Archives

DEAR NATALIE: My 15-year-old daughter has always struggled with her weight. Her older sisters are all naturally slim and it’s created tension for many years. I’ve been in recovery from an eating disor... more

DEAR NATALIE: My wife and I are struggling. I got COVID early on in the pandemic and it disabled me. I have been to countless specialists and doctors. They all try to help me, but it’s been a struggle... more

DEAR NATALIE: My fiancé and I have been together for a little more than three years and I’ve never been to his hometown or met his parents. He always comes up with some excuse as to why we can’t meet ... more

DEAR NATALIE: My brother has recently married a person who doesn’t “believe” in COVID-19. I am immunocompromised and begged them to wear masks when they came for Thanksgiving. I begged them because th... more

DEAR NATALIE: My daughter was involved with a cult for a few years during the pandemic. It was a lonely time and this group gave her a lot of support – but also took so much from her. She didn’t speak... more

DEAR NATALIE: My mom and I have a very toxic relationship that seems to worsen every year. She has a very big issue with pills and has often fallen asleep around my children when she was supposed to b... more

DEAR NATALIE: With Thanksgiving approaching, I’m worried about my adult daughter who is in recovery for an eating disorder and was in an in-patient program for a while. She’s put on some weight since ... more

DEAR NATALIE: My husband and I have been married for a very long time (26 years and counting) and to “spice things up” we invited another woman into our bedroom. The deal was that this would be a “one... more

DEAR NATALIE: My parents are less-than-enthused about my current partner. Let’s just say they have a sordid past and will be spending some time in prison. They won’t be spending a long time there, but... more

DEAR NATALIE: When should I hit “mute”? A friend called me recently in tears about her friend’s roommate and an infographic he had shared online about the crisis going on in Israel and Palestine. Basi... more

DEAR NATALIE: My boyfriend’s mother is out to get me. She really doesn’t like me. I think she knows we are “serious” and will most likely get engaged this year and she has been pulling out all the sto... more

DEAR NATALIE: I’m tired of being concerned about COVID. I’m in my early 30s, single, and open to dating – which was never a big deal for me before 2020, but now it’s so logistically complicated. I wan... more

DEAR NATALIE: During the early days of the pandemic, my boyfriend bought a gun because he was afraid that something might happen where he would need to protect us. He went to the shooting range a coup... more

DEAR NATALIE: A few years ago, I moved into a house that my dad owns. He lets me stay there rent free while I finish college. In the meantime, I met a girl and we have two kids together. Now it’s me, ... more

DEAR NATALIE: My sister is going through a horrible divorce and is having major money issues because of it. My husband and I have a big house with an in-law suite. We told her she is welcome to live w... more

DEAR NATALIE: I recently learned that my fiancé’s previous marriage was very happy, and they only got divorced because their teenage daughter suggested it. She apparently wanted to experience a broke... more

DEAR NATALIE: I met a great guy recently and after a few fantastic dates, we went back to my place and had sex. It was awful. It was like he had never been with anyone before. Afterwards, I mumbled so... more

DEAR NATALIE:  I recently passed up a work opportunity with a potential client because I felt that their personality and lack of boundaries would be too demanding. I passed this work along to a friend... more

DEAR NATALIE: I recently gave birth to a stillborn baby. It was our first child and this has been a truly horrific experience. My family has been very understanding of all of this, but my sister-in-la... more

DEAR NATALIE: I’ve just started dating someone new that I’m really excited about. We’re keeping it casual because he just got out of a long term relationship, which works well for me. He still lives w... more

DEAR NATALIE: I really liked this guy I met a few months ago. He liked me, too. We went on several dates and it was starting to feel serious. We weren’t exclusive – yet – but it was heading in that di... more

DEAR NATALIE: One of my best friends is married to someone who I thought was a great guy. I’m happily married, and the four of us go out a lot. We even have a group text and send funny memes and make ... more

DEAR NATALIE: I just started working at a new job at a publishing company. I enjoy the role, and my coworkers are pleasant to get along with – but they’re all obsessed with work. When I’ve gone out wi... more

DEAR NATALIE: My husband and I have very different sex drives. He could have sex every day if he could, but I’m definitely more of a once-a-weekish kind of guy. Recently, we got into (yet another) dis... more

DEAR NATALIE: My partner of seven years has a bad habit of making fun of me in front of my family and friends. They like to put me down and “joke” about how I can’t sing (I know, so random) or can’t b... more

DEAR NATALIE: My sisters and I are extremely competitive. This was just how we were raised. When we were kids, it caused a lot of anxiety because my mother would pit us against each other and call out... more

DEAR NATALIE: I’m in the process of interviewing for jobs in higher education. There are a couple of interview questions that I often stumble over. In every interview, I’ve been asked what my weakness... more

DEAR NATALIE: I share a dog with my ex-fiancee. She only wants to spend time with the dog when it is convenient and cute for her – and she doesn’t actually share the responsibilities. We’ve been split... more