Relationship & Advice
Relationship Advice – Building Strong, Healthy Connections Relationships are at the heart of human life. They bring joy, meaning, and companionship, but they can also present challenges that test our patience and resilience. Whether romantic, familial, or platonic, every relationship requires care, understanding, and effort to thrive. At its core, relationship advice is about helping people navigate the ups and downs of connection, offering tools that strengthen bonds and foster long-term happiness. The Foundations of a Healthy Relationship Strong relationships are built on key pillars: communication, trust, and respect. When two people communicate openly, they create space for honesty and vulnerability. Trust builds confidence in one another, while respect ensures both voices are valued equally. Without these foundations, even the strongest attraction or shared history can become fragile. Emotional support also plays a vital role. In a healthy relationship, both partners feel heard, validated, and encouraged to grow. This balance fosters resilience and helps couples, families, and friends weather the storms that inevitably arise. Relationship Advice for Couples Romantic relationships are often where people seek the most guidance. In the early stages, new relationship advice usually emphasizes setting clear expectations, being honest about needs, and aligning values. Laying this groundwork builds a foundation for trust and deeper connection. For long-term couples, the challenges may shift. Over time, partners may struggle with keeping the spark alive, balancing busy schedules, or resolving conflicts. Relationship advice for couples often includes practical tips like planning intentional quality time, engaging in shared activities, and learning healthy conflict-resolution strategies. Even small gestures—like regular appreciation or surprise date nights—can reignite intimacy and connection. Long-Distance Relationship Advice Distance adds unique pressures to relationships, but with commitment and creativity, they can flourish. Long-distance relationship advice often centers on consistent communication, from video calls to thoughtful texts. Finding ways to share experiences, such as watching the same movie remotely or cooking the same recipe, can create a sense of closeness despite the miles. Planning visits in advance gives both partners something to look forward to, while discussing long-term goals ensures alignment. Above all, trust and patience are crucial for sustaining a bond across distance. Family, Friends, and Beyond Relationship advice is not limited to romantic partnerships. Family dynamics, friendships, and even parent-child relationships benefit from the same principles of communication, empathy, and respect. Family guidance may involve navigating generational differences, resolving conflicts, or building stronger bonds within a household. Friendship advice often emphasizes balance—investing time and energy while respecting boundaries. Parent-child relationships thrive when built on trust, consistent support, and open dialogue. In every type of relationship, the goal is the same: to create a nurturing environment where everyone feels valued and secure. Seeking Guidance and Support Sometimes, challenges feel overwhelming. In those moments, turning to trusted resources can make all the difference. Free relationship advice articles, workshops, or podcasts can offer fresh perspectives and strategies. For deeper or ongoing struggles, professional counseling or therapy provides tailored support that helps individuals and couples break unhealthy patterns and rebuild connections. It’s important to remember that seeking advice is not a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of commitment. Taking proactive steps to strengthen relationships shows care and dedication to the people who matter most. Progress Over Perfection No relationship is perfect. Conflicts, misunderstandings, and differences are inevitable. What matters is how people navigate them. Relationship growth comes from embracing challenges, learning from mistakes, and showing compassion both to others and to yourself. Instead of striving for a flawless partnership or family dynamic, focus on progress. Celebrate small victories, whether it’s resolving a disagreement calmly or making time for a loved one despite a busy schedule. These moments of effort add up, creating a strong and lasting bond. Final Thoughts Relationships are journeys—dynamic, ever-changing, and deeply personal. By prioritizing communication, trust, and empathy, you can create connections that endure through joy and hardship alike. Whether you’re looking to nurture a romantic partnership, strengthen family ties, or be a better friend, relationship advice serves as a guiding light.
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THE QUIET REBELLION
I built my media company in Pakistan when everyone told me not to. Pakistan’s youth proved them wrong.When I told people I was building my media company in Pakistan, the warnings came fast.Be careful.Why would you do that?Do you have security?My followers acted like I’d announced I was relocating to an active war zone. Some of them literally thought I was going to Afghanistan.One message said: “You’re a Gora. Be careful out there.”For those who don’t know: gora is a slang term some Pakistanis use for white foreigners. And yes, I’m very white. Italian-Canadian. Loud. Zero filter. I stand out. I don’t blend. I’m not mysterious. I’m not subtle. I’m a walking neon sign.But here’s what those warnings ignored: I’d been working with fourteen Pakistanis for a year and a half. Remotely. Building my company from Canada while they built it from Lahore and Islamabad. Day after day. Deadline after deadline. They showed up early, stayed late, pushed back when I was wrong, and delivered work that was better than anything I’d paid for in Toronto or New York.So I came to Pakistan to meet the people who were already building my company.What I found wasn’t what North America thinks Pakistan is.It was a country in the middle of a quiet revolution—economic, generational, personal—and the West is too busy clinging to its old story to notice.The Flight Everyone QuestionedThe warnings started the moment I booked the ticket.Friends: “Have you told your family?”My mother: “Why can’t you run it from here?”Random people online: “Do you have a security detail?”The subtext was always the same: Pakistan is dangerous. Pakistan is backwards. Pakistan is a place people like me don’t belong.I get why people think that. The narrative has been sold for decades: Pakistan equals instability. Terrorism. Poverty. Religious extremism. A place to fear, not a place to build.But fear based on what?None of the people messaging me had been there. None of them had worked with Pakistanis. They were reacting to a story they’d absorbed, not a reality they’d experienced.I’d spent eighteen months working with my team through Zoom calls and What’s App messages—watching them solve problems, build systems, ship product, and handle pressure with the kind of calm competence that makes you realize how much of North American “professionalism” is just performance. I knew what they could do.What I didn’t know was who they were beyond the screen.So I went.And the moment I landed, I realized how much of what we’re told about Pakistan is less about Pakistan—and more about the West needing somewhere to project its fear.I Didn’t Do Pakistan a FavorLet me be clear about something before we go any further: I didn’t build my company in Pakistan out of charity. I didn’t do it because I’m noble. I didn’t do it because I wanted to “help.”I built here because the talent is better—and North America is pricing itself out of relevance.Here’s the math that no one wants to discuss at dinner parties:In late 2025, the United States imposed a $100,000 fee tied to new H-1B visa petitions. One hundred thousand dollars to hire a single skilled foreign worker—on top of the existing filing costs.The stated goal was to force American companies to hire Americans instead of foreign workers.The real result is a brain drain with consequences no one wants to own.A huge share of H-1B holders are Indian and Pakistani professionals—software engineers, data scientists, doctors, researchers, the kind of people who built the modern economy. People with graduate degrees and specialized skills. People American companies depend on.And when you make it that expensive—or that humiliating—to hire them, you don’t suddenly create a domestic workforce overnight.You just push talent away.Canada tried to capitalize on that shift. But Canada is also becoming unlivable for many people. The cost of living is punishing. Housing is obscene. Winters are brutal. And immigrants get tired of being treated like they should be grateful for the privilege of enriching a country that still keeps them slightly outside the circle.So people go home.And here’s the part North America still isn’t saying out loud: Pakistan is ready for them.The Economy We Refuse to SeeThe numbers don’t lie, even when the narrative does.In October 2025, Pakistan’s IT exports hit a record $386 million in a single month.Pakistan’s broader targets are even more ambitious: multi-billion-dollar annual IT exports now, with a stated push toward $10 billion in the coming years.Pakistan has a deep pool of English-speaking IT and business-process professionals, and tens of thousands of new tech graduates each year trained in the same languages and frameworks Silicon Valley uses: Python, JavaScript, React, Node, backend systems, full-stack engineering. This isn’t “cheap labor.” It’s modern talent.And yes—Pakistan’s developers cost dramatically less than North American developers.Not because they’re less skilled.Because currency exchange rates make the same work cheaper in dollars. Because a massive, young workforce creates scale. Because Pakistan’s economic instability—devastating for everyday people—has created a brutal reality: their world-class skill is undervalued in Western currency.The work is the work. The quality is the quality. The only thing that changes is what the West pays for it.And while the West argues about immigration, Pakistan keeps building.Large multinational companies have long had operations in Pakistan—real engineering, consulting, and R&D work. Not the caricature of “call centers reading scripts.” Actual technical infrastructure.So when Western companies can’t bring talent in, they don’t stop needing the talent.They move the work out.Which means Pakistan gains economic power while North America pays them to do it.I didn’t do Pakistan a favor by building my company here.Pakistan made my business possible.My TeamI landed in Lahore on a Sunday Evening.The air was warm, even in January. The city hit me immediately: the hum of traffic, the honking, the street vendors, the call to prayer echoing in the distance. Lahore didn’t feel like a place people were “surviving.” It felt like a place that was alive—messy, loud, layered, and moving.My CTO and my assistant met me at the airport in Lahore. They’d hired a driver—steady, unbothered, navigating the city with the kind of calm that comes from knowing exactly where you are.I was only in Pakistan for three days. Lahore was my entire world during that time.We didn’t go straight to the hotel. We went to dinner.They took me to the Lahore Polo Club, and it immediately dismantled whatever expectations I’d arrived with. The grounds were immaculate. Green, expansive, elegant. It felt layered—historical without being stuck, refined without trying to impress.The food was exceptional. Deeply flavored, intentional, generous. The kind of meal that makes you question how often you’ve accepted “good enough” elsewhere without realizing it.But what stayed with me most wasn’t the food.It was the atmosphere.The service wasn’t performative. The staff weren’t rushing or resentful or going through motions. There was pride there. Ease. A sense that they belonged to something that worked.It was my first real moment of dissonance. Pakistan wasn’t matching the story I’d been told.Before we talked about work—before platforms, logistics, timelines—I gave them the floor.And that mattered.They were honest with me in a way that took courage.They told me they were scared.Not of the work. Not of the ambition. But of what Between the Covers represents.BTC is real. It speaks the truth. And in Canada, that truth includes conversations around LGBTQ identities, cannabis, bodily autonomy, and systems that don’t align neatly with Pakistani culture or religion.They worried about what it would mean to bring a magazine known for honesty into a context where honesty carries different risks. Different responsibilities. Different consequences.They weren’t asking me to dilute BTC. They weren’t asking me to censor it.They were asking whether BTC Pakistan would listen before it spoke.That conversation mattered more than any strategy meeting could have.We talked about Pakistan having one of the largest youth populations in the world. About how young people here are deeply aware of global conversations—but also deeply rooted in faith, family, and cultural responsibility. About how many Pakistanis leave to work in Dubai or abroad, and how many come back not because they failed—but because they want to build something at home.And that’s when the direction of BTC Pakistan became clear.Pakistan doesn’t need a magazine for women aged 35 to 65 modeled on Western exhaustion. That story doesn’t fit here.BTC Pakistan will be younger.It will speak to a generation navigating ambition, belief, identity, economics, and change—often all at once. A generation that is educated, globally fluent, politically aware, and deeply conscious of its cultural and religious frameworks.This isn’t about importing Canadian conversations and forcing them onto a different society.It’s about creating a platform that reflects the reality Pakistani youth are already living—their questions, their pressures, their hopes, their contradictions.I wasn’t there to tell them what BTC Pakistan would be.I was there to listen to what it needed to be.That conversation—open, careful, honest—was its own kind of rebellion. Not loud. Not performative. Just people choosing integrity over convenience.And it set the tone for everything that comes next.The Generation North America IgnoresPakistan has one of the largest youth populations in the world. Roughly two-thirds of the country is under 30.Think about that.A country the West writes off as “dangerous” is mostly young—ambitious, impatient, educated, connected, and done waiting for permission.And they’re not just building apps and