every time I talk to my therapist, I’ve started noting down what he does—the ways he responds to what I say, the kinds of questions he asks me—that make me feel validated and listened to. I do this in order to learn how to be a better therapy friend. And I think I’ve worked hard on being a nonjudgmental, supportive, and active listener to the extent that this is the only role of friendship I feel comfortable in. I am good at molding myself into being a listener that someone else wants around, who exists to provide support and affirmation. In this way, I can be . . . helpful, I guess? Or
...more
