect—not judgment—for choosing the path that aligns with their values, capacities, and season of life.

A minimalist, intentional lifestyle—living within or below one’s financial means—can bring balance, stability, and freedom. Families have access to a range of supports that make this possible, including:

• Educational vouchers
• Homeschooling options
• Adult education and training opportunities

These choices allow families to design a life that reflects their priorities rather than external pressures.

The early years of a child’s development are deeply shaped by parental presence, attunement, and consistency. Many advocates support extended parental leave and supplemental government assistance for stay‑at‑home parents caring for young children. These policies honor the emotional, psychological, and developmental needs of children—and the right of families to choose what works best for them.

• Explore budgeting guidance such as Dave Ramsey’s “Budget Percentages Explained (2021 Edition)” and other financial tools.
• Contact your local school district to learn whether a school voucher is available to place your child in an environment aligned with your family values.
• Read Dr. Henry Cloud’s Raising Great Kids and other works on children, boundaries, and healthy development.
• Look into homeschooling resources that support both structure and flexibility.

If you live in a politically free and economically stable country such as the United States, you have access to a wide range of family and educational choices. Whether you choose homeschooling, a professional career, stay‑at‑home parenting, or a blend of these roles, it helps to remember a simple truth about life’s seasons:

“You can have it all, but not all at once.”

This is not a limitation—it’s an invitation to live with intention, clarity, and dignity, honoring the season you are in and the family you are building.

Identity exploration counseling offers a supportive place to understand who you are at your core. Many people arrive with the question “Who am I?”—and together, we explore the values, memories, relationships, and experiences that shape your sense of self.

Identity is both internal and social. It includes your personal values as well as aspects such as race, ethnicity, gender, sex, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, age, spirituality, nationality, and visible or invisible abilities. Questions or anxieties around identity often emerge during major life transitions, developmental stages, historical trauma, isolation, or emotional distress.

Respect for personal boundaries is essential. No one should feel pressured to disclose their religion, pronouns, last name, gender, or any other part of their identity. Your story is yours to share when you choose.

I offer counseling for individuals exploring gender identity—including adults who are transitioning or de‑transitioning—and guidance for children and parents navigating identity questions. While I do not support medical transition or hormone therapy for minors, I provide counseling, advocacy, and emotional support for families. 

Conversion therapy is widely recognized as harmful. It fractures identity, creates shame, and isolates individuals from themselves and their communities. My work focuses on healing the effects of alienation and supporting authentic self‑understanding.

I also provide resources for families seeking information about gender identity, child development, legal considerations, and support for LGBT and homeless youth.

Protecting children from sexualized or exploitative content is a core value in my practice. Public displays of nudity that children cannot avoid should be reported to ensure safety and accountability.

For adults exploring identity or transition, I encourage practices of self‑acceptance and self‑awareness as pathways to discovering your core self.

Every child deserves to learn in an environment where they feel safe, respected, and free to be themselves. Families deserve transparency. Educators deserve clarity. Communities deserve schools that protect children without stepping into roles that belong to parents.

This framework sits in the Peace and Justice section of my work because it is, at its core, a peace‑building and justice‑protecting philosophy. It teaches how to reduce conflict, prevent alienation, and create emotionally safe environments. It honors the dignity of every child and the authority of every family. And it holds institutions accountable in ways that strengthen—not fracture—communities.Peace is not passive. Justice is not abstract. Both are built through boundaries, transparency, and respect. 

This framework embodies those commitments.My work centers on restoring trust in schools by grounding them in four democratic principles: Freedom of Expression, No Secrets/No Sharing, Neutrality, and Safety First. These commitments ensure that students can explore who they are, families remain central in their children’s lives, and educators have clear boundaries that support—not replace—parental authority. 

This approach is practical, humane, and rooted in the belief that dignity and belonging are essential for learning. When schools honor these commitments, children thrive, families feel respected, and communities grow stronger.

