#Resolve conflicts in relationships

[atreef]

Strengthening Bonds: The Essential Role of Couples Therapy in Nurturing Healthy Relationships

Recognizing the Right Time for Couples Therapy: Key Indicators

Deciding to start couples therapy is a big step in nurturing and preserving the health of your relationship. It's not just remedy for crisis; it's a proactive measure to deepen your understanding and connection. Here is key indicators that might be time to consider couples therapy:

Communication Breakdown: If you find conversations often turn into arguments, or there's a pervasive silence and avoidance of discussion, it's sign that communication has broken down. Therapy can help rebuild these communication channels in a healthy and effective way.

Recurring Conflicts: Every couple has disagreements, but if you' re stuck in a loop of the same arguments without resolution, it might be time to seek external support. Therapy can provide you new perspectives and strategies to break the cycle of conflict.

Emotional Distance: Feeling emotionally disconnected, distant from your partner is a red flag. If you're struggling to feel close or understood with your partner, therapycan help bridge this gap.

Trust Issues: Trust is the foundation of relationship. If there have been breaches of trust, such as infidelity and/or dishonesty, therapy can be crucial addressing the root causes and rebuilding trust.

Major Life Changes: Significant life events like the birth of child, career change, or loss can put stress on relationship. Couples therapy can help you navigate changes together, ensuring they strengthen rather than strain bonds.

Intimacy Concerns: If there are issues in your sexual relationship, whether it's mismatch in libido, sexual dissatisfaction, or concerns, therapy can provide safe space to address sensitive topics.

Considering Separation: If you're contemplating separation or/and divorce, couples therapy can be a crucial step. It can either help you repair the relationship, if separation is the best course, assist in managing it in healthy, respectful way.

Feeling Stuck or Unhappy: Sometimes, you might not have a specific issue, but there's general feeling of unhappiness or being stuck. Therapy can help identify underlying issues and work towards a fulfilling relationship.

Impact on Other Areas of Life: If relationship issues are affecting your work, health, or other aspects of life, it's clear sign that professional help might be needed.

Desire for Growth: Even if your relationship is healthy, therapy can be beneficial. It's a proactive way in deepen connection and ensure the longevity of partnership.

Why Couples Therapy is Important: Understanding Its Transformative Power

In our relationships, couples therapy is a vital thread, weaving strength and resilience into partnerships. It's more than just remedy; it's a proactive step towards a fulfilling healthy relationship. Here's a detailed exploration of why couples therapy is not just beneficial but essential:

Fostering Communication: One of the bases of a robust relationship is effective communication. Couples therapy provides a platform to learn and practice healthy communication skills. It's about understanding not how to talk, but to listen, interpret, and respond. In therapy, couples learn to express themselves clearly and listen empathetically, leading to deeper understanding of each other's needs and/or perspectives.

Resolving Conflicts Constructively: Conflict is an inevitable part of relationship, but it doesn't have to lead in damage. Couples therapy teaches partners how to manage disagreements constructively. It's about finding common grounds, respecting differences, and working towards solutions that consider both viewpoints. This approach transforms conflicts into opportunities for growth/understanding.

Rekindling Intimacy and Connection: Over time, the initial spark in relationship can dim, making ways for routine. Couples therapy helps reignite the flame of intimacy / connection. It's a space to explore emotional and physical needs, address barriers in intimacy, and rediscover the joy of being together. This renewed connection strengthens the bond and enhances the overall quality of relationship.

Navigating Life Transitions: Life is a constant change, and transitions can strain relationships. Whether it's career changes, parenthood, or aging, couples therapy provides guidance and support. It helps partners navigate these changes, maintaining strong bond and mutual support system through life.

Healing and Forgiveness: Past and unresolved issues can cast shadows over relationship. Couples therapy offers a path to healing / forgiveness. It's a process of understanding, acknowledging pain, working towards forgiveness. This journey can be transformative, allowing couples to move forward without burden of past grievances.

