"Maybe that’s why watching what happened next — not just to the brand, but to Christmas itself — hurts as much as it does." ...

"On paper, she was 'getting by.' But the cost of getting by had become brutal." ...

“Mom,” I said, “All I’ve ever wanted was to know you were OK. That you were safe.” “I know, baby girl,” she said. “I can’t ...

"The room blurred, and when I raised my head... gravity took the tears from my eyes and pulled them down my cheeks." ...

Unfortunately, my experience is all too common. If you find yourself in a situation like I did, here's what you should do.

"I’m reminding myself that I’m an adult woman who gets to choose how I do holidays — for now, anyway. I’m going to enjoy it ...

"It was disturbingly easy for me to fall into this world. It started with small, seemingly harmless choices." ...

"True healing will only come if I accept every scar and allow each version of myself to be seen." ...

"In the Midwest, men aren’t supposed to talk about this stuff. We’re taught that being 'weak' is unacceptable." ...

"There are ways to uplift and support other parents and educate people ... without turning children into spectacles." ...