Freedom of Expression protects a child’s right to show who they are—culturally, religiously, politically, or personally—within safe and respectful boundaries. Students may express themselves through clothing, language, identity, and personal style as long as it is non‑disruptive and non‑harmful. Teachers do not interfere with identity or expression; instead, they create space for curiosity, confidence, and belonging.

No Secrets/No Sharing strengthens trust by ensuring that teachers do not keep secrets from parents, do not manage a child’s identity, and do not gossip or speculate about private matters. Confidentiality is honored, but neutrality is maintained. Information is shared only when safety is at risk. This protects students, respects families, and keeps educators in their proper role.Neutrality keeps schools focused on education—not ideology, not politics, and not identity‑based persuasion. Staff remain neutral on political, religious, and identity issues, allowing students to explore ideas without pressure and ensuring that families remain the primary guides for values and beliefs. Neutrality protects diversity by welcoming every child, regardless of background.

Safety First is the one area where schools must act decisively. When a child is in danger—violence, abuse, neglect, drugs, exploitation, or self‑harm—adults have a legal and moral obligation to respond. Mandated reporting laws apply, and families are partners in the process. The goal is always protection, support, and connection.

Counseling is a key part of this peace‑and‑justice approach. It helps students, families, and educators understand and maintain healthy boundaries—boundaries that prevent harm, reduce confusion, and strengthen relationships. Counseling does not replace parents or direct a child’s identity. Instead, it provides clarity, emotional steadiness, and a shared language for navigating sensitive topics.

• A safe, neutral space to explore feelings, identity, stress, or confusion without pressure or persuasion.
• Support in expressing themselves respectfully and confidently.
• Guidance in understanding the difference between privacy and secrecy.
• Reinforcement that adults in their lives—both at home and at school—are partners, not competitors.

• Tools to support their child’s development while maintaining healthy authority.
• Clear explanations of school policies, rights, and boundaries.
• Support in communication, conflict resolution, and emotional connection.
• Assurance that they remain central in decisions about identity, values, and family culture.

• Clarity about professional boundaries and what belongs to families.
• Guidance on how to respond to disclosures without overstepping.
• Support in staying neutral, avoiding identity management, and maintaining trust.
• Understanding when to listen, when to refer, and when safety requires action.

Counseling becomes the bridge that keeps everyone aligned—students supported, parents informed, and teachers grounded in their role. It strengthens the entire framework by ensuring that dignity, belonging, and safety are upheld through clear, compassionate boundaries.

Unlike societies that control children or alienate them from their parents, we do not do that—and we should never do that in a democracy. Democratic schools honor family authority, student voice, transparency, and shared responsibility. They protect children without intruding into private family life. They teach, they safeguard, and they respect.

This framework keeps schools in their proper lane: education, safety, and respect. It strengthens families, protects children, and builds the kind of school culture every young person deserves. It is a commitment to dignity, belonging, and safety—values that form the foundation of a healthy, democratic, peaceful community.

My book I Want To Be Just Like My Daddy is a gentle, respectful resource that supports healthy gender identity development in children. Ten percent of all proceeds are used to purchase a copy for another child and family.

I Want To Be Just Like My Daddy   <iframe width="450" height="335" src="https://www.bookemon.com/book-embed/982125/want-to-be-just-like-my-daddy" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Quiero Ser Como Mi Papá   <iframe width="450" height="335" src="https://www.bookemon.com/book-embed/977053/quiero-ser-como-mi-pap%C3%A1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Counseling can help individuals and families make informed reproductive choices—whether deciding to have children while in school, living independently, or managing with a modest income. Loving a child does not depend on wealth, education, or owning a home.  More and more women are regretting not having a child and show signs of depression. 

While reproductive technologies exist, it is important to consider both the mental health and medical implications before using them. Counseling is available for anyone navigating pregnancy‑related concerns, choosing birth control, or exploring parenthood after trauma or difficult life experiences.