Personal Growth and Self-Understanding: Couples therapy isn't just about the relationship; it's also about growth. It offers a mirror to understand you better - your motivations, fears, and patterns. This self-awareness is invaluable, leading to growth that benefits you and the relationship.

Preventing Small Issues from Becoming Major Problems: Often, small irritations and misunderstandings can escalate into significant issues if not addressed. Couples therapy provides a proactive approach in dealing with these minor problems before they become major. It's about seeing potential issues, ensuring they don't erode your relationship's foundation.

Building a Shared Vision and Purpose: A thriving relationship is more than just coexisting; it's about sharing a vision / purpose. Couples therapy helps partners align their goals / dreams, creating path forward. This alignment fosters a sense of partnership and teamwork, essential for a long-lasting fulfilling relationship.

"A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality."  -- John Lennon

Conclusion

Couples therapy is an investment in health and longevity of a relationship. It's journey of discovery, growth, and bonds. Whether you're facing specific challenges or wish to enhance your partnership, couples therapy offers the tools, insights, and support to foster loving / resilient relationship.

Relationships are like unique journeys, each with its own challenges and pleasures. In, Texas, and throughout Florida, I offer my specialized approach to couples therapy. As a licensed therapist in both states, my practice is rooted in deep understanding of relationships, and I'm here to help you navigate it.

My Therapy Style:

My approach to therapy is unique as your relationship. I believe in creating a space where partners feel heard, respected, and valued. My sessions are more than just conversations; they are journey towards understanding, empathy, and stronger bonds. I integrate techniques from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), tailoring them to fit the unique dynamics of your relationship.

How I Can Help:

Whether you're facing communication hurdles, intimacy issues, just looking to strengthen your bond, my therapy sessions designed to address challenges. I focus on:

Enhancing communication skills for understanding.

Resolving conflicts in  constructive manner.

Rekindling intimacy / connection.

Navigating life transitions as a team.

Licensed in Texas and Florida:

My services are not limited to Houston. As a licensed therapist in both Texas and Florida, I offer flexibility and convenience, ensuring that no matter where you are, support is accessible.

Why Choose My Practice:

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."  -- Mignon McLaughlin

Choosing a therapist is a significant decision, and it's essential to find someone who resonates with you. My practice stands out because:

I offer a personalized approach/understanding.

My experience and training in DBT and CBT provide a robust framework for therapy.

I'm committed to creating a safe, non-judgmental space for you.

With licenses in Texas and Florida, I offer a broad reach to support more couples.

Your relationship deserves the best care / attention. In Houston, Texas, and across Florida, I'm here to offer support. If you're ready to embark on journey of growth and connection with your partner, reach out today. Let's navigate these together.

Integrating Sex Therapy and Gottman Method in Couples Counseling

As a therapist certified in Sex Therapy and the Gottman Method, I bring a unique / comprehensive approach to counseling. These certifications reflect commitment to understanding / addressing the complex dynamics of relationships / intimacy.

Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional (CSTIP):

My certification in Sex Therapy equips me with specialized knowledge and skills to address wide range of sexual concerns. This includes issues such as desire, performance, satisfaction, and impact of health conditions on sexual well-being. In my practice, I create a safe, non-judgmental space that you can discuss and explore your sexual concerns and desires. My approach is holistic, considering emotional, physical, and psychological aspects of sexuality. This enables me to guide you in understanding and embracing your sexual self, enhancing your personal well-being and your relationships.

Level 2 Certified Gottman Therapist:

The Gottman Method, grounded in over 40 years of research, offers a practical / effective approach to improving relationships. As a Level 2 Certified Gottman Therapist, I utilize this method to help couples understand each other, manage conflict constructively, and build a shared sense of purpose and meaning in relationship. My training in the Gottman Method has equipped me with specific tools and strategies, such as the Sound Relationship House Theory and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, which I tailor in each couple's unique dynamics. The focus is in fostering open communication, deepening emotional connections, and resolving conflicts in a healthy, constructive manner.