startups. They’re pushing for accountability. For change. For a democracy that functions.In 2025, Pakistan’s youth showed up again and again despite arrests, internet shutdowns, suspended mobile service, and state pressure designed to exhaust them.They kept showing up.Imran Khan—former cricket star, former prime minister—has been in prison since 2023, serving multiple sentences on corruption charges he says are politically motivated. His supporters argue the same. And international scrutiny has intensified around reports of detention conditions.Whether you love him or hate him, his imprisonment has become a symbol: for political suppression, for institutional power, for the cost of dissent.And young Pakistanis understand that symbolism.My team is part of this generation.We don’t sit around debating politics in meetings. That’s not my lane and not my right to center. But I see something political in how they work: the conviction. The insistence that the future can be built, not begged for.In Toronto, young people are exhausted. Burned out. They’ve been sold hustle culture, then priced out of the life hustle promised. They’re working harder for less and being told to “practice gratitude” for the privilege.In Pakistan, young people are exhausted too—but in a different way.They’re tired of being underestimated.So they build anyway.What I Found in PakistanI met two Types Pakistans.The first is the one the West rarely acknowledges: old money and young millionaires. Families who built empires. Entrepreneurs who run logistics, textiles, tech, real estate. People living lives Canadians assume only exist in Dubai or London. Beautiful homes. Impeccable food. A level of luxury that makes Toronto look modest.I had dinner with a family connected to major industry. The house was marble and light. Art on walls that belonged in galleries. The meal served with a kind of ritual seriousness that made me want to straighten my posture.We talked about supply chains and global markets and the way Pakistan is positioned in a world that loves using Pakistan for labor but refuses to give Pakistan credit for competence.The patriarch, in his sixties and sharp as hell, said something I couldn’t stop thinking about:“The West thinks we need them. We don’t. They need us. They just haven’t realized it yet.”The second Pakistan is the one the West uses as its whole story: young people who want change, who want freedom, who want the right to speak without being punished for it. People who are brilliant and ambitious and working nonstop—and still struggling because systems are inconsistent, corruption is real, inflation is brutal, and opportunity doesn’t always match effort.Both Pakistans exist. Both are real. And that’s what the West refuses to do: hold complexity.We want simple narratives. Pakistan is either a dangerous hellscape or an undiscovered paradise.But Pakistan is complicated. Like every place that’s alive.The Hospitality North America MisunderstandsI stayed at Lahore Grande, a boutique hotel in Lahore. The owner, Aisha, made me feel at home in a way that didn’t feel like service.Within a day, she knew how I took my coffee. She knew I worked late and slept in. She knew I was constantly in motion, constantly thinking, constantly half-stressed even when I’m pretending I’m not.Every morning, she asked about my plans. If I mentioned wanting to see something, it was arranged. If I looked tired, tea appeared. If I came back frustrated, someone noticed before I had to say anything.One night, I returned to the hotel carrying the kind of tension you can’t hide. A meeting earlier that day hadn’t gone the way I’d hoped. Decisions were heavier than they’d felt that morning. The familiar questions had started looping: Was I moving too fast? Was I underestimating the risks? Was I asking too much of people I barely knew in person?I hadn’t said a word. I hadn’t complained. But somehow, it was visible anyway.Aisha noticed before I made it past the lobby.She didn’t ask what went wrong. She didn’t offer solutions. She didn’t try to fix anything. She simply asked if I wanted tea, without a word she poured it, and said quietly, “Don’t work to much.”It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t sentimental. It was simply true.And it landed harder than any motivational speech ever could.This is the part North America consistently misunderstands about Pakistani hospitality. We mistake it for politeness. For softness. For deference. We assume warmth means people are easy to exploit, easy to overrun, easy to take advantage of.That assumption is wrong.Hospitality in Pakistan isn’t weakness. It’s intelligence. It’s awareness. It’s a deeply ingrained understanding that people do their best work when they feel safe, seen, and respected.In North America, we perform friendliness to close deals. We smile, network, exchange cards, connect on LinkedIn, and then disappear the moment the transaction ends. Relationships are provisional. Conditional. Useful until they’re not.In Pakistan, hospitality is relational, not transactional. It’s an investment in trust. It’s the long game. It’s understanding that business, loyalty, and reputation are built through consistency—not optics.You’re welcomed not so you’ll owe something later, but so you’ll stay. So you’ll return. So you’ll build something that lasts.That night, sitting in a quiet lobby in Lahore, it became clear to me that what I was experiencing wasn’t kindness for show. It was cultural confidence. The kind that doesn’t need to announce itself. The kind that knows its value without demanding recognition for it.North America confuses loudness with strength. Pakistan understands that steadiness is power.And once you see that, you can’t unsee it.What This Means for Between the CoversI’m announcing something here that will surprise some people and make perfect sense to others:Between the Covers is expanding to Pakistan.Not just Marbella. Not just Canada. Pakistan.BTC Pakistan will launch in 2026.And before anyone asks: yes, it’s still a magazine for women. But for different reasons than Canada or Marbella.In Canada, BTC exists because women are exhausted from performing. From being told to lean in, optimize, self-care, practice gratitude, and somehow stay beautiful and productive while the world keeps extracting from them.In Marbella, BTC exists because women want luxury without the bullshit. Not aspirational branding. Not perfection theatre. Just real life with better lighting.In Pakistan, BTC will exist because women are navigating a different set of systemic barriers—and still building businesses, raising families, and shaping change inside constraints most Western women don’t have to think about.I’m not going to pretend I fully understand what Pakistani women need yet. I’ve been here once. I met incredible women—smart, ambitious, building empires while navigating restrictions I don’t face and never will.But I know this:Pakistani women don’t need me to save them. They need a platform that doesn’t patronize them.They need stories that reflect their actual lives—not the “exotic Pakistan” bullshit Western media sells. They need a magazine that understands rebellion looks different depending on what systems you’re refusing.And they need it run by Pakistanis.My team will build BTC Pakistan. Not me. I’ll fund it. Support it. Protect the vision. But Pakistani editors will run it. Pakistani writers will shape it. Because they understand the terrain in ways I never will.That’s not virtue signaling.That’s respect.The Truth About PakistanI’ve lived around the world. I’ve worked in multiple countries. I’ve seen wealth, poverty, innovation, corruption, beauty, violence.And I’m telling you: I see more truth in Pakistan than I see in North America.More directness. More genuine connection. More people who say what they mean instead of performing what they think you want to hear.In Toronto, people smile and nod and ghost you. In New York, everyone’s networking. In LA, everyone’s a brand. In Vancouver, everyone’s performing wellness while quietly falling apart.In Pakistan, when someone commits, they commit. When someone says you’re family, it often isn’t a line. When they invite you in, you’re inside. Fully.And yes—before anyone accuses me of romanticizing—Pakistan has real, severe problems. Poverty. Corruption. Political repression. Violence against women that makes my blood boil. Systems that need dismantling and rebuilding from the ground up.I’m not pretending Pakistan is perfect.I’m saying the West has decided Pakistan is only its problems—and that decision is lazy.Because while the West warns people like me not to go, Pakistan is building an economy the West now depends on.While the West clings to superiority, Pakistan’s youth are building leverage.Quietly. Strategically. Without asking for permission.The RebellionHere’s what rebellion looks like now:It’s building your company in Pakistan when everyone tells you not to.It’s highly skilled Pakistani professionals walking away from Western systems that tax their existence and returning home to build something better.It’s youth demanding accountability while also building the infrastructure of the future—one line of code, one startup, one business, one refusal at a time.It’s women navigating barriers and still building empires, raising families, and refusing silence.It’s hospitality as strategy, not weakness.It’s proving North American assumptions wrong not by arguing with them—but by outworking them.There’s a revolution happening in Pakistan. Quiet. Economic. Political. Personal.While North America was busy warning me, Pakistan was building the workforce the world now needs.I came to Pakistan expecting to meet employees.I found people building a country while the rest of the world looks away.That’s not hospitality.That’s rebellion.And Between the Covers Pakistan will tell that story.Because if there’s one thing I learned in Pakistan, it’s this: the people the West has been taught to fear are already building the future. And we’re too arrogant to see it.Between the Covers recognizes the importance of responsible storytelling and affirms that this feature is not intended to speak on behalf of Pakistani citizens, institutions, or movements. The publication respects Pakistan’s cultural, political, and social diversity and supports local editorial leadership in all regional editions.
ASMA JAHANGIR: The Woman Who Said No First
Every rebellion needs an origin story. Asma Jahangir is Pakistan’s.At 18, she marched to the Supreme Court to demand her father’s release from military detention. He had been imprisoned for speaking against the government’s actions in East Pakistan—what the world would later recognize as genocide in Bangladesh. Most teenagers wouldn’t know where to begin. Asma filed a petition.She won.That victory—Asma Jilani v. Government of Punjab—became a landmark constitutional case. It established that even military governments could not detain citizens without legal justification. She was barely an adult, and she had already handed the Pakistani state its first lesson in accountability.She never stopped teaching.What She BuiltIn 1980, Asma and her sister Hina Jilani founded AGHS Legal Aid Cell—Pakistan’s first law firm run entirely by women. Their clients were the people everyone else refused: Christians facing death sentences under blasphemy laws. Women accused of adultery for being raped. Bonded laborers. Teenagers on death row. The voiceless, the erased, the inconvenient.She co-founded the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. She co-founded the Women’s Action Forum. She became the first woman elected President of the Supreme Court Bar Association in 2010—after decades of men telling her she didn’t belong in courtrooms at all.The United Nations appointed her Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions, then Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion. She investigated human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, Israeli settlements, and Iran. She stood on international stages and said what needed saying, even when governments wanted her silent.Especially then.The CostIn 1983, police beat, tear-gassed, and arrested Asma during protests against laws that reduced a woman’s legal testimony to half a man’s. She was imprisoned. Then placed under house arrest. Then imprisoned again.In 1995, she defended two Christian teenagers accused of blasphemy. Mobs surrounded the courthouse. They smashed her car. They threatened her children. She sent her children abroad to keep them safe—and kept showing up to court.In 1999, a gunman walked into her office and shot a client dead. The bullet missed Hina by inches. The client, Samia Imran, had come seeking help to escape an abusive marriage. Her own family had ordered the killing.Asma didn’t stop taking cases.In 2007, Pervez Musharraf declared emergency rule and had her detained. She spent months under house arrest. In 2012, U.S. intelligence uncovered a plot by Pakistani security officials to have her assassinated.She kept going.Why She MattersAsma Jahangir didn’t just challenge laws. She challenged the assumption that laws were unchallengeable.She defended people accused of blasphemy in a country where that accusation is a death sentence—social if not legal. She fought honor killings when the culture called them tradition. She represented women accused of adultery for the crime of being raped, then watched courts overturn unjust verdicts because she refused to let them stand.She made rebellion look possible.Every woman in Pakistan who starts a business, builds a platform, or speaks without permission is walking a path Asma cleared. She didn’t do it politely. She didn’t do it quietly. She did it while governments tried to silence her, mobs tried to kill her, and critics called her a traitor.“I cannot bear to live where there is so much injustice and I cannot do something about it,” she once said. “What kind of a torturous life is that?”The InheritanceAsma Jahangir died of a heart attack on February 11, 2018. She was 66. The day before, she had spoken at a protest demanding justice for a young Pashtun man killed by police. She called the detained children of Swat “her own kids.” She was still fighting.Her name means world conqueror. Her legacy is simpler—and fiercer: she proved that one woman’s refusal to accept injustice can reshape what an entire nation believes is possible.Aleena Mohsin Mughal builds ethical fashion empires.Shameelah Ismail restructures who gets to earn.Myra Qureshi dismantles toxic beauty standards through market power.They stand on ground Asma Jahangir broke open with her bare hands.She said no first. She said no loudest. And she never, ever stopped.
