Q: For years I have suspected that I may have been sexually abused as a young child. I am 20 years old now. I am my mother’s only child. My father left when I was two and a half years old. Six months after my Dad left, my Mum met a man who was working [...]

Q: My 10-year-old stepson nibbles on my shirt and so does my 8-year-old stepdaughter. Is that normal behavior? They don’t break skin, they just nibble the front, shoulders and sleeves of the shirt. A: There could be a few different reasons underlying this behavior, or it could be something that is resolved as the kids [...]

Q: I grew up an extremely shy kid. I was an only child and lived in a big house in the woods with very busy parents. My parents were wonderful, but didn’t communicate well, didn’t show emotions, and had really high expectations. Growing up, I had very few friends and very little to no social [...]

Q: I’m 18 years old and I have never slept in a bedroom by myself. I’m terrified to death of the dark and even if I could make peace with the dark, I couldn’t bear to sleep by myself. I will turn 19 soon and it has taken me a long time to admit that [...]

Q: I am the worried mother of a five-year-old boy who is a very picky eater. Why are some children picky eaters? How can I help my son to be more open-minded when it comes to food? A: Picky eaters, yes! As a mother I can commiserate about how bothersome this can be. The short [...]

Q: I grew up in a dysfunctional home. My mother left when I was four. I was raped when I was seven. My father was an alcoholic. I have been married twice. I now am married to a great guy. I have three wonderful children. About three years ago we were having problems, and I [...]

Q: When I write I can’t see words in my mind’s eye. I use a dictionary constantly. I can’t chat online because the stress debilitates me to the point where I can’t spell the word “run” or even know what letter it begins with. I try to sound the word out with my mouth but [...]