Combining These Approaches:

Integrating Sex Therapy and the Gottman Method allows me to offer a comprehensive approach to couples. While the Gottman Method provides a strong foundation in relationship dynamics and communication, the Sex Therapy certification allows me to address the often-challenging area of sexual intimacy and health. This combination ensures all aspects of relationship are cared for, from emotional / communicative to physical / intimate.

My dual certification in Sex Therapy and the Gottman Method represents holistic approach to couples counseling. Whether you facing challenges in communication, intimacy, trust, or seeking to enhance your relationship, my approach is tailored to meet your unique needs and goals. Together, we can work towards a healthier, more fulfilling relationship, where both emotional and sexual intimacy are nurtured and also celebrated.

"“There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.” "  -- George Sand

"Embrace the journey of love and healing; every step taken strengthens the bond and unites hearts."  -- Ehsan Shabahang

Start the Conversation

I encourage you to schedule a session with me at no cost to discuss what may feel right for you. This gives you an opportunity to ask questions about any concerns that you may have that can be related to my counseling and to see whether we are a good fit to work together.

[weyport]

Nanago Fest Day 2 - "Long Train Ride."

This is the last piece I am posting for the fest, and out of all of them I like this one the most. It captures my nostalgia for the series, and the sense of a long journey, winding into a future end.

I had a lot of fun participating, and I hope to keep creating in this fandom for a long time yet.

[bixels]

Be honest, what are your thoughts on appledash? Do you hate it or its more of not a big deal

Not a big deal to me. I like it, I see all the appeals, I just personally like Rarijack more.

[itwoodbeprefect]

the thing about bad buddy is that calling it enemies to lovers is not entirely wrong and is a very succinct and easy way to indicate the general plot, but also one of the only moments that the two main characters are actually personally in conflict with each other lasts about four minutes and is expressed mainly through upset shirtless xylophone playing contrasted with a montage of happy moments that features a time there was triumphant shirt-wearing xylophone playing. and then they both say sorry at literally the exact same time

[moonlit-tulip]

A world-model piece I wish I'd had a decade ago, but which I in fact acquired only a couple days ago:

Most people are straight. Even-larger-fractions-of-most people are monosexual or monosexual-leaning. But there are multiple ways of implementing monosexuality.

Some people are attracted to people in a way substantially downstream of those people's genders. Being attracted to women, or to men, or suchlike. This is a commonly-discussed phenomenon, and a pretty widespread one.

Some people are attracted to relationships in a way substantially downstream of the genders of all participants in the relationships. Attracted to relationships between men and women, or relationships between multiple women, or suchlike. This is much less of a commonly-discussed phenomenon, despite in fact also being pretty widespread.

Many people run a mix of these two attraction-patterns; different people's mixes weight the two variants differently.

Most people are straight; but some people are straight more in an "attracted to people of Insert Gender Here" way and others more in an "attracted to relationships between men and women" way. These both lead to similar dating-patterns; but they're going to lead to divergent patterns in various non-dating situations. For instance, among straight women who read romance and/or porn, people who lean more the former way are likelier to prefer yaoi / slashfic / etc. over straight romance novels—the former contain a higher density of people they're attracted to—while people who lean more the latter way are likelier to prefer straight romance novels over yaoi / slashfic / etc., because the latter don't actually have the relationship-shape they're into. (And approximately-equivalent dynamics, with genders swapped, apply to straight men.)

Similar patterns apply to nonstraight monosexual-leaning people. Lesbians, for instance, vary in the degree to which they're into women versus into relationships between multiple women. This has less visible effect on their reading habits, since both groups are just as likely to read romance-fiction focused primarily on women; but it still can be seen more indirectly in, for example, the degree to which they do versus don't feel kinship with (the into-women subset of) straight men over shared attraction-patterns, where into-women lesbians are doing approximately the same thing into-women straight men are doing and are accordingly more prone to feeling kinship there, while into-relationships-between-women lesbians are doing a different thing from into-relationships-between-men-and-women straight men and therefore are less prone to feeling kinship there.