The Thirty-Two: When TV Chose Kites Over Bodies
At 1:38 PM on February 6, 2026, CCTV captured the exact moment a suicide bomber detonated explosives at the Khadija Tul Kubra Mosque in Islamabad. Security guards had stopped him at the entrance. He opened fire. Then he walked into a hall packed with Shia worshippers mid-Friday prayer and blew himself up.Thirty-two people died. One hundred and seventy were injured. Glass and debris scattered across bloodied floors. Victims visible in the mosque's garden. Families running. Ambulances screaming toward hospitals already placing surgical teams on standby.And on Pakistani television? Kites.For hours after the bombing—the deadliest attack in Islamabad in seventeen years—major TV channels continued airing Basant festival programming. Celebrity interviews about kite-flying. Entertainment segments. Cheerful coverage of Lahore's spring celebration. Geo TV had actor Naeema Butt discussing Basant just as news of the blast broke.The contrast wasn't subtle. It raised a question that applies far beyond Pakistan: What does it mean when a country's major news channels continue entertainment programming while the capital buries its dead?I have a team in Islamabad. They texted me within minutes of the blast. My first instinct was to turn on the television—the way you do when something catastrophic happens, when you need to see it to believe it.Basant coverage was still running.I've seen this before. I lived in Bahrain during their internal conflict. I know what it looks like when certain communities' deaths become routine enough that regular programming continues. I know the math that gets done—consciously or not—when news organizations decide which bodies merit interrupting the schedule.My best friend is Shia. So I know what it costs to be the community that gets calculated away.This isn't theoretical for me. This is what I watched happen, again, on February 6.The Metrics That Should Have MatteredBy every traditional news standard, the Islamabad bombing should have dominated coverage:Deadliest attack in the capital since the 2008 Marriott Hotel bombingSecond major attack in three months (November courthouse bombing killed twelve)Happened during Friday prayers—maximum casualties, maximum horrorCCTV footage of the exact explosion momentISIS claimed responsibility within hoursInternational condemnation from the UN, EU, USA cousin of Islamabad's own Inspector General among the deadPakistani print media covered it extensively. Dawn ran comprehensive reporting. Express Tribune documented the aftermath. International outlets from Al Jazeera to CNN to the Washington Post covered it immediately.But in Pakistan, television is how most people consume news. And for hours, television showed kites.Were editors waiting for verified information? Avoiding broadcasting graphic scenes? Operating under regulatory constraints? Worried about inflaming sectarian tensions?Perhaps. But Journalism Pakistan, a media watchdog, noted that "critics linked extended entertainment coverage to commercial interests and advertising." The Islamabad Bar Association called for a day of mourning.Whatever the internal reasoning, the result was the same: viewers who turned on their TVs while the injured were still being pulled from the mosque saw spring festival coverage instead of the deadliest attack their capital had seen in nearly two decades.The Pattern That Precedes the SilencePakistan's Shia community represents about twenty percent of the population—roughly fifty million people. They've been systematically targeted for decades. ISIS explicitly stated after this attack that it views Pakistani Shias as "legitimate targets." This bombing wasn't anomalous: the 2017 shrine attack killed ninety-plus, regular attacks plague Kurram district, sectarian violence that analysts warned would "inflame tensions" continues.There's a calculation that happens—conscious or not—when news organizations decide what merits urgent coverage. Commercial considerations. Political pressure. Audience fatigue with certain types of violence. The normalization that happens when specific communities are targeted so regularly that each new massacre becomes, somehow, less newsworthy than the last.You can call this systemic bias. You can call it market forces. You can call it editorial caution. But you can't call it coverage.The Narrative That Moved FasterWithin hours, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif blamed Afghanistan and India for the attack—claims made without immediate evidence, rejected by both countries. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced four arrests including an "Afghan ISIS mastermind." The narrative took shape quickly: foreign enemies, cross-border terrorism, external threats.What got less attention: This was the second major Islamabad attack in three months. The bomber operated freely in a heavily guarded capital. When asked about security lapses, Naqvi responded that "if one blast happens, 99 others are being foiled."Al Jazeera's correspondent in Islamabad interviewed people after the bombing. "They say this is a lapse of security," he reported, "that authorities knew very well there was an imminent threat, given the fact that intelligence-based operations are going on in Balochistan and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province."Whether through coordination or coincidence, the extended entertainment coverage meant fewer hours of uncomfortable questions about how thirty-two people died in Friday prayers while intelligence agencies were supposedly conducting operations against known threats.It's easier to watch kites.The Mechanics of DisappearanceThis is how marginalized communities disappear in real-time. Not through dramatic censorship or obvious propaganda, but through the accumulated weight of editorial decisions that—individually—might seem defensible. Waiting for confirmation. Avoiding graphic content. Balancing competing priorities. Considering audience appetite.But when those decisions consistently result in certain communities' deaths receiving delayed or diminished coverage, the pattern reveals something darker than any single choice.The victims' families buried their dead on Saturday. Thousands gathered for funeral prayers. Coffins lined up. Mourners screaming. All of it well-documented by photographers whose images ran in international media.But for hours on February 6, while bodies were still being identified, Pakistani viewers who turned on their TVs saw entertainment programming.You could argue this was editorial judgment. Caution. Market-driven programming decisions. Fear of inflaming tensions.You could also ask: How many times does this have to happen before the pattern becomes the point?What Gets CountedThere's a reason print media covered this and television delayed. Print doesn't rely as heavily on advertising from festivals and consumer brands. Print doesn't face the same regulatory pressures. Print can afford to publish uncomfortable truths and wait for subscribers to find them.But television's reach dwarfs print's. Television shapes what most people understand as urgent, important, newsworthy. And on February 6, television made a choice about what mattered most.This matters beyond Pakistan. Every marginalized community worldwide knows this calculation. Knows their grief only becomes news when it's profitable or politically convenient. Knows that some deaths will lead broadcasts while others won't interrupt regularly scheduled programming.The mechanics aren't subtle. They're mathematical. The question is whether we're willing to name what the math reveals about whose humanity gets counted and whose gets calculated away.The Names You Don't KnowThirty-two people died on February 6. Their names were printed in Dawn, Express Tribune, international outlets. Their families held funerals while TV aired festival coverage.Analysts warned after the bombing that it could be part of a broader attempt to inflame sectarian tensions. They urged the government to take action against urban militant networks. They noted the danger of normalization.But something was already normalized: that certain deaths aren't urgent news. That commercial and political pressures can delay coverage of mass casualties. That you can have bodies in a mosque and kites on screen, and the kites win.This isn't speculation. It's what happened. The interpretation is yours.But if this pattern continues—if the next attack on a marginalized community receives the same delayed coverage while entertainment programming runs—we'll know it wasn't an aberration.It was a choice.And systems don't build themselves—but they do sustain themselves.Joseph Tito is the Editor-in-Chief of Between the Covers. He operates businesses in both Canada and Pakistan and has teams in Lahore and Islamabad.
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Winning Her Way: How Melissa Grelo Redefines Success
THE NOTE WAITING IN HER HOTEL ROOMMelissa Grelo was on the brink of one of the boldest moves of her career - a wellness retreat built on her Aging Powerfully platform, the passion project she’s nurtured alongside running a podcast, parenting an 11-year-old, and hosting The Social, Canada’s most-watched daytime talk show. Her daughter, Marquesa, had tucked a note into her bag with strict instructions: Don’t open until you get there.Alone in her hotel room, minutes before leading a room full of women who’d come to learn from her and the group of experts she had curated, Melissa finally opened it. On the first page, in her daughter’s unmistakably confident handwriting:I am so proud of you.“It was a very long letter,” Melissa laughs now. “She’s a very prolific writer. Her vocabulary is fabulous.”But the message was simple: Go. Do this. I’m good. I’m cheering for you.This is what it looks like when a woman builds a life that supports her joy - and raises a daughter who sees and celebrates it.THE GAME IS RIGGED. SHE PLAYS IT ANYWAY.Let’s get something straight: Melissa Grelo hasn’t come undone. She’s building a life, a career, and a rhythm that reflect her strengths, not society’s expectations. What she has done is thrive in an industry where women, especially those on camera, still face extra layers of scrutiny: age, appearance, composure, perfection. Viewers often expect media personalities to be flawless, polished, and ever-present, even when their lives are evolving behind the scenes.And still, Melissa moves forward with clarity and confidence.When The Social finally premiered, it wasn’t just another show for her. It was something she had dreamed up, pitched, and championed for years. So even though she was only 11 weeks postpartum, she chose to be there - excited, grateful, and fully aware of the significance of stepping into a project she had helped bring to life.“I went back to work really fast after I had her,” she says calmly. Not apologizing. Not justifying. Simply acknowledging that the moment mattered to her. She wanted to show up for something she had helped build.Men call this dedication. Women are often told it’s “balance.” But the truth is simpler: Melissa followed her ambition and trusted herself.WHEN HER BODY HIT PAUSE, SHE HIT RESETA year and a half after Marquesa was born, Melissa was hosting Your Morning and The Social. Early mornings, long days, big interviews, and two live shows that demanded focus and energy. Her career was expanding quickly, and she was embracing every opportunity that came with it. Mid-flight to Calgary, her body signaled it was time to calibrate - dizziness, racing heart, the kind of symptoms that demand attention. Doctors checked her vitals: all perfect.The lesson wasn’t “slow down,” it was “support yourself.”She did exactly that. Therapy. A later call time. And a more intentional approach to her already full life.“I’m very bad at resting,” she admits with a smile. “I’ve always been foot-to-the-floor.”But instead of pushing harder, she adjusted smarter. She didn’t crumble; she evolved.THE MATH OF MODERN PARENTHOODMelissa had Marquesa at 36, and like many parents who have children later in life, she occasionally does the quiet calculations – how old she’ll be at major milestones, how life stages might line up. “Always, always,” she says. “Everybody does the math.”But here's what the math doesn't consider: wisdom. Experience. A fully formed self."What we feel like we might be behind in or losing in age, we've gained in wisdom," she says. "We're bringing a whole different self to parenting."Her daughter gets the version of Melissa who knows who she is. Who lived a full life first. Who built a career and collected stories and mistakes and victories before motherhood.This Melissa doesn't crumble when the culture whispers that she's "aging out." She launches a podcast called Aging Powerfully and fills a retreat with women who want what she's modeling: strength without shame."I'm going to be the youngest version of my age at every step of the way."CHOOSING A FAMILY PLAN THAT FITS THEIR LIFEAfter four years of fertility treatment and two clinics, Melissa conceived naturally the very summer The Social was greenlit.Later, when she and her husband Ryan discussed having a second child, they communicated honestly and without pressure.