Opinion |
My boyfriend cheated on me repeatedly. I dumped him immediately. Now my cousin says he was justified and I should take him back. Do I have to? Ask Lisi
Opinion
Based on the author鈥檚 interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events
Lisi Tesher is an advice columnist for the Star and based in Toronto. Send her relationship questions via email:聽lisi@thestar.ca
Q My boyfriend cheated on me several times before I caught on to what was happening. I felt absolutely violated and sick once I discovered the extent of his philandering ways. I dumped him immediately and moved out of our apartment. I took everything that was mine, including the groceries I had just purchased and our cat.
Now he鈥檚 calling everyone in my family and friend groups. I鈥檝e blocked him so he can鈥檛 contact me, by phone or through social media. And I unfriended myself from any of his accounts. I am NOT interested. Slowly my friends are blocking him as well, as are my sisters. Everyone thinks he鈥檚 a loser and horrible for doing what he did to me. Somehow, no one knew about any of it.
My cousin thinks I should give him another chance. She says he called her crying and told her everything, every story, every girl, everything. She listened and felt he was justified in every cheat and therefore deserves another chance.
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I鈥檓 not sure how I feel about this. What do you think?
Cheated On
A I think your cousin has some strange ulterior motive. Your boyfriend cheated on you multiple times. Let me be clear: there is absolutely NO justifiable reason for him to have cheated on you even once. He has full control of his hands and who they touch and where, of his lips and who they kiss and where, and of his penis and where he puts it.
Do NOT go back for more punishment because he WILL cheat on you again. And you need to have a deep discussion with your cousin to find out why she would ever want to put you through that again. There鈥檚 something fishy going on there 鈥 I hate to say it, but I do not trust your cousin.
Q I am suffering from some trauma that happened to me years ago. It has had a profound lasting effect on me. I have been through numerous professionals and my guess is that, through maturing, adolescence and young adulthood, my needs have changed.
I recently found a new person online whose credentials appeared legit and high-end. I set up an appointment and spoke with this person once only to discover that their degree was some online bulls—- from a prestigious school in Europe, and that they had zero experience in dealing with situations like mine. I paid for this session and am disgusted to think that there are people out there professing to be professionals when they鈥檙e just hacks.
How is this allowed and how can I find someone legit?
Trauma tagged
A Keep searching and don鈥檛 give up 鈥 on finding help and on yourself. Not every therapist is the right fit. It can be a process to find the right one. This person doesn鈥檛 sound legit from your description, but who knows? Bottom line, who cares? They didn鈥檛 work out for you, so find someone else.
Yes, I agree 鈥 it鈥檚 uncool to portray yourself as something you鈥檙e not, especially when other people鈥檚 mental health is in your hands. But you can鈥檛 control that.
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I once found a therapist who sat in her high-backed granny chair, with her glasses down her nose, pen poised over a notebook and went 鈥渕mm-hmmm鈥 after everything I said. I ran out of there never to look back. She was definitely NOT for me.
I also suggest you speak to your family doctor. They are usually connected to trauma centres, trauma specialists and could perhaps set you up with an appointment for a consultation. Keep going!
Reader:聽鈥淭he safety of the children is the major issue here.聽But posting any details about one鈥檚 life has other hazards, too.聽Data obtained in massive hacking events is often sold to small-time criminals on the dark net. Those purchasers then attempt to match the data obtained with additional information needed so they can access bank accounts. Social media is a good place to find this info.聽
鈥淵our security questions, for example, often ask for your dog鈥檚 name, your best friend in childhood, your grandmother鈥檚 maiden name, etc. 鈥 all things that may casually be revealed on social media.
鈥淭hieves can also use other info such as when you鈥檙e away, that you own an in-demand vehicle, etc. You then make yourself vulnerable not just to local criminals but to highly organized networks working across large areas. Revealing details of your life in a public forum is beyond foolish.鈥
Opinion articles are based on the author鈥檚 interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details
Lisi Tesher is an advice columnist for the Star and based in
Toronto. Send her relationship questions via email:聽lisi@thestar.ca
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