(I'm less confident in how this works for bi/pansexual people. I suspect that some of them are reasonably describable in these terms—attraction to multiple genders / multiple relationship-gender-configurations / some mix thereof—while others aren't, and instead just mostly don't include gender as a factor in their attraction-patterns at all; but I don't have much sense of what the relative distributions are there.)

In retrospect, this explains a lot of things I'd previously found mysterious about how monosexual-leaning people interact with the concepts of sex and romance. (Myself included; I lean mostly in the "into women" direction, and have historically tended to get kind of confused when people expressed thoughts which are in retrospect pretty clearly downstream of the "into relationships-between-people-of-insert-genders-here" implementation-shape.) And thus I figure it's worth sharing here, in case it's similarly explanatory for other people.

[canichangemyblogname]

If any writer is out here seriously arguing that Characters in a TV show shouldn’t have growth because of the nature of the medium, fucking run. Run from their projects. They will be bland, tired, uninspiring, and boring.

TV characters don’t grow or change *in the same way* they would in a movie or novel. That’s the key phrasing here: in the same way. When a movie or novel ends, many of the central problems and conflicts specific to that book or movie have been resolved. A TV show is built on a series of ongoing conflicts, often with one overall larger situation pushing the plot forward or tying the narrative together. Think of ATLA. Every week, the characters landed on a new island and had someone new in need of their help, but the overall larger conflict, the war, always loomed on the horizon. The episodic plots created growth while the overall serial plot created great change, and each character still maintained their “sense of self.” People have mistakenly begun to argue characters maintaining this “sense of self” and an ongoing source of story means they do not grow or eventually change. That is incorrect.

Aang matured and learned to control his powers, but he is still kind, loyal, and sticks to his conviction that he will not kill to end the war. Katara became a master water bender who can hold her own and protect her own, but she remained passionate and strong. Sokka found a sense of purpose and self-identity, but he remained intelligent and witty. Do you see what I’m getting at here?

Walter White changes in the sense he becomes more morally corrupt as the series continues, but what doesn’t change is the fact he’s cooking meth. The overarching conflict-driving situation doesn’t change for the characters until the very end, even if episodic conflict-driving situation ends or the character is dynamic. ATLA ended when the war ended. The Sopranos ended with an abrupt cut to black meant to be interpreted as Tony’s death (confirmed by the creator). Mad Men ends with Don Draper— a character plagued by emotional suffering and who was characterized as unable to change for the better— meditating on a hilltop at a retreat before the show cuts to the real-life 1971 Coca-Cola “Hilltop” commercial.

A TV show isn’t one long story, but a series of shorter stories that tie together. Episodes have their own beginning, middle, and end. The show itself doesn’t necessarily have that, especially given the modern TV landscape where shows get canceled after one or two seasons all the time. There’s no planned end because the end could be in a couple seasons or this next season. The writers have to figure out an end for the show only when they’re faced with its end. Until that moment, though, each episode is its own story, and each episode’s end is supposed to leave the story with possibility for more stories to develop or come, but the overall plot-driving conflict does not resolve until the end.

The issue with 911? There are a couple characters with what seems like no overall plot-driving conflict fundamental to them. Buck’s story doesn’t revolve around evading the authorities and doesn’t end with him fittingly dying among the meth that corrupted him. Hen’s story doesn’t end when she fully realizes her powers and defeats the warlord threatening to burn the world to the ground. Of course, yes, because that’s not the genre they’re in, but that’s not the point I’m trying to make here. They seem to no longer have an overarching source of story. Not like Eddie. Not like Bobby.

Or, at least, production is not utilizing these character’s source of story.

