Cynthia Finefrock

You can't convince anyone to seek help, unfortunately. It has to be her decision. You could, however, have a candid and caring talk with your mother to express your concerns to her and to check in on how she is feeling. At the root of OCD can be feelings of helplessness, unsafety, and aloneness... more

Communication is so helpful when it comes to situations like these. As partners, you will often find that your assumptions are not actually obvious expectations. What makes it more challenging is that we don't often know what our assumptions are until life happens and we realize the need for... more

What do you think is at the root of your impostor syndrome? In my work with clients with ADHD, autism, giftedness, and performance anxiety, I notice that there are commonalities in reasons for impostor syndrome, like perfectionism, low self-esteem, internalized ableism, trauma history, or masking... more

It sounds like your partner is avoiding you by dismissing your feelings. I'm wondering what is at the root of his discomfort. Couples counseling to teach intentional and effective communication would be a helpful next step. Psychoeducation for your partner to learn about mental health and depression... more

Hi, please be assured that there is nothing wrong with you, though your experience feels distressing. Your brain simply works differently, which is called neurodiversity. Neurodiversity is a neurological / neurodevelopmental difference in brain function. There are many reasons why you could react to... more

The fact that you never get around to it shows that you are avoiding dealing with those feelings for some reason. Therefore, there are some questions you could ask yourself: How is this belief of worthlessness serving you? What do you fear about confronting this belief? Do you fear that this belief... more

It sounds like this situation is very traumatic for you, and I wish it were not so. When you say verbal abuse, do you mean name-calling, demeaning, shaming, dehumanizing, manipulating, gaslighting, condescending, Etc.?There are two definitions of abuse in the psychotherapeutic world: The legal term... more

While I cannot diagnose you, as you are not my client, I would say those are definite warning signs. Anorexia can go undiagnosed, especially if the individual tries to hide their behaviors or manages to remain functional or at a barely sufficient weight. A crucial question to ask yourself is why you... more

Hi! My name's Cindy. I'm not a psychologist, but I am a pre-licensed professional counselor. I can share with you some details about my college experience and afterward. I attended Texas Woman's University, earning a Master of Science in Counseling & Development with an emphasis on Clinical... more

No, you don't have too many issues for counseling; that's what counseling is here for! Now, you may need multiple therapeutic supports, unless you find a counselor who specializes in all of the concerns you have. Often, mental health treatment is a collaborative effort. So for example, you might... more

Oh no, you are not a sociopath for struggling with this. The difficulty in feeling, understanding, and communicating your emotions is called alexithymia, and it can be caused by trauma. Additionally, emotional suppression, dissociation from self, and repression of memories can all contribute to the... more

Solemnity for your loss. There may be free counseling services in your area. I would recommend researching nonprofit organizations near you. I wonder if there could be free grief support groups online or at churches near you. Take care of yourself, and reach out to others for support when you need... more

Hi, this sounds like a very confusing and painful experience. It may help to conceptualize your experience as grief and trauma. Your mother is failing to perceive reality accurately because of her condition, and it sounds like she is responding in an uncharacteristic way. This causes you to question... more

I'm sorry that others labeled you and caused you to feel confused. Sometimes, people do this with the intention of trying to give a person permission to express themselves; but it becomes problematic when people think they know your experience better than you. There is pressure to either extreme in... more

Hi, I work with individuals living with autism and trauma. Autism is highly heritable, so if the child is autistic, there is a significant chance the parent will be as well. Or, the parent could have another form of neurodivergence such as ADHD, OCD, etc. Complex trauma compounds the situation, as... more