Pregnancy loss—through miscarriage, stillbirth, or other circumstances—can be deeply traumatic. Grief may include shock, guilt, sadness, and isolation, and these feelings can last long after the physical event. Support matters. Counseling and grief groups can help individuals and families prepare for healing and future pregnancies.

Abortion loss, whether due to medical necessity or personal decision, can bring complex emotions such as grief, guilt, anger, or depression. These feelings are real and deserve compassion. No one should be coerced into abortion or pressured to use reproductive technologies. Every person has the right to make decisions free from intimidation, shame, or mistreatment.

Healing often requires spaces that honor your experience—not political debate. Counseling and post‑abortion support groups can provide validation and care. Families experiencing abortion loss are encouraged to seek grief counseling before future pregnancies.

Children under 18 must be protected from incest, rape, and any resulting pregnancy or abortion. Teachers, healthcare providers, and counselors are mandated reporters and must take immediate action when such abuse is disclosed. Reporting ensures safety, legal protection, and access to resources for the minor involved.

Counseling offers a confidential, compassionate environment to process pregnancy loss, infant loss, or abortion‑related trauma. Up to 10 free sessions are available for individuals without insurance or financial means.

Clients are encouraged to consult medical professionals when considering birth control or medications, as some options carry significant risks. Ethical care requires transparency, informed consent, and respect for personal autonomy.

Choosing to have a baby is a healthy chose. Pregnancy Centers may assist with education, transportation, housing, and practical needs for those continuing a pregnancy. Linda is a nonviolent feminist counselor advocating for safety, dignity, and nonviolent reproductive rights.

Goodbye, Little Bird – A Story of Love, Loss, and Remembering   A gentle resource for families navigating pregnancy or sibling loss. https://www.bookemon.com/book_read_flip.php?s=1&book_id=1058461&check=19437cdd3c58231526199ecb309bd56aCo (bookemon.com in Bing)

Seeking counseling can be a powerful and stabilizing choice for anyone confronting injustice. Whether you are navigating discrimination, racism, sexism, hate crimes, family separation, harassment, or other forms of social harm, support gives you space to process what you’ve witnessed, strengthen your boundaries, and stay aligned with your values. Activism requires clarity, courage, and emotional steadiness—and counseling helps you maintain all three.

Activist burnout is real, and it often develops slowly. It can show up as exhaustion, irritability, loss of compassion, isolation, or a sense that nothing will ever change. You may find yourself withdrawing from loved ones, feeling overwhelmed by negativity, or losing sight of your original purpose. These reactions are not signs of weakness—they are signs that you’ve been carrying too much for too long.

Counseling offers a place to sort through these feelings, challenge distorted thinking patterns, and reconnect with your sense of meaning so you can continue your work without losing yourself in the process.

Working for justice requires a commitment to nonviolence and ethical behavior, even when emotions run high. One of the clearest examples of how grief can distort judgment is the Blue Eyes–Brown Eyes experiment.

When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in April 1968, the nation was shaken. His death created a wave of grief, fear, and anger—especially among those who believed deeply in his message of nonviolence and equality. In this climate of national trauma, a fourth‑grade teacher named Jane Elliott created the “Blue Eyes–Brown Eyes” exercise.

Her intention was to teach children about racism by dividing her class according to eye color and assigning superiority to one group and inferiority to the other. She encouraged children to treat each other differently based solely on this arbitrary trait. Although she believed she was teaching empathy, the method caused real psychological harm. Children were shamed, frightened, and turned against one another.

Her response to Dr. King’s death was driven by grief, but it crossed ethical boundaries. Instead of modeling Dr. King’s principles of dignity and nonviolence, the experiment recreated the very dynamics of oppression it claimed to expose. It stands as a reminder that harm cannot be used to teach justice, and that grief must never be channeled into cruelty—especially toward children.

Children learn justice through love, fairness, and compassion—not humiliation or fear.