Bobby’s past struggle with addiction is an ongoing source of story for him. Eddie’s past loss of the love of his life is an ongoing source of story for him. The reason Athena became a cop in the first place; her motivations, is an ongoing source of story for her. The abuse Maddie suffered in the past from Doug is an ongoing source of story for her. None of these traumas are things that will change about these characters. If Maddie stops picking up phones to help people at their most vulnerable; in their greatest time of need, and Athena hangs up her badge, and Bobby retires and comes to peace with the lives he’s lost and saved, and Eddie forgets Shannon, these character’s stories end. Boddy, Athena, Maddie, and Eddie’s stories are shaped by ghosts in their past. When those ghosts finally rest, these characters will see resolution.

But Buck and Hen do not have the same ongoing source of story. And I know the writers have realized this because Minear himself characterized Buck as being on some sort of character “hamster wheel.” There’s nothing driving his story forward.

And fans have noted the same of Hen, joking about “Hen and Karen lose their kids, part VI… 😒.” Karen, actually, has more of an ongoing source of story than Hen, with Karen’s ghost being that she does not share DNA with her any of her kids, making her claim to motherhood vulnerable. We see this cemented by the IVF storyline and how devastated she was that her body could not give her a kid recognized by the state as her’s and always hers. Hen’s ghost was Eva Mathis, who also became a source for Karen’s ghosts (“Everyone I ever loved belonged to you first”). But Eva hasn’t been seen since season 5’s “Ghost Stories” when she fucked off out of their lives and told both Hen and Karen that she’s leaving California and won’t be back. And 911 completely dropped the Nathaniel (Denny’s dad) plot line, so this ongoing source of story was essentially resolved. But the show recognizes the situation it created and continues to recreate this ongoing source of conflict with new antagonists trying to take Hen and Karen’s family from them, instead of using those past ghosts.

But what the writers seem to have neglected in their resolution of Hen’s past ghost (Eva) is that Hen’s ghost wasn’t ever legal powerlessness over her kids because she didn’t physically birth them and never could get pregnant like she’s long wanted, as it has been Karen’s. Hen’s ghost is the life she had before Karen (see: Hen begins, as the begins episodes do a good job of revealing what each of these characters ongoing source of story will be). Her ghosts are Eva and Daniel and pharmaceuticals and watching someone she loved succumb to addiction and repeatedly blow up their lives. Her ghost is also a different form of addiction: an addiction to chaos or danger or excitement, previously in the form of Eva. (And I think that’s part of what made Hen and Bobby’s relationship feel different from Bobby’s relationship with other members of the 118. Bobby struggled with addiction and Hen knew what it was like to lose people to it.) While Karen’s ghost is the fear of losing her kids (she became a stay at home mother and everything), Hen’s *could successfully have been* the reason she became a firefighter in the first place: a desire to save lives, especially after seeing people she knew almost lost or totally lost to emergency and illness. She goes from working for the industry that started our addiction epidemic to saving lives impacted by it, and the ghost that drove her to do that would have been the past love she lost to addiction. Her ongoing source of story would have mirrored Bobby’s in a way (potentially setting up nicely a poetic end where he passes the torch to her, also bringing her full circle from a probie intentionally left out to the woman with the run of the house), in that she is driven to save lives because of those she’s lost or almost lost. And it is easily a part of all her arcs, like when her mother gets sick or when Bobby relapses or when her kids or wife get injured.

Luckily, I don’t think they’ve screwed the pooch by writing Eva off. Eva could return. Hen’s past as a pharmaceutical rep could come back to haunt her. This narrative of “this is why I became a first responder” *has* permeated Hen’s entire story, it’s only recently that it seems like her story is repeating itself. I think resolving this issue would 1.) require the show to see Hen as more than “the show’s lesbian with a family,” and 2.) a simple jolt of creativity. Production can let someone new come up with an idea or hire other staff or whatever to bring in some fresh perspective. I really think this is solvable and they have the resources to take Hen’s story in a refreshing direction.