“I’m not slowing down,” she told him. “If we have another, lead caregiving will fall on you.”They talked it through. They both had ambitions. They chose one child. A thoughtful, mutual decision.No guilt. No external expectations. Just a family designing a life that makes sense for them.“I’m very proud of how I’ve navigated the challenges,” she says, recognizing her own growth and the strength in choosing intentionally.RAISING A DAUGHTER WHO KNOWS SHE BELONGSPeople often ask ambitious mothers how they teach their daughters that they can “have it all,” but Melissa reframes the question. For her, the focus is helping her daughter understand that when challenges arise, the issue isn’t her, it’s the world she’s moving through.The approach in their household is simple and open. “There are no secrets in our family,” she says. “Just living life.”Marquesa knows the real stories behind Melissa’s journey - the fertility challenges, the anxiety attack, and the truth of what ambition can cost and give. She also sees something her mother developed later in life: strong boundaries.“She has boundaries very clear in a way I didn’t figure out until my mid or late 30s,” Melissa says. “When my daughter sees me pushing myself too hard because I don’t have good boundaries, she already does.”Their connection is built in everyday moments. At bedtime, Melissa asks: “What makes you feel loved?” and “What moments matter most?” And the answers are always the same - braiding her hair, cuddling on the couch, the rituals that make her feel safe and seen.It’s presence over perfection. Consistency over performance. Love woven into the ordinary parts of life.THE COSTUME AND THE TRUTHEvery morning, Melissa puts on the polished on-air version of herself. Every night, she settles into sweatpants on the couch.“This is who I am,” she tells her daughter. “Work-Mommy is a costume.”Marquesa prefers the no-makeup version.Melissa even built a clothing line - MARQ, named after her daughter, because she wanted kids to feel free before the world labels them.“I’m not throwing gender expectations on a child who still has placenta on her,” she jokes.Their house uses RuPaul’s Drag Race and Love Island as jumping-off points for conversations about character and confidence.“What’s more important than being pretty?” Melissa asks.Marquesa never hesitates: Being smart. Being kind.CHOOSING A FAMILY PLAN THAT FITS THEIR LIFEAfter four years of fertility treatment and two clinics, Melissa conceived naturally the very summer The Social was greenlit.Later, when she and her husband Ryan discussed having a second child, they communicated honestly and without pressure.“I’m not slowing down,” she told him. “If we have another, lead caregiving will fall on you.”They talked it through. They both had ambitions. They chose one child. A thoughtful, mutual decision.No guilt. No external expectations. Just a family designing a life that makes sense for them.“I’m very proud of how I’ve navigated the challenges,” she says, recognizing her own growth and the strength in choosing intentionally.RAISING A DAUGHTER WHO KNOWS SHE BELONGSPeople often ask ambitious mothers how they teach their daughters that they can “have it all,” but Melissa reframes the question. For her, the focus is helping her daughter understand that when challenges arise, the issue isn’t her, it’s the world she’s moving through.The approach in their household is simple and open. “There are no secrets in our family,” she says. “Just living life.”Marquesa knows the real stories behind Melissa’s journey - the fertility challenges, the anxiety attack, and the truth of what ambition can cost and give. She also sees something her mother developed later in life: strong boundaries.“She has boundaries very clear in a way I didn’t figure out until my mid or late 30s,” Melissa says. “When my daughter sees me pushing myself too hard because I don’t have good boundaries, she already does.”Their connection is built in everyday moments. At bedtime, Melissa asks: “What makes you feel loved?” and “What moments matter most?” And the answers are always the same - braiding her hair, cuddling on the couch, the rituals that make her feel safe and seen.It’s presence over perfection. Consistency over performance. Love woven into the ordinary parts of life.THE COSTUME AND THE TRUTHEvery morning, Melissa puts on the polished on-air version of herself. Every night, she settles into sweatpants on the couch.“This is who I am,” she tells her daughter. “Work-Mommy is a costume.”Marquesa prefers the no-makeup version.Melissa even built a clothing line - MARQ, named after her daughter, because she wanted kids to feel free before the world labels them.“I’m not throwing gender expectations on a child who still has placenta on her,” she jokes.Their house uses RuPaul’s Drag Race and Love Island as jumping-off points for conversations about character and confidence.“What’s more important than being pretty?” Melissa asks.Marquesa never hesitates: Being smart. Being kind.WINNING LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN THEY TOLD USOur interview took place on Melissa’s train ride home, a quiet moment in her busy day. As the train pulls into the station, Melissa gathers her things. Ryan is on pickup duty. Tomorrow she’ll do it all again, the work she loves, the routines she cherishes, a life she’s built intentionally.Tonight, she’ll braid Marquesa’s hair. She’ll ask the questions that matter. She’ll settle into the couch as her real self.The version that is fully present.The version that embraces every part of her life with intention.The version showing her daughter what’s possible when you follow your own path.And someday, when another letter comes, it won’t say I miss you.It will say:I see you. And I’m proud.
The Woman Who Wouldn't Giggle: Elvira Caria's Four Decades of Refusing to Play Nice
After 40 years of fighting for her voice in broadcasting, Elvira Caria lost the only title that ever mattered to her: Matthew's momThere's a street named after Elvira Caria in Vaughan. She didn't pay for it, she'll tell you right away. Awards line her walls—forty years' worth of recognition for lifting up her community, for being the voice that shows up at every damn event with her phone and her genuine give-a-shit attitude.But when I meet her at The Roost Café on a grey autumn morning, she says the work that matters most is the stuff nobody sees."My real satisfactory work?" She pauses, weighing whether to trust me with this. "I help young girls escape human trafficking. You can't put that on social media."This is Elvira Caria: the woman who refused to be radio's giggling fool, who chose late-night shifts over morning show glory so she could be home when her son's school bus arrived, who now sits across from me one year after burying that same son at 25."I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the community," she says. And she means it literally.The Day She Found Her Voice by Refusing to Use ItPicture this: a young Elvira in a radio control room, told by a well-known male broadcaster that her job was to giggle. To be the pretty voice that makes him sound better."I don't do giggling fool," she says now, decades later, the Southern Italian fire still in her voice.She stopped showing up to giggle on cue. Got fired on a Friday. Instead of folding, she handed her termination papers back: "If you can find a better reason to fire me on Monday, I'll accept it. If not, I'm coming back."Monday passed. So did Tuesday. By Friday she expected another dismissal—everyone fires on Fridays. But a month later the man who told her to giggle was gone. Elvira stayed for six more years."I found my value voice," she says. "I wasn't going to bend for someone else's value."The Choice That Looked Like SacrificeAt the height of her career, being groomed for a morning show at one of Canada's top stations, Elvira walked away."Nobody quits Rock Radio," her boss said."Well, I just did."She took the shifts nobody wanted—weekends, evenings, 3 a.m. hits at Yonge and Dundas. People called it sacrifice. She calls it choice."While others were sleeping, I was talking to the people we now call homeless. Nobody wakes up saying, I want to be on the streets when I grow up. Nobody."The choice meant she was home when Matthew got off the school bus. It meant knowing his friends, his teachers, his world. For 25 years, it meant being Matthew's mom first, Elvira Caria second.The Irony That Breaks YouHere's the part that will gut you: she spent decades insisting she was more than just Matthew's mom. She was a broadcaster, a journalist, a voice for the voiceless. She built a career on authenticity when authenticity could get you fired.And then, in 2024, Matthew was gone— twenty-five years old and on the edge of everything. Suddenly all Elvira wanted was the one title that had been stripped away."Matthew never saw me as a radio announcer," she says, voice steady, eyes somewhere else. "He saw me as his mom. And that's all he cared about."The Part Where She Stops Pretending Everything's FineLet's talk about not getting out of bed. About hygiene being optional when grief is bone-deep.Her sister-in-law was the one who finally broke through: "They need you. My boys need you! You're more than their Zia." So Elvira took small steps. A shower became a victory. Coloring her hair, an achievement. Looking in the mirror and trying to recognize whoever stared back."I'm mad at God," she admits. "People say everything happens for a reason. What's the fucking reason? Why take away a kid who never did anything wrong, who was just starting his life?"The Community That Saved Her When Awards Couldn'tTen people can tell Elvira she's wonderful. One critic cuts deeper at 3 a.m. That's human.She'll admit some awards now feel hollow—accolades in a season of loss. The recognition doesn't heal the absence.But the community? They showed up in ways that mattered. The woman from her coffee shop who just sat with her, no words needed. The neighbor who mowed her lawn without asking, week after week, because grief means grass keeps growing when you can't. The radio colleague who took her shifts without question when she couldn't form words, let alone broadcast them. The mothers from Matthew's old baseball team who still text her his jersey number on game days. Or the Baseball league who named an umpire award after him."Someone left groceries at my door every Tuesday for three months," she tells me. "Never found out who. Just bags of real food—not casseroles, not sympathy lasagna—but the exact brands I buy. Someone paid attention to what was in my cart before. That's community."The vigils, the legacy fund in Matthew's name, the quiet notes slipped under her door—that's what kept her standing."The real work happens in shadows," she says. "Helping a girl escape trafficking. Watching her graduate two years later. That's when I think—okay, maybe I've done enough to meet my maker."The Wisdom of Not Giving a FuckAfter decades of answering every critic, she's learned the most radical act: indifference."You don't have to react to everything," she says. "Not everything requires an explanation."She still hates small talk, still loves a stage. The influencer economy baffles her. "People think having a phone makes them reporters. Broadcasting is an accreditation—you're trained how to interview, how to fact-check, how to smell bullshit."Who She Is NowA year later, she's still figuring it out. Still showing up at community events with her phone and her give-a-shit intact. Still ironing her underwear (yes, really) because some control is better than none.The street sign with her name stands in Vaughan, but she lives in the in-between—between public recognition and private purpose, between the veteran broadcaster and the grieving mother."The evil grows faster than good," she says. "We're always catching up."So she keeps going. Not because grief eases—it doesn't. Not because she's found a new purpose—she hasn't. But because stopping isn't her style.She refused to giggle back then. She refuses to perform now. And maybe that's the lesson: sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is keep showing up, even when you don't know why you're still here. Especially then.Elvira Caria continues to support multiple charities across the GTA while maintaining her broadcasting career. She's still mad at God, still helping girls escape trafficking, still learning who she is now. She does not need your sympathy. She might need you to know that grief has no timeline, authenticity isn't content, and sometimes the bravest thing you can do is refuse to play along.
