You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Layla feels insecure. Every day at school, she watches the other girls talk and laugh together as she sits by herself. At home, she scrolls social media, comparing herself and her life to all the happy, smiling pictures she sees. She wonders if it’s her looks that prevent her from connecting with her peers. She dreams of how life would be different if only she could change her appearance somehow. She feels trapped in her own body.

Marie and her boyfriend had been together for ten years when his life was suddenly cut short. Overnight, her world was thrown into chaos. Now, on top of dealing with this devastating emotional loss, she’s overwhelmed with funeral planning, financial strain, and trying to make sense of this new world by herself. The people around her offer support, but no one understands what she’s going through. She’s becoming increasingly isolated and desperately dreams of her old life.

Tim is no stranger to feeling unwanted. He was raised in a demanding household where he learned that love and affection were conditional on success. Yet, no matter how much he excelled academically or otherwise, he still felt like a burden to his parents. As an adult, he latches on to those around him, desperately seeking their care and approval. He wonders why he always needs to earn love and isn’t deserving of love just for who he is.

Katie has had a tough life. As a child, she experienced emotional and verbal abuse at home and, throughout her life, has fallen into similarly abusive patterns in relationships. In college, she experienced a string of events where others took advantage of her shyness and vulnerability. She fears the world and is untrusting of others. She knows that not everyone wants to hurt her, but she can’t get past the feeling of being scared all the time. Katie desperately wants to feel safe and secure.