Common situations

Written the way people describe them. Read until one sounds familiar, then open it.

Partners and dating

“We have the same fight over and over”“I feel lonely in my marriage”“I can't stop thinking about my ex”“I get so anxious when he doesn't text back”“He goes silent for days after every fight”“I do everything in the house and he does nothing”“I always put my partner's needs before mine”“He says I'm too sensitive”“He's happy when I'm down and upset when I'm happy”“He's so hot and cold with me”“My boyfriend is jealous of everyone I talk to”“My husband criticises everything I do”“He love bombed me and then pulled away”“He can't apologise for anything”“He turns everything around on me”“I need constant reassurance from my partner”“He pulls away when I get close”“He cheated on me and somehow it's my fault”“My partner controls all the money”“He makes me feel like I'm going crazy”“He never asks about me”“Why do I keep going back to my ex”“My ex keeps texting me even though I've moved on”“Why do I always fall for emotionally unavailable men”“I lose interest as soon as someone likes me back”“My girlfriend goes through my phone”“He says he'll kill himself if I leave him”“He threatens to break up every time we argue”“He compares me to his ex”“My partner flirts with other people in front of me”“Everything is always my fault in my relationship”“I walk on eggshells around my husband”“He explodes over tiny things”“She says she loves me but treats me badly”“He's charming in public and cruel at home”“He gives me the silent treatment to punish me”“My partner won't commit after years together”“I feel like I'm always chasing him”“He only wants me when I pull away”“He disappears for days and then acts like nothing happened”“I got ghosted after what I thought was a great date”“My ex moved on straight away and looks so happy”“He makes jokes at my expense”“My partner is isolating me from my friends and family”“I can't leave even though I know he's bad for me”“I feel like his mother, not his girlfriend”“He lies about small stupid things”“My partner always plays the victim”“He gets angry when I go out with my friends”“She sulks when she doesn't get her way”“He says he needs space all the time”“I sabotage every good relationship”“I'm scared to be alone so I jump from relationship to relationship”“He tells me what to wear and who I can see”“He accuses me of cheating when I haven't done anything”“My partner is secretive with his phone”“My partner has no empathy”“He pressures me for sex and guilt-trips me if I say no”“He hurts me and then says sorry and it's perfect for a while”“I don't feel anything for my husband anymore”“My wife nags me constantly”“He's not affectionate and never says I love you”“She shuts down and cries whenever I bring up a problem”“My partner drinks every night and gets mean”“He keeps me on the back burner”“We break up and get back together over and over”“He's jealous of my career”“My boyfriend wants to be with me every second”“He tells me nobody else would ever want me”

Work

“I'm burnt out and dread going to work”“My manager micromanages everything I do”“I feel like a fraud at work even though I get good reviews”“I can't say no to extra work”“I replay every meeting in my head for days”“Office politics are exhausting”“My boss takes credit for my work”“I can't stop working even on weekends”“My boss has gone quiet and ignores my messages”“He agrees in meetings and then does the opposite”“A colleague keeps undermining me”“My employee procrastinates on everything”“My team won't speak up in meetings”“My CEO can't hear bad news”“He's always busy but nothing gets done”“My co-founder and I can't agree on anything anymore”“My co-founder won't let go of control”“My boss blames me for everything that goes wrong”“My boss explodes over small things”“My boss changed after getting promoted”“My manager plays favourites”“My employee does the bare minimum”“My boss criticises everything and nothing is ever good enough”“I feel small and stupid whenever my boss is in the room”“My coworker gets defensive whenever I give feedback”“When I raise a problem my boss turns it around on me”“My boss denies saying things he clearly said”“My colleague sucks up to management and is nasty to everyone below”“My boss gets weird when I do well”“Everyone on my team just agrees with the boss”“My manager can never make a decision”“My boss messages me late at night and expects a reply”“Why do I freeze when my boss criticises me”“My team blames one person for everything”“Our team has turned against the other department”“Everything is always an emergency with my boss”“My boss is brilliant but exhausting to work for”“My boss has big plans but never follows through”“I keep polishing my work and can't hand it in”“I'm close to a promotion and I keep messing things up”“My boss demands total loyalty”“My boss thinks everyone is out to get him”“My new boss loved me at first and now can't stand me”“I feel guilty when I take a day off”“My manager guilt-trips me into staying late”“Morale is low and people keep quitting”“Since the reorganisation everyone is angry and resisting”“My colleague makes digs disguised as jokes”“My boss never admits a mistake”“My coworker always plays the victim”“I get really anxious before presentations”“I hate my job but I can't leave”“I work in my family business and can't step out of my dad's shadow”“My employee cries whenever I give feedback”“My boss is nice to my face but trashes me to others”“I'm the only one who does any work on my team”“My boss is cold and never gives any praise”“My boss avoids conflict and problems never get dealt with”“I got passed over for promotion and I'm bitter”“Someone less competent got promoted because they're confident”“My boss threatens to fire me if I don't do what he says”“My boss is pressuring me to do something unethical”“Work is so bad I don't want to be alive anymore”“My colleague said they'd kill themselves if they lose this job”“I walk on eggshells around my manager”“Is my boss a narcissist”“My colleague keeps interrupting me in meetings”“My direct report keeps going over my head to my boss”“My client is never satisfied and keeps changing what they want”“My client keeps asking for more without paying”

