When most of us feel anxious, we’re told to breathe, take a walk, or use coping skills to get through the moment. These tools can help calm the nervous system, but often they don’t go deep enough.

Many people grew up in families where love and care were present, but emotional connection and maturity were not. If you’ve ever felt like you were the emotional adult in your relationship with a parent, or like your feelings weren’t acknowledged or understood, you’re not alone.

During a therapy session, the topic of reasons to get married came up, and I was intrigued by the range of responses that emerged.