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Julie Answers: How do I cultivate skills and coping mechanisms to navigate my life’s stressors?
Paula’s question: I am a 55-year-old mother of three grown children. I work in the mental health field myself, and am familiar with trauma informed care and relate to its principles. I have been divorced from my children’s father for several years. Prior to the divorce, he spent many years depressed, substance addicted, and detached from the family. He refused to seek help no matter how much I begged him.
My daughters have taken on the role of caregivers in their relationship with him. They understand why I divorced him. But they also admit to having some resentment toward me over leaving the marriage and obligating them to take on that role. They are still grappling with the fact that he was emotionally absent for all of us long before the divorce.
I am in a relationship now with a man who is present and supportive to me and my children. My daughters struggle with letting him be a support for them. He wishes he could have a closer connection with them. It is painful for him to see the barriers they have put up, although he does understand their position.
I have insight into my guilt, trauma, and boundary issues. I have been in therapy before. I am currently having sleep/stress issues that are impacting my daily life. I feel like I…
