Dating today can feel like a maze of mixed signals and emotional games. From negging and breadcrumbing to lovebombing and gaslighting, emotional manipulation can leave you questioning your worth and reality. In this post, therapist Odile McKenzie, LCSW, breaks down each behavior, shares real examples, and helps you learn how to spot these red flags early—so you can protect your peace and date from a place of self-worth.

We all had a vision for how life would unfold: career, love, family, and success. But what happens when it doesn’t go as planned? This blog explores the quiet grief of unmet expectations and offers compassionate tools from ACT therapy, Buddhism, and Stoicism to help you cope, let go, and create meaning right where you are. You’re not alone, and it’s not too late to rewrite the story.