Psychologist Prachi Agrawal The fear that becoming healthier means becoming alone There is a particular fear that can make healing feel complicated: “What if I become healthier and the people I love no longer need me?” Perhaps your friendships were built around late-night conversations about the same struggles. Perhaps you became the person everyone called when things fell apart. Maybe your relationship has always revolved around rescuing, reassuring, fixing, or being needed. And somewhere...

When Knowing Why Isn’t the Same as Knowing How to Change By Psychologist Prachi Agrawal “I already know why I behave this way.” “I know I have an anxious attachment style.” “I understand that my childhood affected me.” “I know I overthink because I’m afraid of getting things wrong.” “I’ve read about my defense mechanisms. I know exactly what I’m doing.” I hear versions of these statements quite often. And sometimes, they come from people who are remarkably self-aware. They can describe their...

You are more than what happened to you. By Psychologist Prachi Agrawal There is a particular fear about healing that we don’t always talk about. It sounds something like: “If I heal, will I still be me?” For some people, pain has been present for so long that it has become intertwined with their identity. Their sensitivity may have grown from being hurt. Their empathy may have come from knowing what it feels like to be misunderstood. Their creativity may have been an escape during difficult...