Demonstrating responsibility for your behavior is essential in all forms of activism. It is never lawful to confront, threaten, or interfere with police or authorities.   This includes:

• not approaching officers aggressively
• not blocking police vehicles
• not driving toward police officers
• not driving toward or into moving police cars

These actions endanger everyone involved, escalate risk, and carry serious legal consequences. Nonviolence is not passivity—it is a disciplined, protective stance that keeps you, your community, and bystanders safe.

Anyone can cause or experience harm. Reporting crimes and abuses—regardless of who commits them—is essential for accountability and justice.

If you experience harm in public, at work, in school, or in your community, the safest response is to avoid violence whenever possible. Walk away, run away, protect children, and contact authorities. Self‑defense is appropriate only when responding to immediate danger, and even then, the goal is survival—not retaliation.

After any harmful incident, seeking medical, legal, psychological, or spiritual support helps you regain stability and ensures your rights are protected.

If you find it difficult to step away from harmful environments, you may be carrying guilt, shame, or fear that others won’t believe you. These feelings are common, but they do not define you. Counseling can help you identify what safety looks like, understand who you can trust, and rebuild your sense of agency.

Changing the world can feel overwhelming, especially when you witness suffering or injustice on a regular basis. But meaningful change rarely comes from dramatic gestures—it comes from consistent, nonviolent actions that strengthen families, classrooms, and communities.

You do not need to be Gandhi or Dr. King to make a difference. Every act of compassion, every refusal to participate in harm, and every moment of integrity contributes to a more just world.

Counseling supports you in staying grounded, purposeful, and emotionally resilient. It helps you hold onto your humanity while working for change, and it reminds you that your well‑being matters just as much as the causes you care about.

Delving into spirituality through counseling allows individuals not only to discover their unique path, but also to make conscious choices about engaging with respected spiritual teachings and communities. 

These journeys often include practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques, all set within a nurturing environment that fosters peace, respect for diversity, and the freedom of personal expression. Within these safe spaces, participants are encouraged to embrace autonomy, unity, compassion, inclusivity, acceptance, forgiveness, and—when it contributes to healing—reconciliation. 

Exploring the lives and wisdom of revered spiritual leaders—Jesus, Mother Teresa, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Thich Nhat Hanh, Mother Mary, Pope John XXIII, Mahatma Gandhi, among others—offers profound lessons in love, forgiveness, courage, integrity, empowerment, humility, and the deeper dimensions of the spiritual life. Their examples illuminate the practice of self-acceptance and the extension of love to others, whether that springs from faith in God, a higher power, or a commitment to universal values. 

Spirituality, at its heart, is a journey of compassion, authenticity, responsibility, and the ongoing quest for understanding and connection both within ourselves and with the world around us. 

Spiritual abuse: recognizing the signs and the role of separation in healing

Spiritual abuse, also known as religious abuse, involves using spiritual or religious beliefs to hurt, scare, or control someone. It can manifest as manipulation, exploitation, enforced accountability, censorship, coercion to conform, and isolation. 

Recognizing the signs of spiritual abuse

• Manipulation of beliefs: Abusers may twist religious teachings to control and manipulate others, using fear, guilt, or shame. For example, they might use scriptures out of context to justify their demands.
• Control of behavior: This can include dictating clothing, relationships, finances, parenting, or even thought processes, according to The Mend Project. A leader might tell you how to dress, who to befriend, or claim to have special divine knowledge about your life.
• Isolation and shame: Abusers often isolate victims from external support and information, creating dependence on the abuser for spiritual guidance and emotional support. They might criticize other belief systems, making the victim feel that their faith depends on adhering to the abuser's ideology. Victims may experience a chronic sense of inadequacy and shame for not living up to unrealistic expectations, leading to self-doubt and fear of abandonment.
• Fear of consequences: Victims may live in fear of spiritual or emotional harm, and even physical consequences if they don't comply with the abuser's demands. This can include threats of divine punishment, excommunication, or community rejection.
• Unrealistic expectations: Abusers may demand impossible achievements or unreasonable sacrifices, presenting them as tests of faith. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and reinforce the abuse.
• Gaslighting: This involves the abuser making the victim doubt their own perceptions and sanity, making it harder to recognize or address the abuse. 