Which I want to compare to another character in the show, Buck.

Buck is also stuck in a cycle. Buck’s ongoing source of story has always been about creating “emotionally weighty” relationships due to an emotional neglect he suffered as a child. It’s why he slept around. It’s why he often feels a sense of abandonment and derived purpose from his work. It’s put him at odds with his sister, Maddie, at times. His ongoing source of conflict; his ghost, is his parents (and Daniel) and how this created an emotional wound Buck wants to fill. We see that he had this open wound early in season one, mostly around a desire for emotional intimacy and feeling a lack of a sense of place or significance. He tells Bobby that his job as a firefighter is all he got, he suggests to Maddie that she cast him off for Doug, he tells his sister he’ll make something of himself one day but doesn’t know what yet, he and Taylor talk about meaningful relationships (he’s surrounded by them), he confronts his parents past emotional neglect (and forgives them), he also takes on his subconscious about “mattering” more in a made-up world, and toward the end of season six, he concludes that he is enough; he has all he needs in the real world and then comes to peace with the fact he doesn’t have to perform for others (something which he’s been doing his whole life to get the attention and approval of his parents). And the issue with this is that, well, Buck finding a sense of purpose outside his utility and finding innate value in who he is (this idea he is enough as is) in season six kinda sorta wrapped up his ongoing source of story. They even tried partnering him up with a nice girl (which is unfortunately revealing of the fact they think Buck’s sense of significance and his struggles with loneliness are tied to his romantic struggles as opposed to emotional abandonment as a child by his caregivers).

The writers or the creator unfortunately seem to want to argue that Buck’s ongoing source of story is his lack of a romantic relationship, rather than finding purpose with his life and struggling to build or maintain a community of emotionally weighty relationships around him as life brings people together and draws them apart. We saw this illustrated well in his arc with Red, the retired firefighter. Buck is worried about dying alone, but not really because he doesn’t have a significant other at the time. He’s afraid of this because of the response his coworkers/friends gave when he asked if they ever keep in touch with former coworkers. Part of Red’s story may have been that he let the love of his life go, but the other part was that he never kept in contact with his old friends.

However, it seems the show’s creator wants to argue that Buck’s story ends when he finally finds “the one,” romantically. But it’s not. Buck’s arc ends when he finds a sense of purpose or innate value outside of his work (it would be really blah, boring, if that “purpose” he finds is a romantic partner, btw) or settles with the fact that he has (and always will have) an “emotionally weighty” support system because he fights to maintain those relationships despite distance, time, circumstance or a change of jobs. Buck’s ongoing source of story has always primarily revolved around his platonic relationships. The point of Red’s story was that Buck is not Red, Maddie even says that Buck will never be alone because he has her. And while it could be argued that part of Buck’s resolution will be finding people who fight to stay in his life, always return, and show him that he matters to them, I think it would be shortsighted to suggest this refers (or would exclusively refer) to his romantic life. Buck will settle into himself because of the platonic and familial love he has fostered and fought for.

This means, I think it’s possible to stop giving him a revolving door of romantic partners (either commit to one or none, imho) without resolving his story when his story is about creating emotional support systems and deep connections with others despite the way life pushes and pulls people apart. Arguing his story resolves when he finds “the one” would be like arguing Chim’s story ended when he and Maddie first got together. Life pushed and pulled them apart several times, and they kept choosing each other. Chim has fought to maintain the family he’s created after the family he lost and also never got. Maddie has fought to maintain the happiness and safety she thought she’d never get. The show could give Buck a steady partner or a reoccurring romantic partner and still write narratives about the difficulties of maintaining platonic and familial relationships as an adult, including any potential expansion of that familial relationship through a romantic partnership.

