Anita, I have always needed my mother’s approval and I’ve rarely received it. It’s really only been in the last few years that she’s stopped giving negative, critical opinions and I’ve stopped needing her approval.  All I can take from my experience is how NOT to mother my own children. She wasn’t a good mother to me, but to think about those times and wallow in the emotional abuse would not be a good mindset for me. I struggled for a long time. I focus on now, and my own parenting  and we’ve finally reached a place of peace.

Feeling secure in my female friendships has always been a struggle but as an adult, I finally felt like I’d mastered it. I’m moving forward from the mess of the dynamic, but it’s a slow process. I’m now on month three, and am in the “anger” phase. Mostly at the woman who I was friends with for five years and brought into the group, but there’s plenty to go around.

Will I ever be able to move forward completely from this experience?

K