The Dentist Is Between My Legs: Bif Naked on Heart Surgery, Picking Felons, and Why She's Just Getting Started at 54
The punk icon who found euphoria on an operating table talks death doulas, divorce gratitude, and why her failing marriage hurt more than cancerBy Joseph Tito | Between the Covers | November 2025Bif Naked is cutting up her dog's food with her hands when I ask how it feels to be a legend.She looks at me like I've asked her to explain quantum physics in Swahili. "I'm a dog mom," she says, and goes back to mincing. Her fingers work methodically, tearing dog food into smaller and smaller pieces. The woman who once spit on audiences from punk stages now performs this daily ritual of care with the focus of a surgeon.This is going to be that kind of conversation—where every expectation gets shredded like dog food.The Operating Table High"So I was wide awake," Bif says, settling into her Toronto condo couch, miniskirt riding up as she crosses her legs. She's talking about her heart surgery like most people describe a spa day. "They thread a little camera through your leg all the way to your heart, and they can see what they're doing on the screen."She leans forward, eyes bright with the memory. "The surgeon is wearing a pineapple hat—like, the surgical hat had cartoon pineapples on it. And they're listening to William Shatner singing. Have you ever heard him sing? Who knew this album existed?"This is a woman describing having a hole in her heart closed with what she calls "a little umbrella device," conscious the entire time, finding it all hilarious and profound in equal measure. Her voice gets almost reverent: "I thought, this is the coolest shit ever. How is it possible that in this lifetime, I can listen to these people talking about their day jobs, which is fixing my stupid heart?"Then comes the moment that gives this article its title. They need to inject Novocaine into her leg to make the incision. You know that heavy, aching feeling from the dentist?"I said, 'Oh! It feels like the dentist is between my legs.'"She covers her face, laughing and mortified simultaneously. "The nurses started howling. This patient is on the table, making what they think is dirty talk. But I just meant—" she gestures helplessly "—the Novocaine!"Her whole body shakes with laughter now. "Of course that's what I said. How fucking funny is that?"God's Rejection and Other Love Stories"God is not going to choose me for whatever reason," she says, the laughter suddenly gone. "I'm going to stay here on earth and have to deal with it. Because I'm not learning my lessons yet."The shift in energy is palpable. She's talking about her pattern now—the violent men, the criminal boyfriends, the marriages to liars. "If there's a wrong guy, send him my way. If he is a criminal, if he's a violent felon, send him my way. I'm going to fall in love with that idiot every time."She delivers this like a weather report, no self-pity, just fact. When I ask why she got divorced, she doesn't hesitate: "Because I married liars." Then, catching herself: "But I have to look at what my fault was."She discovered what healthy relationships actually look like at 54. Fifty-four. After two failed marriages, cancer, and enough medical trauma to kill most people twice. "I had no idea relationships were supposed to be healthy," she says, and the wonderment in her voice is genuine. "I think that I've always been chasing true love. I'll never give up on love, ever."The contradiction sits there between us: the woman who picks monsters still believes in fairy tales."My emotional crisis of my failing marriage trumped my cancer experience."She says this so matter-of-factly that I almost miss it. The dissolution of her marriage during treatment hurt more than the actual cancer. Her hands, which had been still, start moving again—straightening pillows, adjusting her jewelry."Which was good," she adds quickly, "because it forced me to throw myself into volunteering."The man who married a rock star got a cancer patient instead, couldn't handle the plot twist. Now she trains as a death doula, works in palliative care. "If I was told tomorrow that I could not be a performer anymore," she says, her voice steady, "I think I would go into hospital administration."The Stage She Was Always SeekingBefore Bif Naked existed, there was a theatre kid at the University of Winnipeg who'd taken ballet for 13 years. She demonstrates a position, her leg extending with muscle memory from decades ago. "I wanted to be an actress and a ballet star."Then a drummer named Brett needed a singer. Suddenly she had a vehicle for all her poetry, all her rage about El Salvador and Indigenous treatment and misogyny. Whether it was ballet slippers or combat boots, she was always searching for a stage—just took her a while to find the right one."I got to stand up there. I got to spit on the audience. I got to say, fuck you, you can't objectify me." Her voice rises with the memory, that old fire flickering. "I didn't even have to sing very well. And believe me, I could not. I sounded like a dying cat."She pauses, grins. "And I don't mean the band Garbage."They opened for DOA. NoMeansNo. Bad Religion. She dropped out of university, and here's the kicker—"I'm still waiting to go back to school," she laughs, thirty-something years later, like she might actually do it.The same rage that fueled her screaming about El Salvador now targets Doug Ford's Ontario. "I couldn't figure out why I moved here," she says. "Then Ford got elected and I thought, 'Oh. I'm here to use my big mouth.'"The Children She'll Never Have (Or Will She?)When she cuts up that dog food with such maternal precision, I have to ask about kids. Her whole body language shifts—shoulders dropping, a softness creeping in."My ovaries were taken out at 36. So breast cancer didn't just cut up my tit." She says this with the same directness she uses for everything else, but her hand unconsciously moves to her stomach. "I've been in menopause since I was 36 years of age."People ask about adoption—she is, after all, adopted herself. The sarcasm returns, protective: "Oh yeah, let me get right on that. Let me turn around as a divorcee who's working nonstop as a self-employed artist in Canada and get right on the adoption train."But then, unexpectedly: "Now in my mid-50s? Yeah, I suppose I am ready."The possibility hangs there. Not this year. But the door isn't closed.Tina Turner's Miniskirt Ministry"I look to women like Tina Turner," she says, smoothing her miniskirt with deliberate intention. "Tina Turner didn't start playing stadiums till she was in her 50s."At 54, she genuinely believes she's just getting started. The documentary premiering across Canada this month (November 12 in Toronto, November 4 in Vancouver). The album finally released after she shelved it during the George Floyd protests because "the world didn't need a fucking Bif Naked record" during that summer of unrest."The sky is the limit," she says, and means it.When I ask who she's fighting for now, what her voice stands for at 54, she barely breathes before answering."When I was singing 'Tell On You' on my first record, I wasn't the only girl who was sexually assaulted," she says, her voice dropping to something harder, older. "I was the only girl with a microphone."The room goes quiet. Even the dog stops moving.She calls herself "a square" now—no cocaine, no partying. "I can be thoughtful and intelligent. I can try very hard to be a voice for the voiceless."But square doesn't mean silent. She's angrier about politics than ever, advocating for animals, healthcare inequality, LGBTQ+ rights rollbacks."Unfortunately," she says with a grin that's pure punk rock, "I'm still the one holding the mic."What's Next Is What She WantsThey're making a feature film about her life. The documentary's touring. When I ask what's next, she almost defaults to "that's a Peter question"—her manager's domain—then catches herself, takes ownership."We're working on the feature film based on the book."But really, what's next is whatever the fuck she wants. She's earned that.I ask what she'd tell a young girl starting out in music today. She thinks, really thinks, her face cycling through decades of memory."Never take it personally. Never take anything personally, no matter what."Then she says something that makes me stop writing: "There's room for everybody."This from a woman who had to claw for every inch of space. Who quit drinking partly to avoid being "misinterpreted" by men who'd use any excuse to discredit her. Who's been assaulted, dismissed, divorced, nearly killed."Anybody can make music on their computer, anybody can learn piano on YouTube, anybody can upload a song and send it to their nona," she continues, and she means it. "That's actually a gift."As I'm leaving, she's back to cutting up dog food, this ritualistic care that anchors her. I think about what she said about God not choosing her yet, about having to stay here and deal with it.But watching her hands work—the same hands that punched stage divers, that held microphones during cancer treatment, that reached for violent men who couldn't love her back—I realize something.She keeps saying she hasn't learned her lessons. But maybe she has. Maybe the lesson is you can marry liars and still believe in love. You can lose your ovaries at 36 and mother the whole world anyway. You can tell your surgical team the dentist is between your legs and still become a legend.She looks up from the dog bowl, catches me staring."I wasn't the only girl who was sexually assaulted," she says again, quieter this time but somehow louder. "I was the only girl with a microphone."Bif Naked's documentary tours Canada this month. Her album "Champion" is available now. She still wears miniskirts and heels. She's just getting started.
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Couples Counselling
Couples Counselling – Strengthening Relationships Through Guidance Introduction Every relationship faces challenges. Even the strongest couples sometimes struggle with communication, trust, or changing life circumstances. Couples counselling offers a safe and supportive space for partners to address these difficulties together. Far from being a last resort, it can serve as a proactive step toward building deeper understanding, healthier communication, and stronger bonds. What Is Couples Counselling? Couples counselling is a form of therapy designed to help partners resolve conflicts and improve their relationship. Guided by a trained therapist, couples learn to better understand each other’s perspectives, recognize patterns of behavior, and develop new skills for handling disagreements. Unlike casual conversations, counselling provides structure, neutrality, and professional insight that make it easier to work through sensitive issues. Common Reasons Couples Seek Counselling Every couple is different, but some of the most common reasons for seeking counselling include: Communication problems: Frequent arguments, misunderstandings, or lack of openness. Trust issues: Healing after betrayal, dishonesty, or secrecy. Life transitions: Adjusting to marriage, parenthood, relocation, or career changes. Intimacy concerns: Emotional or physical distance in the relationship. Financial stress: Disagreements about money and spending habits. Parenting conflicts: Differing approaches to raising children. Sometimes couples wait until problems feel overwhelming, but counselling can be equally effective as a preventive measure for maintaining closeness. How Couples Counselling Works In sessions, therapists often use techniques rooted in psychology and communication theory. Some common approaches include: Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): Helping couples identify emotional needs and build secure connections. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Addressing negative thought patterns that fuel conflict. Gottman Method: Teaching practical tools for communication, conflict resolution, and building trust. Solution-Focused Therapy: Emphasizing strengths and goals instead of dwelling only on problems. Sessions may involve guided conversations, role-playing, or exercises to practice new skills at home. Benefits of Couples Counselling When approached with openness and effort, couples counselling can offer lasting benefits, such as: Improved communication and listening skills Greater empathy and understanding of each other’s needs More effective conflict resolution strategies Renewed intimacy and trust A shared sense of teamwork in facing challenges Even if not every problem is fully resolved, counselling often equips partners with tools to handle future issues more constructively. Misconceptions About Couples Counselling Many people hesitate to seek counselling because of misconceptions, such as: “It means we’re failing.” In reality, counselling is a sign of commitment, not weakness. “It’s only for couples on the verge of breaking up.” Many attend therapy to strengthen healthy relationships. “The therapist will take sides.” A professional counsellor remains neutral, supporting both partners equally. “It won’t work if we don’t agree on everything.” The goal is not perfection but better understanding and growth. Breaking these myths helps more couples view counselling as a positive and empowering step. When to Consider Counselling Couples might consider therapy if they feel stuck in repeating conflicts, struggle to express themselves safely, or sense distance in their bond. Early intervention often prevents small issues from becoming major problems. Some couples also use counselling before marriage (premarital counselling) to prepare for long-term partnership. Conclusion Couples counselling is not about fixing one partner or winning arguments—it’s about creating space where both voices can be heard and valued. With the guidance of a skilled therapist, couples can learn healthier ways to communicate, rebuild trust, and strengthen their connection. Far from being a last resort, counselling can be a powerful tool for growth and renewal, helping relationships not only survive but thrive.