The role of separation in healing

Separation from the abuser and the abusive environment can be a crucial step in the healing process. 

• Safety: Separation creates physical and emotional distance from the abuser, allowing the victim to feel safer and begin the healing process.
• Clarity: It provides space to reflect, think clearly, and evaluate the situation without the ongoing influence of the abuser, notes Dr. David Hawkins.
• Healing: Separation can help calm the nervous system and create an environment conducive to processing trauma and rebuilding a sense of self.
• Redefining spirituality: Leaving a toxic environment allows individuals to redefine their spirituality and beliefs on their own terms, seeking healthy, supportive communities or engaging in self-exploration. 

Healing from spiritual abuse

• Seek therapy and counseling: Working with a trauma-informed therapist is essential for processing the emotional damage caused by spiritual abuse. Helping therapies such as CBT.
• Find a supportive community: Whether within or outside of a faith context, connecting with a healthy and supportive community that offers love and acceptance can be incredibly healing.
• Self-care and mindfulness: Engaging in self-care routines, exercise, and mindfulness practices can help regulate the nervous system and promote physical and emotional well-being.
• Reclaiming autonomy and truth-telling: One key step in recovery is recognizing the abuse, understanding its dynamics, and sharing your story with safe individuals. This can be a powerful act of reclaiming agency and challenging the abuser's control. 

It is important to remember that healing is a process, not a linear journey, and it's okay to seek professional help and support. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (800-799-SAFE or text START to 88788) can provide support and resources. 

For additional information, consider the following resources: 

• Listen to Lisa A. Romano’s YouTube presentation, *Embracing the Validity of Our Thoughts and Feelings*. 
• View *How Narcissists Spread Spiritual Disease* by The Royal We on YouTube. 
• Professional counseling can offer individuals and families a supportive environment to explore concepts of safety, identify trustworthy individuals, and learn methods to protect oneself and others. 
• For further understanding, view the YouTube video *What is a Cult and How Does it Work?* by Margaret Singer, published by the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) on October 12, 2014. 
• It is also advisable to attend professional development events, such as *How to Integrate Spirituality and Psychotherapy in Clinical Practice*, presented by Donald Meichenbaum, PhD., and sponsored by CE-Go. This presentation promotes the integration of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation when appropriate. 
• To gain insight into loving behaviour and the process of reconciliation, listen to Thich Nhat Hanh’s audio works, *Reconciliation* and *Transforming Suffering* (2022, Audio Buddha). 
• Additionally, for a scholarly perspective on forgiveness and collective responsibility, refer to *Forgiveness and Collective Guilt Assignment to Historical Perpetrator Groups Depend on Level of Social Category Inclusiveness* by Michael Wohl and Nyla Branscombe. 
• TheMendProject Https://themendproject.com › spiritual-abuse

Counseling helps us find clarity and purpose, and my own understanding of purpose is rooted in the stories of my family. My mother’s cousins grew up in Puerto Rico in the 1930s and 40s, living in simple wooden homes without electricity or running water. Yet their lives were filled with hope, dignity, and love.

As opportunities expanded in the 1950s through the 1970s, many—including my relatives—rose into financial stability. My great uncle Bado worked the land with devotion, while my great aunt, Tia Carmen, a proud Taíno woman, devoted herself to raising her children and healing from historical trauma. Counseling helped her make sense of early losses, and her belief in emotional healing shaped the generations that followed. Three of her children became social workers, and another built a thriving business. Her love planted “the seed of purpose” in all of us.

My family’s roots stretch back to Spanish and French ancestors who settled in Puerto Rico in the 1600s, joining immigrants from more than fifty nations. Though materially “poor,” they lived with abundance of spirit—proving that true wealth is found in safety, love, and having one’s basic needs met.

