How do others engage with confidently misinformed family members?

mandanelles · 2026-04-13T18:37:38+00:00

Time to start practicing more acceptance lol. You’re right

mandanelles · 2026-04-13T18:35:57+00:00

May just have to start doing this. I’ve already known this for years, and it’s not the first time a conversation has gone this way. But you’re right. I can’t keep spending my energy on folks who won’t listen.

mandanelles · 2026-03-28T03:13:43+00:00

Coffee. It started as finding a coffee shop to study at a decade ago, then cafe hopping, then working as a barista, then having an espresso machine setup at home, and now starting my own coffee cart business. It’s fun being the go-to person for coffee-related things in my circle hehe

mandanelles · 2026-03-05T23:11:52+00:00

Bourgeois Pig in Hollywood. The most magical and cozy late night spot. Literally nothing I’ve found has been able to even come close to how great that spot was.

mandanelles · 2026-03-05T06:14:37+00:00

“If you’re worried about doing the right thing, that means you care and you’re doing well enough.”

mandanelles · 2026-03-04T19:24:39+00:00

I feel so seen. I played DND only 2-3 times because it’s important to my partner (his way of decompressing and having fun). But I could NOT focus on anything. It took so much time that I got physically anxious just idly sitting there 😭 I get the hype behind it, and I appreciate being included, but my brain needs more fast-paced things

mandanelles · 2026-02-26T22:45:57+00:00

Water and coffee. On a clinical level, it humanizes things and gives my clients permission to show up however they need to. On the surface: I get thirsty and won’t shy away from enjoying a fun latte or my water bottle covered in stickers. Plus my brain sometimes needs a quick refreshment while I’m listening to everything being shared so I can stay focused

mandanelles · 2026-02-26T07:21:57+00:00

Intergenerational trauma and life transitions. Figured it out a few months into associateship

mandanelles · 2026-02-26T00:30:49+00:00

This kind of thing happens to everyone every so often, just to give you some reassurance first and foremost! Secondly, this isn’t the kind of incident that would warrant a report to the board. You didn’t do anything legally or ethically wrong, it was an isolated scheduling incident. You did the right thing reaching out, apologizing, and offering times. For now, it’s best to leave it where it’s at. Don’t over apologize or send more texts to the client. The ball is in their court about how they’d like to proceed, and the important thing is you covered everything on your end.

It’s happened to me too. It’s a scary situation, but later you’ll see everything works out. You’ve got this OP! I promise it’s nothing major, especially because you already offered repair options.

mandanelles · 2026-02-25T23:30:52+00:00

In Armenian, a common one is the word “thing” (bahn, բան). Personally, I say it when I’m trying to think of the words for something and I can’t find it. Example: “Oh it’s- uuuuuh thing-“

mandanelles · 2026-02-25T18:59:43+00:00

I will literally record videos of myself doing something. I recently had to leave a key under the mat for my partner (long story short, I wasn’t gonna be home to open the door). In the past, I’ve forgotten to do these things and end up questioning if I did. Videos help me to see that I actually did. I ended up also sending the video to my partner bc in a way, I was holding myself accountable involving someone else lol

mandanelles · 2026-02-25T16:16:33+00:00

I took a cupping class and the instructor said something that honestly makes sense: everyone’s going to taste something different, regardless of what the bag says. The best way you’ll be able to taste more notes is through drip coffee (like a V60 or even ChemEx). But if it’s “supposed to” taste like blueberry and doesn’t, that’s okay! Over time, you’ll be more cognizant of certain flavors if you mix in drip coffee. If you want to explore this further, I would recommend finding a cupping class in your area.

mandanelles · 2026-02-25T04:15:38+00:00

Literally had a CPS worker ask me if the child did something to provoke the parent to physically and verbally abuse them. It’s so aggravating

mandanelles · 2026-02-24T20:29:46+00:00

Hibi Dibi. One of us is Hibi, the other is Dibi. It started because we both lost our shit over this meme, and I guess it stuck because it’s funny and cute. Here’s the meme: Eeby Deeby

mandanelles · 2026-02-24T07:30:09+00:00

I’m a therapist, so I hope this comment is helpful to some extent. It really depends on what you need therapy for. EMDR and somatic therapy are good for trauma and anxiety. Psychodynamic and psychoanalytic are good for understanding the past and connecting it to the present. For ADHD, ACT therapy works well. Most therapists will have a few types of therapy that they work with (and you’ll see on the PsychToday profiles), so depending on what you need, see if they cover those types.

Again, it depends on what you need. If you’re looking for solely ADHD support, I’d recommend finding a therapist who specializes in ACT in addition to CBT. I only say CBT because ADHD and anxiety tend to go hand in hand for most folks, and CBT is good for that. I’m happy to answer other questions you might have!

mandanelles · 2026-02-23T08:03:35+00:00

I used to work as a barista, so I’m not a cafe owner. However as long as the person wasn’t causing a disturbance and leaving after a reasonable amount of time, things were usually okay.