Family Guide
Family Guide – Building Stronger Bonds at Home Introduction Family is the foundation of our lives, shaping our values, beliefs, and emotional well-being. A healthy family environment provides support, security, and love that carries through every stage of life. Yet, maintaining harmony in a family can be challenging with the demands of modern life. A family guide serves as a helpful resource, offering advice and strategies to strengthen relationships, resolve conflicts, and foster a nurturing home. The Importance of Family Connection Strong family bonds create a sense of belonging and stability. They allow children to grow up with confidence, knowing they are supported, and they give adults a network of trust and care. Families that spend quality time together—whether through shared meals, traditions, or daily conversations—tend to build resilience against life’s stresses. A family guide helps remind us of the importance of intentional connection and encourages families to prioritize time for each other. Communication as the Heart of Family Life Clear, respectful communication is the key to healthy family relationships. Without it, misunderstandings, resentment, and conflicts can grow. A family guide often emphasizes: Active listening: Paying attention without interrupting, showing empathy and patience. Honest expression: Sharing feelings in a calm and respectful manner. Conflict resolution: Learning to compromise and address disagreements constructively. By practicing these skills, families create an environment where each member feels valued and understood. Supporting Children’s Growth Children thrive in families that provide love, encouragement, and structure. A family guide highlights practical ways parents can support development: Establishing consistent routines for security. Encouraging curiosity and learning through play and exploration. Teaching values like kindness, responsibility, and respect. Balancing discipline with understanding, so rules feel fair and meaningful. When parents model positive behavior, children naturally adopt those habits and carry them into adulthood. Nurturing Adult Relationships in the Family Family well-being is not only about raising children—it also includes the health of adult relationships. Couples, siblings, and even extended family members play vital roles. Maintaining respect, showing appreciation, and supporting each other through challenges strengthens these bonds. Simple gestures, like expressing gratitude or setting aside time for one another, can go a long way in keeping relationships strong. Managing Challenges Together Every family encounters difficulties, whether financial struggles, health concerns, or generational differences. A family guide provides strategies to face these obstacles as a team: Problem-solving together: Including all voices in decisions, especially in big changes. Flexibility: Adapting to new circumstances with patience. Seeking outside help: Recognizing when professional support, such as counseling, may be needed. Working together through tough times not only solves problems but also builds resilience and unity. Creating Family Traditions Traditions bring joy, identity, and continuity to family life. They may include celebrating holidays, weekly dinners, or even small daily rituals like bedtime stories. These shared experiences provide comfort and create lasting memories. A family guide encourages families to build and cherish their own traditions, reinforcing bonds across generations. The Role of Self-Care in Families Healthy families recognize that caring for oneself is just as important as caring for others. Parents and caregivers who take time for rest, hobbies, and personal well-being are better able to support their loved ones. A family guide reminds us that balance is essential: strong families are built when individuals also nurture their own needs. Conclusion A family guide serves as a compass for navigating the joys and challenges of family life. By focusing on communication, support, shared traditions, and resilience, families can create a home environment where every member feels loved and valued. Strong families do not happen by chance—they are built through effort, understanding, and care. With guidance and commitment, families can grow together, providing a foundation of stability and joy that lasts a lifetime.
Parenting and Family
Parenting and Family – Building a Strong Foundation for Your Modern Family Parenting in the modern world is one of life’s most rewarding yet challenging journeys. With busy schedules, evolving family dynamics, and the constant influence of technology, raising children today looks very different from past generations. Yet, at its core, parenting has always been about love, patience, and guiding children toward becoming confident, kind, and resilient individuals. Building a strong family foundation requires intentional effort, but the rewards—deep connection, lifelong trust, and shared joy—are immeasurable. Strengthening the Parent-Child Relationship The parent-child bond is the foundation of every family. A strong, healthy relationship between parents and children not only creates a nurturing home environment but also shapes a child’s emotional and social development. Children who feel safe, supported, and valued are more likely to grow into confident adults who can form positive relationships of their own. Strengthening this bond often comes down to the small, everyday actions—active listening, showing empathy, and spending quality time together. Whether it’s reading a bedtime story, cooking together, or simply asking about their day, these moments of connection build trust and reinforce the message: “You matter, and you are loved.” Parental Support and Guidance Effective parenting goes beyond providing for physical needs. Parental support means being emotionally available, offering encouragement, and guiding children through life’s challenges with patience and understanding. Creating a supportive relationship helps children feel comfortable sharing their struggles and triumphs, knowing they will be met with compassion rather than judgment. Family guidance also plays a key role in setting healthy boundaries and teaching values. Whether it’s modeling respect, fostering kindness, or encouraging responsibility, parents are their children’s first and most influential teachers. By prioritizing both discipline and empathy, parents can create a balanced environment where children learn accountability while still feeling loved unconditionally. Navigating Co-Parenting Dynamics For many modern families, co-parenting is an essential part of the parenting journey. Whether parents live together or apart, successful co-parenting depends on open communication, shared goals, and consistency. Developing a co-parenting plan can help establish routines, clarify responsibilities, and reduce misunderstandings. Some effective co-parenting tips include: Putting the child’s well-being first in every decision. Maintaining respectful communication, even when disagreements arise. Being consistent with rules, expectations, and routines across households. Encouraging the child’s relationship with both parents. When co-parenting is handled with cooperation and respect, children benefit from stability, security, and the assurance that they are loved by both parents. Embracing Unique Family Lifestyles Every family is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all formula for parenting. Some families thrive in multigenerational households, while others focus on smaller, nuclear structures. Some embrace traditional roles, while others redefine them in ways that suit their values and circumstances. Finding a parenting philosophy that aligns with your beliefs can make the journey smoother. For some, this might mean emphasizing positive discipline; for others, it may involve prioritizing free play, creativity, or independence. What matters most is that the family environment fosters love, safety, and growth. Family counseling or support resources can also provide helpful tools during difficult times. Professional guidance can offer strategies for improving communication, resolving conflicts, or managing transitions such as divorce, relocation, or blending families. Building a Healthy Family Environment A strong family is built on shared routines, respect, and intentional care for everyone’s well-being. By focusing on family wellness, parents can cultivate habits that benefit both children and adults. Some examples include: Eating meals together to strengthen connection. Encouraging physical activity and outdoor play. Practicing gratitude and mindfulness as a family. Setting aside technology-free time for bonding. These healthy habits not only improve overall well-being but also create lasting memories that children carry into adulthood. Final Thoughts Parenting and family life will always come with challenges, but within those challenges lie opportunities for growth, connection, and joy. By strengthening the parent-child relationship, practicing supportive parenting, and embracing the uniqueness of your family, you create a home filled with love and resilience. Remember, perfection is not the goal—progress and connection are. What truly matters is the love, time, and effort invested in building a nurturing environment where children can thrive. At the heart of it all, family is about creating a foundation of trust, respect, and unconditional love—a foundation that lasts for generations.
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The Metamorphosis: Losing Myself to Find Myself
Have you ever really thought about metamorphosis? Not just the word, but what it actually means-the caterpillar cocooning, dissolving, and somehow emerging as a butterfly. Like, WTF?! When you really think about it, that’s wild. That something so small, so ordinary, can completely fall apart and come back as something beautiful and free. That process-that painful, disorienting transformation-feels a lot like therapy. It feels like growth. It feels like life.We love to talk about transformation like it’s this bright, glowing thing- light, freedom, awareness. But the truth? It’s messy. It’s raw. It’s the part of the story most people skip over because it’s the part where everything familiar falls away.The theme of this issue-The Fear of Losing (Yourself to Find Yourself)-hits deep for me because that’s exactly what healing feels like. You don’t just find yourself one day and say, “Ah, there I am.” You lose yourself first. You question everything. You unravel.There’s a point in that unraveling where you start to feel like you’re slipping into darkness. In my world, we call that the dark night of the soul. And let me tell you-it’s heavy. It’s that kind of pain that sits on your chest and doesn’t let you breathe easily. It’s the quiet moments when you start wondering if you’ll ever feel like you again.For me, it’s felt like being at the bottom of a cold, dark well. The kind where the walls are slick with mud, and you can’t see a way out. It’s lonely, it’s suffocating, and it’s terrifying.But here’s what I’ve learned-if you stop fighting long enough to feel around, there’s always a ladder nearby. It might not look like much, but it’s there. That ladder is awareness. That single, tiny spark that whispers, “You’re not done yet.”The climb out isn’t glamorous. It’s not fast, and it’s definitely not easy. Some days you make progress; some days you slip. But the only way through the unraveling is one step at a time.Growth, introspection, and healing aren’t gentle processes. They require you to shed versions of yourself that no longer fit-identities you’ve clung to, patterns that once kept you safe, stories you’ve outgrown. In a way, we die multiple times in one lifetime. And every time we do, we wake up a little more aware.That awareness can be brutal at first. It shows you everything you’ve ignored, everything you’ve avoided. But it also shows you what’s real. And that’s where the transformation begins, in the honesty of seeing yourself clearly, even when it’s uncomfortable.When I talk to people about healing, I tell them: it’s not a one-time event. It’s not something you check off your list. Healing is a lifestyle. It’s the way you learn to meet yourself-again and again, with compassion, patience, and truth.And then, one day, something shifts. You start noticing little moments of light breaking through. You breathe a little deeper. You catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and think, “There you are.”The wild thing that no one tells you-you’re not returning to who you were. You’re emerging as who you’re meant to be.That’s the magic of metamorphosis. The caterpillar doesn’t come back as a better version of itself-it becomes something completely new. So do we.After the darkness, there’s this newness, a kind of quiet strength that comes from having survived the unraveling. There’s awareness, yes, but also gratitude. You realize that the pain wasn’t punishment; it was preparation. Every loss, every fall, every tear; they were all shaping you for this moment of clarity, of becoming.“Sometimes the only way forward is through the unraveling.”That line… it’s the truth. Because the unraveling isn’t failure. It’s freedom.We spend so much of our lives trying to hold ourselves together, to stay in control, to not fall apart. But what if falling apart is the point? What if the unraveling is the only way to rebuild yourself with intention? If you’re in that cocoon right now-that dark, messy, confusing middle, I want you to know that you’re not broken. You’re becoming. You’re allowed to pause, to rest, to take one small step toward the light.Transformation isn’t pretty, but it’s powerful. It asks everything of you, but it also gives you back what you’ve always needed-truth, awareness, and the permission to live as your most authentic self. So when life feels like you’re losing yourself, remember this: sometimes that’s exactly what has to happen. Sometimes the pieces have to fall apart so the real you can finally emerge.Healing isn’t about finding your way back.It’s about stepping into the light with everything you’ve learned in the dark-and realizing that maybe, just maybe, you were never lost at all.
