Q: My mother has been an alcoholic for 20 years or so, and she’s been an abuser of prescription medication for about 10 years. She’s in various stages of recovery for these addictions. I believe she does not drink any longer, but I have my suspicions regarding her medication regiment. Since she’s on such a [...]

Q: I’m 16 and my parents are separated. I live with my mom for half of the week and the other half is with dad. There have been some situations where they each guide me in different directions. Who should I listen to? I get really confused when each one gives me different advice. A: [...]

Q: My parents would fight every night when I was younger. I would fall asleep to their screaming and, when I woke up, I would throw up. That is how my body deals with stress. At the age of six, I was sent to multiple psychologists who never really got through to me. My dad [...]

Q: When is it okay to lie to a patient? I have a friend who has a three-year-old son with a woman whom he dated very briefly. For 3 1/2 years she tried to make him marry her. She lied to everyone, pretending that they were together, deluding herself and others; she attempted to manipulate [...]

Q: I’m 46 and have six kids (ages 11 to 24) from my first marriage. My husband of seven years is 60 and has adult children. He is self-employed but contributes nothing financially. I’m self-employed (in a physically labor-intensive job) and I pay all the expenses by means of my income, child support and small [...]

Q: I am a single, 49-year-old woman. I know that I shouldn’t ask this but I feel so abandoned by my parents. Is it bad that I ask them for more attention? I am the oldest child of three. I’ve always been a model daughter and have never given my parents any kind of problem. [...]

Q: Is it appropriate for a biological father (an affectionate/friendly man) to stroke/fondle his 13-year-old daughter’s buttocks while walking or while she is sitting on his lap (at his request)? A: My first response would be no. I am trying to think of an occasion, or a culture, or an extenuating circumstance in which that [...]