Today, we benefit from their endurance, faith, and sacrifices. Their resilience inspires my work as a trauma therapist and grief counselor, and it reminds us all to honor the past as we shape the future.

Puerto Rican identity is beautifully complex—woven from White European, Black African, Taíno Indigenous, biracial, tri racial, and multiethnic lineages. Puerto Rican is a nationality, not a race, and the island holds communities from all these backgrounds. Children of these unions may identify in many ways, but above all, they are Puerto Rican.

To explore Puerto Rican culture and the respect we share for one another, enjoy performances such as:

• Baile Cultura Puerto Rico – Felix Jose
• Bomba Eh – Atencion Atencion (children’s songs)
• Puerto Rico is Music (children dancing bomba)
• Gíbaro de Puerto Rico – Karaskatiski
• Bomba Puertorriqueña para tu boda
• Semana de la Puertorriqueñidad – Baile en Puerto Rico
• History of Bomba PR – Music of the Americas

Puerto Rico consistently ranks among the happiest places in the world. True identity flourishes when we embrace every part of our story—our heritage, our challenges, and our hopes. Celebrate who you are, and honor every thread that makes you whole.

Counseling offers a safe space to examine the financial beliefs you’ve inherited—beliefs that may quietly shape how you view money, success, and possibility. When you release harmful narratives like the “poverty mentality,” you open the door to stability, confidence, and financial wellness.

Poverty is often defined as a lack of resources, but the deeper issue is systemic alienation: institutions that enforce failure, deny dignity, and normalize exclusion. This alienation is not only imposed from the outside—it is often reproduced within schools, agencies, and communities themselves.

Children in unsafe poverty are not failing because of lack of intelligence. They are failed by systems that expect little, tolerate unsafe housing, and normalize violence. When children move into environments that insist on success, they thrive. Poverty does not predetermine failure—alienation does.

Safe Poverty   – Basic needs met – Housing secure – Communities peaceful – Families retain agency – Simplicity chosen, not imposed

Unsafe Poverty   – Unsafe housing – Violence tolerated – Schools enforce low expectations – Children denied dignity and opportunity

Sometimes exclusion is real; sometimes it is perceived. When people internalize narratives of oppression—whether imposed or imagined—they may withdraw, limit themselves, or adopt an outsider identity. The psychological impact is real even when the external force is not. Alienation, not scarcity, is the true danger.

Adults who grew up in alienating systems may unconsciously reproduce them. Schools may reward compliance over transformation. Leaders may confuse abuse with “toughness.” Systems may pressure insiders to maintain the status quo. These patterns keep communities trapped in cycles of failure.

Policing carries both protection and paradox. Many officers risk their lives to keep communities safe, yet institutional pressures, fear, and mistrust can distort their role. To honor the complexity, we must acknowledge both the safety police provide and the ways broader systems can turn protectors into instruments of alienation.

Naming harm clearly—without euphemism—restores dignity. When communities reject gaslighting and speak truth, they reclaim belonging. Systemic alienation is not natural; it is manufactured. And it can be dismantled.

Financial wellness begins with meeting essential needs—food, shelter, rest, healthcare, education, and meaningful work. When safety is out of reach, community resources should be accessible until stability is restored.

Practical steps include: – Letting go of shame – Creating a weekly budget – Building an emergency fund – Living within or below your means – Saving regularly – Reducing debt – Planning for retirement – Respecting wealth rather than resenting it – Giving back when able

Your mindset matters. You can rewrite your financial story.

Minimalism is not poverty—it is intentional living. It means focusing on what matters: your children, your creativity, your work, your well‑being. Decluttering your home and mind reduces stress, saves money, and increases time for what you love. Minimalism brings clarity, freedom, and peace.

“I appreciate money. I welcome it into my life and use it thoughtfully and responsibly. Money moves freely through my hands—I send it out with gratitude and it returns to me multiplied. Abundance flows to me in generous waves, and I use my resources for good.” — Linda Diaz

Addiction is the condition in which a person becomes dependent on a particular substance and/or activity and/or failure and/or other person's mind control-Alienation.