In my personal opinion, if any of Buck’s ongoing source of story is related to romance, it’s his belief that his life and existing relationships will only be complete when he finds “the one.” As Taylor said, he’s surrounded by meaningful relationships (yet he doesn’t seem to find this enough—likely due to this idea he has to find romance). It could be argued that when he realizes this, and in the process realizes that he doesn’t need a romantic partnership to “complete” the picture, then his ongoing source of story will find resolution. This approach would necessitate a constant cycle of different relationships until Buck ends the series single and surrounded by—like—his nieces and nephews and friends. However, I do not think that this would satisfactorily resolve Buck’s picture (mostly because of the rather boring patterns it creates for Buck’s character and the way I think it would often lead to Buck re-hashing the same things over and over). I also don’t think the writers are setting out (or ever will set out) to tackle amatonormativity in narratives about family, belonging, and “ultimate” happiness.

Unfortunately, I do think that Buck’s narrative will continue to be stuck in a cycle of unsatisfying and incomplete or short-cut relationships until the show end-ends anyway. I think this because I think the writers and creator genuinely see this cycle as what drives Buck’s story (as opposed to just one potential aspect to include in an ongoing source of story about finding purpose outside utility and people pleasing, and surrounding himself with people who love him and who he loves in return), with the resolution to his ongoing source of story being Buck ultimately finding “the one,” and settling down with them. However, because romance has never been the primary focus of his ongoing source of story, this exclusive focus on break-ups and then moving onto the next until “the one.” will always feel unsatisfactory.

What will “save” Buck’s story isn’t a new jolt of creativity, but the creator and writers actively challenging and changing their amatonormative views of relationships. And I think that’s far less likely to happen than someone going, “What if Hen has a call about an overdose and it brings back some uncomfortable memories and new challenges for her and Karen?”

[its-all-papaya]

Do over for overwinter 🥰

from here

is there anything i'd change or do differently with overwinter?

my knee-jerk reaction is to say 'NO' simply because the thought of returning to this fic to change anything stresses me out viscerally.

i thought about overwinter so hard for so long that having it out in the world where i can't overthink it or worry about it has been so freeing for me. i love the fic because of how much it's helped me grow as a writer, but the growing pains genuinely frustrated me to tears at certain points along the way. also - the process was long enough that i did go back and edit and change a lot of things already, so there's like... minimal content in it that has not been worked over and over and over.

i think that at this point, i don't have enough temporal space from overwinter yet to make this call, honestly. i'm still processing her.

so i guess to answer: no! there's not anything off the top of my head that i'd change about overwinter. she is what she is ✨

[aroaessidhe]

2025 reads / storygraph

Love Points To You

YA contemporary coming of age

an artist struggling to get used to the idea of moving in with her new stepmother & stepsister can't wait to go away to art school

when her ipad is destroyed, her rich classmate offers to buy her a replacement in exchange for concept art for an otome game she’s developing, and as they work on the game, they start to fall for each other

while she tries to get used to her new family situation, and the fact that her parents seem to be more invested in her stepsister’s future while ignoring hers

bi ace MC, bi demi LI

[edwardslostalchemy]

Okay so I don't like to think about tododeku having issues, only the happy times that make me smile. But I know that realistically, relationships of any sort have conflicts and they're not perfect. So what do you guys think would be stuff that tododeku argue about or have problems about? I think one of their conflicts would be that they are too self-sacrificing/don't consider their own self-preservation and get hurt on the job, so the other ends up worrying A LOT about their health and well-being. Another thing I think would make them be at odds is that I think Shouto is the neat freak of the relationship so if Izuku makes a mess and doesn't clean up after himself, Shouto will get annoyed and tell him he needs to clean up his mess. And Izuku wouldn't do it right away, which would annoy Shouto more. I would like to hear everyone's ideas!! I don't mean conflict like they'll break up over it, but something they disagree on and they argue about it. And they'd resolve it as best they can in a healthy, constructive way.

[paperglader]

petition to make the loyal pin a 24 ep series

[trainerethan]

Bpd green...I see a vision...reds avoidant personality would be hell on earth for him but it's okay. They can work it out.