Family and friends

“I feel guilty every time I set a boundary with my parents”“I'm always the one who reaches out first in my friendships”“My mother guilt-trips me every time I say no”“Every family Christmas ends in a fight”“My best friend has gone distant and I don't know why”“Why do I turn back into a teenager when I visit my parents”“My friend only calls me when they need something”“My dad never says he's proud of me”“My friend isn't happy for me when something good happens”“My father is never satisfied no matter what I achieve”“My sister and I have always competed with each other”“My mum makes everything about her”“My family pretends nothing is wrong”“My friend competes with me about everything”“My adult son has cut off contact with me”“My in-laws criticise everything I do”“My friend is a people-pleaser and never says what she wants”“My parents always favoured my brother”“I'm the scapegoat in my family”“My mother is jealous of me”“I feel like I have to parent my own mother”“My mum calls me constantly and gets upset if I don't answer”“My family only gets in touch when they want money”“My friend gossips about me behind my back”“My dad explodes over the smallest things”“My mother denies things that happened in my childhood”“When I bring up the past my parents turn it around on me”“My mum gives me the silent treatment when I upset her”“Why can't I say no to my family”“My brother is the golden child and can do no wrong”“My friend dropped me as soon as she got a boyfriend”“My friend always has to one-up my stories”“My friend puts me down with jokes”“My friend is always in crisis and I'm the one who fixes it”“Why do I keep ending up with friends who use me”“My mother-in-law treats my husband like he's still her little boy”“My husband always sides with his mother”“My father is cold and never shows any emotion”“I resent looking after my ageing parents”“My teenage daughter hates me”“My grown-up children never call me”“My mum constantly criticises how I look”“My family tells me I'm too sensitive”“My sister always plays the victim”“I feel like the black sheep of my family”“My dad is still controlling even though I'm an adult”“My parents keep comparing me to my cousin”“My friend always cancels plans at the last minute”“My friend never asks me anything about my life”“My friend gets jealous when I spend time with other friends”“I'm jealous of my friend's success and I hate myself for it”“I always feel left out by my friends”“My friend ghosted me after years of friendship”“My mother threatens to hurt herself if I don't do what she wants”“My brother keeps saying he doesn't want to be alive anymore”“My dad drinks too much and everyone pretends it's fine”“My parent hurt me as a child and now acts like it never happened”“I'm 40 and still trying to win my mother's approval”“I get anxious for days before visiting my family”“My mum vents to me about my dad”“My stepchildren reject me”“My friend acts like a different person around different people”“My friend gives me advice I didn't ask for and acts superior”“I feel like I've outgrown my old friends”“My parents never apologise for anything”“My friend is always negative and it drains me”“My parents disapprove of my partner”“My mother calls me selfish whenever I do something for myself”“My friend wants all my attention and can't handle me being busy”“My family won't accept that I've changed”

Money and survival

“I can't open my bank statements”“I earn well and still feel broke”“We fight about money all the time”“I'm terrified of losing my job”“I spend money when I'm upset”“I'm ashamed of my debt”“I feel guilty spending anything on myself”“I'm stuck in survival mode”“I have savings and still feel unsafe”“I can't ask for a raise”“I undercharge my clients”“My partner hides what they spend”“My family keeps borrowing money and never pays it back”“I lost my job and I don't know who I am anymore”“I check my investments all day”“I keep chasing my losses”“I feel like I don't belong in my family now that I earn more”“My parents still pay for me and I hate it”“I stay in a job I hate for the money”“I measure my worth by how much I earn”“I feel guilty about having money”

Yourself

“I overthink everything”“Why do I procrastinate on everything?”“I can't say no to anyone”“I'm my own worst critic”“I compare myself to everyone on Instagram”“I feel lonely even when I'm with people”“I can't sleep because my mind races”“I take everything personally”“Why do I sabotage things when they're going well?”“I feel nothing anymore”“I've felt numb ever since it happened”“I'm jealous of my best friend”“I feel like a fraud at work”“I'm secretly happy when other people fail”“I explode over small things and then feel ashamed”“I keep choosing the same kind of partner”“I feel empty after achieving my goals”“I can't stop scrolling on my phone”“I hate being told what to do”“I always need to be right”“I don't want to live anymore”“He's been down for months”“She's high energy and then crashes”“I can't be alone”“Why do I push people away when they get close?”“I can't make decisions”“I don't know who I am”“I'm anxious all the time”“I'm fine at work but snap at my family”“I need everyone to like me”“Nothing I do is ever good enough”“I work all the time and can't switch off”“I'm exhausted and don't care about my job anymore”“I drink every night to unwind”“I start things and never finish them”“I'm too sensitive and cry at everything”“I can't take a compliment”“I feel guilty all the time”“I apologise for everything”“I always end up rescuing people”“I get obsessed with people who don't want me”“I get panic attacks out of nowhere”“I feel like I'm watching my life from outside”“I'm terrified people will leave me”“Deep down I think I'm special but nobody sees it”“I get insanely jealous in relationships”“I avoid conflict at all costs”“I binge eat when I'm stressed”“I hurt myself when I'm upset”“My life looks fine but feels pointless”“I pretend to be someone I'm not”“I'm terrified of failing”“I think everyone is judging me”“I don't trust anyone”“Everyone irritates me lately”“I stay with someone who hurts me”“I feel like a burden to everyone”“I never ask for help”“I lie even when I don't need to”“My life is always one crisis after another”“I feel like I don't belong anywhere”“I freeze when someone yells at me”“I resent my sibling because my parents favoured them”“I'm in my forties and want to blow up my whole life”“I can't stop thinking about embarrassing things I did years ago”“I hate my body”“My son won't leave his room and barely talks”“She's always anxious and on edge”“He seems flat and emotionless”“He's angry all the time lately”“How do we handle being wrong?”