From the author: Sometimes the desire to take care of a loved one, to help, forgive, support, turns into an obsession with his life, mood, problems and complete ignorance of his interests. And then love turns into addiction. Among my clients there are people who have such vivid figurative language that you feel the situations described as if they were your own. With their permission, I want to share a few sketches, changing the names and keeping the essence of the picture. I'll call it Living Stories. So, story one. We met Larisa when she was going through a difficult divorce. Her husband, an impressive and loving man, met her after several marriages and was distinguished by his great love for his children. He devoted all his time to caring for his offspring and resolving conflicts with his ex-wives, he literally lived to the fullest - everyone needed to help, bring and take, do something, pay for something. And my client actively began to help her beloved with his children: she took one to dance, the other to the doctor, studied massage, speech therapy and early development techniques, paid her own bills and didn’t even mention spending the weekend together. But the beloved still lived under time pressure, there was always not enough time and money, and, first of all, for her, Larisa. The romance in the relationship ended before it began, the husband brought home only irritation and reproaches, and family life was not at all like the relationship the woman wanted to build. Thunder struck when they had a child together. Larisa left her job, stopped bringing money to the family, and could no longer devote so much energy and time to her husband’s problems. On the contrary, she expected help from him. At this point, the head of the family left the uncomfortable “unit of society,” accusing his wife of callousness and selfishness, and found himself another “helper.” Larisa was very worried, asked herself, “What did I do wrong?” This was not the first time my husband left the family after the birth of a child) and his own limitations. Having admitted that she was not omnipotent and could not change another person, but in this situation she had done everything possible, she almost calmed down. “But looking at the couples walking with their children,” she told me, no, no, and the thought pricks me: after all, we too we could do the same! Now, if only he would come back! And my friends are all married, no matter who you come to - they all have full families, it’s somehow awkward even to visit. And so, the other day she told me such an interesting story. She had a free day. The husband took the child for the weekend, as usual, making a few final comments that he was poorly dressed, seemed to be snoring, and in general she didn’t look after him well. And he rushed off in his minibus, in which he now takes all the children to their ex-wives. And Larisa, left to her own devices, decided to go for a walk in the park. The day turned out to be unusually hot for autumn and, after hesitating slightly, she decided not to wear a jacket, but to go in a light summer jumper. “I’m on the subway,” she says, “and everyone around me is wearing coats, raincoats, and jackets.” Well, I think I’m the only one dressed up so strangely! I arrived at the park and it was the same story. People are walking, dressed warmly in autumn, wearing scarves, and I’m alone in a summer jacket, like a fool! And then I suddenly asked myself: listen, are you cold now? And she answered herself: no. So why do you need a jacket? – she continued the mental dialogue with herself. - Well, everyone is wearing jackets, it’s autumn, that’s how it’s supposed to be. – So, are you ready to walk around, sweating in an unnecessary jacket, just to look like everyone else? – and she laughed at her own answer. “And how did you feel when you suddenly realized that you can live the way that is convenient for you?” – I asked. “Great lightness, as if I had taken off a blindfold that I had tied for myself!” - she answered. – After all, I really live my life now. I cook what I like, spend my time in a way that makes me happy. Instead of spending the whole weekend…