But for awhile after their reunion I know green woke up every day convinced red was going to walk off into the mountains again. Also just endless guilt about being mean to red when they were younger so he way over compensates now and it feels weird and forced for both of them.

Red has long forgiven green and wouldn't just leave again but unfortunately he doesn't actually like speaking out about how he's feeling so he seems sort of distant which makes green spiral a little.

Red isn't avoidant/closed off bc he thinks green won't care/doesn't trust him to confide in him but green probably sees it that way for awhile. He just has 0 experience with actually talking about your feelings instead of staying silent about how he feels and then leaving to live on a mountain to avoid any stress factors.

It's okay. Theyll figure it out. Being reunited after years of one of you living alone on a mountain and the other drowning in guilt over it will have your conflict resolution skill be a little rusty.

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

"ew glimmadora is such a boring vanilla ship" yeah, and i'll take the vanilla ship over the toxic romanticized mess any day

[cowboybrunch]

Where do the similarities between bongo and hoot end?

wyked hi!! i hope you're doing well <3

bongo is much less fleshed out. he doesn't really have a backstory (or main story or any story really). he's a goofy demon baby who loves to make friends with other creatures and eat things that aren't edible. he's just a funny guy!

hoot is also silly and equally as naive but not as... one-dimensional? he does experience other emotions like anger and sadness when bongo might not. hoot also has a heavier backstory (bongo lost his horn from tripping over his own feet chasing a butterfly. hoot tore his out when he [redacted :-) ])

callan's influence on hoot also makes him much more motivated to expand his horizons and transform from a silly guy to a refined and careful silly guy. hoot wants to impress callan soo bad. and hoot isn't mischievous by nature, but lee drives him to tomfoolery. he steals and cheats and lies because she does, and he wants to make her laugh

maybe if callan got his hands on bongo he could make him a well-rounded and less of a mischievous little bean. but probably not, because bongo would get distracted trying to eat the soil that callan is testing for sulfur. lee would be thoroughly entertained by bongo's antics for at least a few days. she'd get annoyed with him pretty quick tho. he might get punted into the sun

thank you for the ask!!! <3

[emmaliee]

Importance of Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the bedrock of healthy and thriving relationships, serving as the glue that binds partners together through the highs and lows of life's journey. Individuals with a high level of emotional intelligence possess the ability to recognize and understand their own emotions as well as those of their partners, laying the groundwork for empathetic communication and mutual support. This awareness enables them to navigate conflicts with poise and compassion, fostering an environment of trust and respect where both parties feel valued and understood.

Furthermore, emotional intelligence equips individuals with the tools to cultivate intimacy and connection in their relationships. By demonstrating empathy, active listening, and emotional attunement, partners can foster deeper understanding and closeness with one another. This heightened emotional awareness allows couples to celebrate each other's successes, provide comfort during times of distress, and navigate life's challenges as a unified team. Ultimately, investing in the development of emotional intelligence within a relationship fosters a bond that grows stronger over time, enriching the shared experiences and deepening the love and connection between partners.

[rainbowconvection]

Okay. My most haterish opinion. 9 and Rose were clashing every 2 seconds, and the fact of their relationship surviving that was part of why it ended up so strong. Ruby should have at least queried the Doctor having the opportunity to see who her mother was. As someone versed in sci-fi, I get why receiving the answers might have changed history, but it was an opportunity for character drama, and I'm a little puzzled on why Russel T didn't take it. It might get explained by the finale. But this is also why applying the mystery box formula to the companion doesn't work all that well.

[tuxedo-rabbit]

I like the Emmrich romance but as far as the full arc of it, I think Taash's was more satisying?

There's some fun concepts in the Emmrich romance, but they don't delve into them deeply enough to feel satisfying.

There were also 2 separate scenes where it faded to black right when the scene felt like it was building up to an interesting conversation between the characters.

Idk, like a lot of things in Veilguard it felt like it needed another draft to really reach its potential.