CONNECTION IS THE CURE - AND YOU NEED IT MORE THAN WIFI
Let’s cut the crap and be real! No app, no algorithm, no artificially intelligent anything is going to save your relationship, revive your friendships, or help you feel less alone at 2 a.m. when your chest is tight and your mind is racing.I’m your Do or Die Relationship Doctor, and I’m telling you straight—what you’re starving for isn’t another update or a better dating app. It’s not more followers or another group chat with 18 people who don’t actually check in.You’re starving for connection. Real, messy, soul-shaking, skin-on-skin, look-you-in-the-eyes connection.I don’t care how many articles you read about AI taking over the world or how many digital tools are trying to “simulate intimacy.” You heard it here first, AI and social media will only ever mimic connection. It’s a knock-off. A hologram. A very sexy, smart distraction—but a distraction nonetheless.What it can’t do is replace the feeling of someone laughing so hard they’re crying beside you.It can’t hold your hand when you get bad news.It can’t look you in the eye and say, “I love you, and I’m not going anywhere.”That’s human. That’s connection. That’s what we live for. If you don’t fight for connection, you will lose it.Not because it disappeared—but because you stopped showing up for it.We talk about togetherness and family and travel in this edition, and yes—it’s all about those magical shared moments that make life worth living. The road trips, the late nights, the inside jokes that only your grade school friends still remember. The messy reunions with your mom crew who saw you through baby puke and breakdowns. The partner you built a life with, but who now sits five feet away on the same couch while you both scroll like strangers.Let me say this loud and clear…If you’ve “lost the spark,” it’s not because love died. It’s because effort did.Put your dang phone down. Get up off the couch. Book the date night. Send the text. Make the call.Quit saying “We should catch up” if you don’t mean it. Quit ghosting your own life.If you matched with someone online, great—now go meet them in real life. Talk face to face. Feel the vibe. Take the risk. Maybe it’s awkward. Maybe it’s electric. But either way, it’s real—and that’s what you need more of.And if you’re already in a relationship and you’re bored or bitter or silently keeping score? Snap out of it. No one thrives on autopilot. Relationships don’t die because something went wrong—they die because no one did the work to make it right.Want connection? Be the one who creates it.It’s time to stop blaming technology for our loneliness and start owning the fact that we’ve gotten lazy with love.It’s easy to scroll. It’s easy to like. It’s easy to pretend you’re “in touch.”But connection isn’t passive. It’s a choice. Every single day.Listen up, without real human connection, you will not thrive.You may survive, sure. But you’ll feel empty.Because we are not designed to go it alone.We need community. We need touch. We need truth. We need people who see us.When you feel close to someone, really close-it literally boosts your mental, emotional, and physical health. People in strong relationships live longer, feel happier, handle stress better, and are more likely to bounce back from tough times.So if you’re feeling lonely, disconnected, or burnt out-it’s not your phone plan that needs upgrading. It’s your willingness to lean in, open up, and reach out.Say it with me-CONNECTION IS THE CURE.Write it on your mirror. Shout it in your car. Tattoo it on your heart if you have to.Because this isn’t just a catchy phrase-it’s your lifeline.If you want a relationship that lasts, if you want a life that feels full, not just fine-then connection has to become your daily medicine. You take it by showing up. By listening. By saying the hard things. By forgiving. By laughing until you snort. By being real, even when it’s messy.So go-Reignite the spark.Call the friend.Book the trip.Apologize first.Say “I miss you” even if it’s been a while.Quit waiting for someone else to make the first move. Be the move!Because at the end of the day, the moments that matter most-the ones you’ll remember are never going to be the nights you stayed home doom-scrolling. They’ll be the nights you showed up for love, for friendship, for family.That’s what really matters. That’s what keeps us alive.And don’t you forget it.
Wait a Mary Minute
Back to School, Back to BalanceNavigating the Emotional Shift for Parents and ChildrenThere's something in the air every August. You can feel it at the end of a summer breeze—the quiet murmur of structure returning. Backpacks start appearing in store windows, group chats fill with "teacher assignments," and for many families, the countdown to back-to-school feels like it snuck in overnight.But here's what I've learned after years of helping families navigate this transition: going back to school isn't just a logistical shift—it's an emotional earthquake. And it doesn't only rock the kids. The back-to-school energy touches every member of the household, influencing moods, mindsets, and the way we relate to one another.Whether you're flying solo as a single parent, tag-teaming with a partner, or you're the kid trying to figure out if you're excited or terrified (spoiler alert: probably both), that shift from summer freedom to September structure can shake the hell out of your family's equilibrium.The Emotional Undercurrent No One Talks AboutLet's be honest about what's really happening here. In single-parent households, back-to-school season can feel like you're drowning in a sea of supply lists while everyone else seems to have their shit together. There's one person managing drop-offs, emotional check-ins, work schedules, and the silent panic of realizing your kid's growth spurt means literally nothing fits anymore. The invisible labor intensifies, and that emotional load? It can feel crushing.There's also this quiet grief that nobody acknowledges—mourning those lazy mornings and spontaneous ice cream runs that are about to disappear into the void of alarm clocks and permission slips.Two-parent households aren't immune to the chaos, just differently cursed by it. Coordination becomes this elaborate game of calendar Tetris where someone always loses. Who's handling lunch prep? Who's on pickup duty? These seemingly simple negotiations can turn into relationship landmines if you're not careful. Often, one partner unconsciously becomes the family's emotional air traffic controller while the other handles logistics. Left unspoken, this imbalance can quietly erode connection faster than you realize.And the kids? They're not just innocent bystanders in this annual circus. Children are emotional sponges—they absorb our stress even when we think we're Oscar-worthy at hiding it. You'll see it show up as sudden clinginess, sleep disruptions, or that special brand of over-excitement that makes you wonder if they've been sneaking espresso. For kids navigating divorced or co-parenting situations, back-to-school also means potential shifts between homes and routines, adding another layer of "what the hell is happening to my life?""You are the emotional thermostat of your household, but too often you're running on fumes by September 1st."Name It to Tame ItWhether you're the parent or the kid, transitions are emotional rollercoasters. Let that be okay. Actually, let that be expected.One of the most powerful tools in my therapeutic toolkit is emotional labeling—for you and your child. When you can name what you're feeling, you take away its power to control the entire conversation."I'm feeling overwhelmed with everything we need to organize this month. Let's make a plan together so we both feel better about it.""It's totally normal to feel nervous about meeting your new teacher. Want to talk about what you're hoping they'll be like?"By naming the feeling, you're also modeling emotional intelligence and teaching your child that their inner world matters—revolutionary stuff in a culture that often expects kids to just "get over it."Connect Before You CorrectDuring high-stress transitions, relational strain loves to make surprise appearances. Parents snap at each other, kids act out, and suddenly everyone's walking on eggshells in their own home. This is normal human behavior—but it's also totally fixable.My golden rule for keeping families connected during chaos: connect first, then correct. Before you enforce a boundary or make a request, take one moment to emotionally connect. A hug before a reminder. A warm tone before setting limits. Eye contact before giving instructions.These aren't just nice-to-have gestures—they're relationship preservers. You're building a bridge before asking someone to cross it.Keep Summer Alive in Small DosesGoing back to school doesn't mean we have to murder summer joy and bury it in the backyard next to the pool floaties. One of the best ways to ease transition tension is to intentionally sprinkle moments of playfulness throughout August and beyond.Plan one last "summer Saturday" before Labor Day—pajamas until noon, ice cream for dinner, zero guilt. Keep up family movie nights or Friday dance parties even when homework enters the picture. Remind your kids (and yourself) that structure and spontaneity aren't mortal enemies—they can actually coexist beautifully."The start of a school year isn't just about organizing supplies—it's about strengthening the bonds that matter most."Check Your Own Emotional TemperatureHere's something I see constantly in my practice: parents completely neglecting their own emotional needs while orchestrating everyone else's back-to-school experience. You are the emotional thermostat of your household, but too often you're running on fumes by September 1st.Ask yourself: What support do I actually need during this time? What tasks can I delegate, automate, or—radical concept—just let go of entirely? When did I last ask for help without feeling like a failure?You deserve grace in this transition too. The calmer your nervous system, the smoother your household energy flows.It's About Connection, Not PerfectionBack-to-school season will never be Instagram-perfect, and that's not the goal anyway. But it can be intentional, relational, and even joyful when we lead with connection over correction, preparation over panic, and empathy over the urgent need to have everything figured out immediately.The start of a school year isn't just about organizing supplies—it's about strengthening the bonds that matter most. And that begins with how we show up for each other, especially when everything feels chaotic and uncertain.Dr. Mary Marano is a licensed psychotherapist and relationship expert who specializes in helping families navigate life's messier moments with more grace and less guilt. She's the founder of Life & Family Counselling Services and creator of the transformational program "Changed By Mary." Find her at lifeandfamilycounselling.com and changedbymary.com, or follow her insights @mary_marano.
Wait a Mary Minute
The Real New Year for Families, Parents & RelationshipsLet’s be honest: January is overrated.We make resolutions we barely remember by February, we’re exhausted from the holidays, and nothing about it feels like a true “fresh start.”But September?Now that’s when life resets.The chaos of summer ends.Kids go back to school.Routines return.And suddenly, we’re face-to-face with our real lives again — with a new opportunity to recalibrate, reconnect, and reclaim what matters.I call it the “emotional New Year.”And if you pay attention, you’ll feel it too.Why September Feels Like a Fresh StartIt’s not just in your head — September is a psychological reset for many of us. Here’s why:The return to school triggers memories of our own childhood “new beginnings” — new clothes, fresh notebooks, a clean slate.Summer’s loose structure gets replaced with routine, rhythm, and responsibility.The shift in seasons (even subtly) brings a subconscious message: It’s time to get serious.But this shift doesn’t just affect your calendar — it impacts your relationships, parenting style, and mental health.Couples: The Back-to-School Relationship Check-InSummer often puts relationships on autopilot. Between BBQs, kids at home, travel, and juggling work, most couples aren’t exactly sitting down for heart-to-hearts in July.Then September hits—and the silence is louder.With the kids back in school and less social distraction, you’re left alone with your partner… and possibly a sense of disconnection.Here’s the hard truth:Just because you survived the summer doesn’t mean you’re connected.Now is the perfect time to ask:Are we checking in emotionally—or just managing logistics?Have we become co-parents or roommates instead of lovers and partners?What do we need this season?Pro tip: Book a “connection date” this month. No kids. No distractions. Just two humans asking, “How are we really doing?”Parents: Routines Reveal What You’ve Been AvoidingSeptember puts a spotlight on how well (or poorly) your family systems are working.If mornings are a war zone, if homework time leads to meltdowns, or if you’re snapping at your kids more than speaking to them—those are not “just bad days.”They’re signs.Of burnout.Of disconnection.Of your emotional cup running on empty.Ask yourself:What message do my kids get from me in the mornings — chaos or calm?Am I parenting from intention… or exhaustion?Do I need help, structure, or just permission to admit this is hard?Pro tip: Make one small, repeatable ritual. A 2-minute check-in before school. A “no phones” zone at dinner. Tiny rituals create emotional safety—for you and your kids.