There are numerous reasons why individuals turn to substances or certain behaviors for relief. Some of the most common include:

· Escaping trauma and effects such as alienation trauma, domestic violence, or child abuse

· Coping with pain and grief

· Seeking pleasure and euphoria

· Peer pressure and social influences

· Managing mental distress or illness

· Curiosity and experimentation, sometimes encouraged or accepted by society

· Genetic and biological factors

· Lack of guidance or education

· Dealing with aging and life transitions

Many substances and behaviors can become addictive and harmful, including:

· Prescription drugs

· Street drugs

· Alcohol

· Virtue Signaling (all talk and no action)

· Cigarettes and vaping

· Hallucinogens

· Self Injurious behavior

· Marijuana

· Exercise

· Illegal behavior 

· gambling

· Activism, violence, or hatred

· Athletics 

· Illegal behavior

· Gambling

· People Pleasing

· behaviors such as sex, pornography, or fantasy

How can addiction be identified?

Indicators may consist of impaired self-regulation, recurrent engagement in harmful or maladaptive behaviors despite available alternatives, progressive increases in substance or alcohol use, development of tolerance, and the manifestation of withdrawal symptoms when abstaining from the substance or activity.

Relapse Prevention

· Seek guidance or support from your higher power, faith, or spiritual practices.

· Prepare an emergency contact list of trusted individuals and safe locations, including your sponsor and counselor, to reach out to when necessary.

· Identify personal triggers, such as past experiences of childhood abuse or parental alienation.

· Practice breathing techniques or mindfulness meditation to promote emotional regulation.

· Engage in self-care activities, for example, spending time in nature, staying hydrated, praying, or expressing creativity through drawing.

· Get therapy with an educated therapist who understands addiction, attachment and alienation (negative voices who want you to fail)

WATCH 3 Blocks to Narcissistic Abuse Recovery (w/advise for the therapist), by Richard Grannon

WATCH The Cure Complex: How treatment systems keep people trapped in cycles of dependency, by John Medina Jr, Represent Justice 

WATCH What's Wrong with Marijuana? 5 minute videos w/ PragerU and Dr. Drew 

Father and son said, "Attending therapy helped us feel as if we had built a kaleidoscope as the animals and insects in the story had done after the storm. 

We have picked up the pieces of broken glass, built our kaleidoscope and saw a new way to care for ourselves by attending another school which encouraged success (many schools deliberately encourage failure for more gov money and to create dependency on gov resources throughout your life), nonviolence (as opposed to encouraging and ignoring violence, bullying and hatred) and respect for parental rights (not creating parental and family alienation) and help to see opportunities to move on with our lives."  

-Grady and Jamal

I realized in therapy, "I may be wounded like the wounded yellow butterfly, but I too can still fly even after the domestic and sexual abuse. I found that once I redefined the language that kept me stuck in the Self Blame/Guilt and Shame Cycle after abuse,  I was able to heal and protect myself.  I stopped believing I was 'guilty' for a crime I did not commit.  I learned to redefine the term 'guilt' as a legal term reserved for the perpetrator of abuse or a crime and not about me at all. 

I began to understand trauma bonding/Stockholm Syndrome and Narcissistic abuse and how this affected me, made me defend and return to my abuser. I also learned to use a Venn Diagram to show when a problem is mine, when a problem belongs to someone else, and when a problem belongs to me and another person. 

