Helen Dempsey-Henofer LCSW, ADHD-CCSP

If you're an adult who's long felt you had to be responsible for your parents feelings... If your parent tends to not apologize when they've acted cruelly, called you "too sensitive" and ignored your feelings... all the while seeming to expect you to treat them as though they were stable and safe. You should know: Healthy attachment is not automatic, and it is not guaranteed by biology. Children with emotionally intelligent parents have a privilege that is often not talked about: secure...

Some of the hardest moments in life aren’t about what’s happening around us, but what’s happening inside of us when we believe we don’t belong. Exclusion—whether explicit or subtle, social or internalized—can leave deep marks on mental health and relationships. To explore this, let’s look at three people who might never meet, but who each know what it feels like to be on the outside looking in. Three Experiences of Difference A Bisexual Mom at the Playground She pushes her child on the swing,...

Is it trauma, neurodivergence, or both? Learn how hypervigilance, sensitivity, and social discomfort overlap—and why a neurodivergent-affirming approach to trauma recovery leads to more effective healing.