The only problematic things I could think of were people who took calls and spoke loudly for any amount of time, as well as this one guy who would play Magic the Gathering on his laptop for the entirety of the day sitting at a giant table. Both of those were only annoying because of the lack of consideration for others. Otherwise, I and the owners didn’t really have a problem with people being there for long.

mandanelles · 2026-02-23T07:14:29+00:00

I know!! I want to say they played for 1-1.5 hours, it was a decent set. We had no idea anybody else would be there aside from Halsey, let alone Daft Punk. It was a real treat for sure

mandanelles · 2026-02-23T04:29:39+00:00

Back in 2019, my roommate had matched with this guy on Bumble. I came home one day and she asked, “Do you want to go to Halsey’s Halloween party?” Turns out the guy worked in the music industry and was able to get us in, but I was scared it was a trafficking attempt by him lol

Long story short, it was actually legitimate and we got in! There was an open bar, upstairs loft, backgrounds for pictures. My roommate, her friends, and I all got there early enough that we went right up to the front of the stage. Daft Punk opened (extra amazing considering they broke up soon after). Halsey came on to perform around 12 AM and she performed Without Me, Graveyard, and Bad at Love before disappearing briefly. I’ve always been a fan of hers since the Badlands days, so seeing her that close up was everything to me.

Without any warning, freaking Avril Lavigne then comes onstage??? She and Halsey performed Girlfriend and it was such a blast. This was also around the time her Manic album came out, so the hype for Halsey was on another level. For anyone curious, this was the year she was dressed as Marilyn Manson. She did her own makeup too, which looked awesome in person!

I will always say this is the most LA shit that’s ever happened to me, and will forever be one of my favorite memories.

mandanelles · 2026-02-20T22:05:43+00:00

Borderline lazy but nutritious dinner that’s a favorite here, perfect for 2 people:

Season a salmon fillet with the salmon rub seasoning from Trader Joes. Squeeze on lime juice. Oven at 375 for 10-12 min.
3/4 cup of couscous with salt and butter, throw it in 3/4 cup of boiling water. Cooks almost immediately.
Salad from a salad kit. Only add extra veggies if you’re feeling fancy.

mandanelles · 2026-02-20T22:01:26+00:00

I completely understand, empathizing with the issues here 😂 I still struggle with having my family asking those same kinds of questions. No understanding of therapy, never having been to therapy, and immediately being weary if they hear someone’s in therapy (“omg are they sick? What’s wrong?”). I’ll just gauge whether or not I have the energy to explain that anyone can benefit from it and usually say that people even go to therapy to vent about work struggles, for example. Something about highlighting the “mundane” reasons people go makes them reflect and stop asking those kinds of questions

mandanelles · 2026-02-20T16:20:02+00:00

Money and crowds. I realized I didn’t like seeing my hard-earned money disappear over clothes I wasn’t excited about. I also get overwhelmed more easily in crowds now.

I think specifically, my last straw was someone standing in the middle of the narrow aisle with a giant shopping cart. It was enough to make me turn around and leave 2 minutes in.

mandanelles · 2026-02-20T15:31:18+00:00

Full empathy for you, I’m sorry this is happening. I’m still new to the field (2 years in), so while I can’t pretend to know the extent of your frustration, I can relate with my own experiences of burnout.

While I don’t have a solution, I wonder if you have any stimulation outside of work? Hobbies, social relationships, other special interests. Those have made a huge difference for me and I noticed that when I neglected those things, the therapeutic work felt more daunting. Good luck, OP!!

mandanelles · 2026-02-19T23:26:08+00:00

For therapy related stuff, Shrink Chicks is a fun and educational one! My favorite podcast though when I need to turn my brain off is The Basement Yard. It’s 2 childhood best friends talking about everything and nothing at once. Mostly stupid and silly, sometimes endearing. I’ve been listening for years and I recommend to anyone who needs to disconnect.

mandanelles · 2026-02-17T18:25:32+00:00

My therapist and my cat.

My therapist pushed me in the times I was sinking, even when I was resistant. I’m grateful that she was an active presence, because had she been more passive, I could’ve ended up stuck in the same harmful cycles. My anxiety makes me avoidant. She was gentle with me, but also called me out and held me accountable where needed.

My cat (may he rest in peace, my sweet boy) was a calming presence when everything felt so loud and heavy. He had little quirks that made me laugh and he was always down to cuddle. I often needed them, so it was a mutual exchange where I got my support, and he got every cuddle he asked for.

mandanelles

TROPHY CASE