After learning whose problem it was, I was able to defend and protect myself and my children by calling the police.  I had been afraid my abuser would act out toward the police too and go to jail and it would be my fault, if my abuser got hurt or went to jail.  In reality everyone is responsible for themselves and the consequences that follow." - Anya

"Therapy helped me find peace and love living in two homes just like the butterfly, the animals and insects rebuilt and found peace in their garden." -Rachel

"Losing my pet was like going through the terrible storm like in the story, The Wounded Yellow Butterfly.  But I feel better today. Therapy helped me through the sad days and to remember the happy days just like the garden insects and animals remembered things in the past and look to the future." - Christina 

**“Therapy helped me understand that I am worthy of love and possess an inherent value that my childhood never reflected. Even after enduring neglect and abuse from parents who chose not to heal, I learned to forgive.

Today, I am surrounded by a new family, and each morning feels like a fresh beginning—like a once‑wounded yellow butterfly finding safety among rainbow‑colored butterflies and a nurturing bird family. I, too, have been given a second chance at life.”** – Tommy

**“Therapy helped me see that much of my grief came from the pain of my adoption. My name was changed, and poverty separated me from my biological mother, even though financial sponsorship could have kept us together.

I never stopped saying, ‘I love my mother and want to return to her.’ My hope remains that one day I will find her. I share my story for others who long to rebuild after loss—just as the animals and insects rebuilt their world after a terrible storm.”** – Jada

**“Counseling gave me the space to express my sorrow and anger about being adopted. I believe I could have stayed with my mother if she had been supported instead of abandoned because she was poor. Instead of helping her become self‑sufficient, the world forced her to give me up so I could survive.

Losing my Indian name was deeply painful, and being ‘granted permission’ to reconnect with my biological mother felt like another wound. Today, I am reunited with my original family, just as the creatures of the garden found each other after the storm. I have reclaimed my Indigenous name—and with it, my sense of self.”** – Zyana

Across Central and Latin America, mothers in counseling have shared painful accounts from recent decades: infants and children kidnapped, sold for organs, or placed into adoption for profit while governments looked away. In response, some communities have taken extraordinary measures to protect their children, even restricting entry to outsiders—including police—to prevent further kidnappings and illegal adoptions.

For further reflection: 

– The Unacknowledged Grief and Adoption – The Ollie Foundation – Supreme Court Favors Law That Keeps Native American Children… – ABC News – Supreme Court Preserves Indian Child Welfare Act – 9News

“Therapy taught me how to feel safe again.”   My name is Manuel, and this is my journey.

I am from Guatemala, where violence and fear shaped our daily lives. Gang members controlled the towns where my parents worked. They threatened us, forbade my parents from traveling to their jobs, and one day came to our home and beat my brother and me. We loved our country, but we could not protect ourselves from the violence around us.

The attack left me with a brain injury. I remember walking to the store and seeing bodies on the ground. Even the police were too afraid to help. In Guatemala, gangs kill judges, police officers, and their families. Corrupt politicians imprison opponents and attack their loved ones. Many good people long for a safer, more democratic country.

In 2017, at the Mexico–US border, my father and I were separated. I was taken from his arms, placed in a van, and brought to a stranger’s home. I couldn’t eat or sleep. Nightmares replayed the moment I lost him. For months, I lived with little food, a thin blanket, and people who yelled at me for crying.

Over time, I began to believe my foster parents were my real family. They told me my father was dead. I didn’t know he was actually in jail for crossing the border with me. When we were finally reunited, I didn’t recognize him. Only after seeing photos of my family and my old toys did my memories begin to return.

In counseling, I learned how trauma can distort reality. Slowly, my true memories resurfaced, and I remembered my life before the separation.

Even after reuniting, fear followed me. I screamed at the sight of police, hid behind cars, and sometimes ran from my father. School was difficult—I couldn’t concentrate, cried often, and was bullied by older boys. I felt lost, scared, and unable to defend myself.

Today, my family and I are safer and healing, even though the scars of the past remain. We understand the risks we took entering the U.S. illegally, and we have forgiven those who hurt us. In our new town, we deeply respect the police—people who truly protect others, so different from what we knew in Guatemala. We pray that all officers everywhere find the courage to stand up to violence.

We are moving forward with hope, grateful for the chance to build a safer, brighter life as Americans. —Manuel