Wait a Mary Minute
When the House Won’t Stop Moving — Parenting, Pressure & the Power of PauseLet’s be honest. Parenting is not a vacation. It’s a high-stakes, high-stimulation, no-overtime, no-manual, emotionally loaded, full-body contact sport. And when your kids are home full-time—whether it’s summer, school breaks, or a long-haul pandemic—you’re not just a parent. You become the chef, the referee, the tech support, the therapist, the playmate, the event planner… and if you’re lucky, the bathroom monitor.No wonder you’re exhausted. But here’s the kicker—your stress doesn’t stay in your body. It leaks. It spills. It lands in your tone, your reactions, your presence… and eventually, in your relationships—with your children, your partner, and most importantly, with yourself.So what do we do when we can’t get away? We regulate. We repair. We reclaim.Step 1: Stop Trying to Be Unbothered Let’s kill the myth that a good parent is a calm parent all the time. You are not a robot. You are not a yoga pose. You’re a human being with a nervous system that gets overloaded. Emotional regulation doesn’t mean staying zen 24/7. It means noticing when you’re about to lose it—and giving yourself a way through it instead of at someone. Try this: When tension builds, say out loud, “I’m feeling overwhelmed right now. I need a moment.” Model what it looks like to pause. To name it. To normalize it. Your kids don’t need a perfect parent. They need a real one. One who can feel, recover, and keep showing up.Step 2: Reconnect to Your Own NeedsThe reason so many parents feel resentful is because no one ever asked us how we were doing. So let me ask you now… When was the last time you did something that wasn’t for someone else? Self-care isn’t just bubble baths. It’s setting limits. It’s stepping outside. It’s taking ten minutes in silence with a hot coffee while the chaos continues and not feeling guilty for it. Because here’s the truth—the calmer you are, the safer they feel. Self-care is not selfish—it’s protective parenting.Step 3: Stop Performing, Start ConnectingMany of us are parenting from a script. We do what our parents did—or do the exact opposite. We follow what Instagram tells us a good parent should look like. We try to curate a calm, clean, organized, joyful home. And then we wonder why we feel like we’re failing. Connection isn’t about performing. It’s about presence. Your child doesn’t need themed lunches. They need five minutes of your undivided attention where you see them, hear them, and validate what they’re feeling—even if it’s irrational. “Of course you’re upset the popsicle broke. That sucks.” That sentence is therapy. That sentence is connection. And guess what? The more connected they feel, the more regulated they become.Step 4: Let Your Kids See You Heal I say this often: You are the curriculum. Your children are learning how to handle life by watching you. So let them watch you rest. Let them watch you say no. Let them watch you take a breath before yelling. Let them watch you apologize when you get it wrong. Healing happens out loud. And it’s never too late to course-correct.Step 5: Build Your Village No one is meant to do this alone. Isolation is a stress amplifier. Connection is the cure. Call a friend. Join a group. Talk to a therapist. Let someone hold space for you so you can keep holding space for your family. You can’t pour from an empty cup. But when you’re full—even just a little—you give your kids the greatest gift of all: a regulated, responsive, emotionally available parent.Your nervous system is the climate control for your home. When you regulate, everything settles. When you care for yourself, you parent with more power and more peace.So here’s your permission slip… Take the damn break. Ask for help. Let go of perfect. And remember—the strongest homes are built on connection, not control."Your nervous system is the climate control for your home. When you regulate, everything settles."Got something keeping you up at night (besides your kids)? Whether it's parenting chaos, relationship ruts, or just trying to find five minutes of peace—Mary wants to hear about it. Send your questions, dilemmas, or full-on meltdowns to info@jeopublishing.com and your topic could be featured in the next Wait a Mary Minute. No shame, no fluff—just real talk and solid advice.
The Father Factor: Why Dads Matter More Than We’re Willing to Admit
Wait a Mary MinuteBy Dr. Mary Marano, DCP – Psychotherapist | Relationship ExpertLet’s cut through the noise.Fathers matter. Not in a vague, symbolic, “provider” kind of way—but in a deep, biological, emotional, and psychological way that shapes a child for life.A father’s presence-or absence—is a blueprint.For sons, he’s the first model of male identity.For daughters, he’s the first mirror of worth.A father teaches his son how to be—how to handle anger without violence, how to lead without domination, how to love without fear. Boys who grow up with engaged fathers are more likely to develop emotional regulation, accountability, and self-respect. They learn that masculinity isn’t about silence or stoicism, but about presence, responsibility, and strength rooted in connection.Without him, many boys look elsewhere for definition—often to influencers, street scripts, or toxic masculinity masquerading as confidence.A father teaches his daughter what she deserves.When she sees herself cherished, protected, respected, she’s less likely to settle for less. A present and attuned father builds a foundation of self-worth that doesn’t waver under pressure. She doesn’t need to search for validation—she’s already lived it.When she hasn’t felt that from her father, the void can show up in her choices, her boundaries, and how loud or silent her voice becomes in relationships.In a 2024 study published in Developmental Psychology, found that father involvement during childhood is significantly associated with children’s positive mental, cognitive, social, and physical outcomes. In addition, positively involved fathers contribute to their children’s brain development, healthy emotions, social relationships, and physical health. Benefits include reduced behavioural problems, improved academic performance, and decreased risk of depression and substance use in adolescents.People, I don’t make this stuff up! These are the cold, hard facts.The research indicates that father absence during early childhood is associated with increased levels of depression in adolescence and early adulthood. Children without active fathers are twice as likely not to graduate from high school and are at a 75% increased risk for teen pregnancy. Now are you ready for this-statistics show that 85% of youths in prison come from fatherless homes, highlighting a strong correlation between father absence and higher incarceration rates among youth.“Dads don’t just matter—they leave a legacy. Confidence, resilience, empathy, and strength are not inherited. They are modeled.”So-if mothers give us life, fathers teach us how to navigate it. Whether guiding sons toward strength and responsibility or showing daughters what respect and care look like, the presence of a father shapes the way children move through the world. In their absence, children are often left searching for the very compass a father was meant to provide.Here’s the truth we don’t say loud enough-Dads don’t just matter—they leave a legacy.The beauty of the father-child bond lies not only in guidance today, but in the legacy, it builds for tomorrow. Fathers who engage, who listen, who love boldly — they don’t just shape children. They shape the adults those children will become. Confidence, resilience, empathy, and strength are not inherited. They are modeled.Whether they’re present or absent, engaged or indifferent, nurturing or neglectful—they shape how their children love, trust, and see themselves.The impact is lifelong. And it’s not just about showing up on weekends or paying child support. It’s about emotional presence. Tenderness. Accountability. Consistency.Not perfect—present.So if you’re a father reading this, your role is not secondary.If you’re a mother raising kids without a father in the picture your awareness of that gap is powerful.And if you’re an adult still wrestling with the father you did or didn’t have—know this: naming the wound is the first step toward healing it.Fathers are not optional. They are essential.Let’s start acting like it.
Wait a Mary Minute
Scrolling Ourselves Silent: The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media, on Your Brain and Your Relationships We live in a world where we wake up to the glow of a screen before the sun. Our fingers scroll before our feet touch the floor. Social media has become our morning coffee, our silent dinner guest, our late-night lullaby. It fills the gaps between tasks, quiets the boredom, and numbs the discomfort.But at what cost?Social media was built to connect us—friends from across the world, family from afar, strangers with shared stories. Yet many of us have never felt more disconnected. Behind filtered smiles and curated captions lies a silent epidemic—one of comparison, self-doubt, overstimulation, and loneliness.Connection has never been so instant—nor so empty.Your Brain on Social MediaSocial media isn’t inherently “bad.” It’s a powerful tool for advocacy, education, and the global community. For survivors, for the misunderstood, for the unseen—it can be a lifeline. It gives voice to the silenced, platforms to the marginalized, and opportunities to learn, grow, and unite.But it also comes with a hidden cost. When left unchecked, it becomes a thief—stealing time, attention, confidence, and even sleep.Studies now link heavy social media use to spikes in anxiety, depression, disrupted sleep patterns, and diminished self-worth. The endless highlight reel becomes a distorted mirror. We hold our ordinary, messy, and beautiful lives against a backdrop of airbrushed perfection and curated milestones.Every like becomes a silent vote on our worth. Every scroll is an invitation to question our value.Even worse? The algorithms are designed to keep us hooked—feeding us content that stirs emotion, often negative, to maximize engagement. We are not just consuming—we are being consumed.The Impact on RelationshipsHave you ever sat across from someone you love and felt the space between you grow—not from words unspoken, but from screens glowing?Maybe it was their distracted scrolling. Maybe it was yours.We’ve all been there—present in body, absent in spirit.Emotional presence is slowly being replaced by digital distraction. Intimacy is being diluted into likes, DMs, and emojis. Conversations become clipped. Eye contact fades. And the quiet magic of just being together is lost in a sea of notifications.We communicate more than ever, but we connect less deeply. We “check in” online, but check out in real life.We’re becoming fluent in digital language while forgetting how to read each other’s hearts.Romantic relationships strain under the pressure of comparison and performative perfection.Friendships become transactional. Family dinners feel more like social media breaks with food on the side.And the most fragile relationship of all—the one with ourselves—begins to fray.It’s no longer just two people in a relationship—there’s often a third, silent presence at the table: the phone. It interrupts conversations mid-sentence, competes for attention during intimate moments, and replaces eye contact with screen glow. What was once a space for connection now becomes a battlefield for presence. Partners find themselves scrolling side by side, physically close but emotionally distant. The phone doesn’t just hold apps—it holds comparison, distraction, and escape. And over time, it can erode trust and intimacy, not because of what’s on it, but because of what it takes away: the opportunity to truly see, hear, and feel one another.If you don’t believe me, here’s what the research tells us, there is a significant link between social media use and infidelity in romantic relationships. Here are some key findings: Prevalence in Divorce Cases: Approximately 20% of American divorce cases involve Facebook, with 80% of divorce attorneys noting an increase in cases using social media for evidence of infidelity.Social Media Addiction and Infidelity: A study found that individuals with higher social media addiction scores also reported higher levels of infidelity-related behaviors on social networking sites. Impact on Marriages: Research indicates that heavy social media users are twice as likely to contemplate divorce, and online affairs now contribute to more than a third of divorces. These statistics highlight the potential challenges social media can pose to relationship fidelity and stability.Children, Teens & the Digital MirrorFor children and teens, social media isn’t just a tool—it’s their social currency. It’s how they connect, express, explore identity, and stay in the loop. But it’s also how they’re judged, measured, and sometimes excluded."We communicate more than ever, but we connect less deeply. Emotional presence is slowly being replaced by digital distraction."Adolescents are in the most vulnerable stage of self-development—still forming their identity, self-esteem, and social belonging. In this critical window, the digital world acts like a mirror. But instead of reflecting who they are, it reflects who they should be: more popular, more attractive, more successful, more “liked.”The pressure is relentless.What used to be playground drama now plays out in public comment sections. Comparison no longer ends when school does—it follows them home, into their beds, and into their dreams.Research shows that heavy social media use in teens is linked to increased rates of anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and body dissatisfaction. The need for online validation can spiral into constant checking, performance-based posting, and fear of missing out (FOMO). And for some, it becomes a cycle of self-worth tied entirely to external feedback.What Kids Are Losing:Authentic connection: Screen time often replaces in-person experiences that teach empathy, body language, and emotional nuance.Emotional regulation: Constant stimulation leaves little room for boredom, self-soothing, or introspection.Unfiltered identity building: Young people are now curating themselves before they even know who they really are.What Parents Can Do:Talk openly: Normalize conversations about comparison, cyberbullying, and self-image. Ask how they feel online, not just what they do.Co-create boundaries: Set screen time limits together. Model healthy phone habits instead of enforcing them without context.Prioritize connection: Build real-world rituals—meals without devices, walks, game nights, tech-free weekends—to remind kids that real presence still matters most.The bottom line is kids don’t just need to be protected from the internet—they need to be guided through it.Because behind every teen scrolling in silence is someone silently asking, “Am I enough?”And the answer they need most won’t come from a screen.It comes from us.The Pros and Cons of Social Media on Mental HealthThe Bright SideAccess to supportOnline communities can be a lifeline—especially for those in remote areas or facing stigma.Representation and connectionMarginalized voices find spaces to belong, share, and be seen.Creativity and advocacyA platform to raise awareness, tell your story, and build meaningful movements.The Shadow SideComparison overloadIdealized posts fuel self-doubt, jealousy, and a distorted self-image.Cognitive fatigue & overstimulationConstant scrolling can hijack your nervous system, draining focus and sleep.Shallow connectionsQuick texts replace deep conversations. Emotional closeness erodes.Addictive behaviorsDopamine hits from likes and shares build compulsive patterns. You’re not just scrolling—you’re being scrolled.
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