Truffles Therapy

I am a listener, spaceholder, and confidante for those who are called to share their stories, struggles, and secrets. For as long as I can remember, people have trusted me with their innermost feelings and thoughts.
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Perhaps it’s because I’ve been through my fair share of traumatic experiences. 
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My parents had a bitter divorce when I was 9. I took mom’s side and cut off contact with dad, “the bad guy,” and didn’t see him for 25 years. Throughout the years, dad tried to connect with me, but I ignored his calls. Fortunately, dad and I now share a beautiful relationship.
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When I was 15, my close friend died in an accident. His passing left me with big questions about death, God, and our purpose on earth. I became depressed and pessimistic. I had a nagging fear that I would lose all those I loved. 
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One day in the final year of high school, I was visiting my math tutor for a mid-afternoon session. As I entered her apartment building, I held the door for a man behind me. Suddenly, he put his hand over my mouth, tackled and repeatedly kicked me. I screamed until he left. This event reinforced a belief that nobody is going to help me when I need it most and that I need to take care of everything myself. For many years, it was difficult for me to express my needs. 
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In my mid-30s, I went through unsuccessful fertility treatments for more than two years. I was confused; I grew up with the idea that getting pregnant was easy and natural, and that I actually had to put effort into not becoming pregnant. Why could nobody explain why I couldn’t have a child? Didn’t I do all the right things in life? It didn’t feel fair and I was angry, frustrated, and sad. When my partner and I split up shortly afterwards, I was devastated.