DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend has gained great popularity through her YouTube channel where she tells long and interesting stories while doing her makeup.
Lately, I’m guessing she might be running out of ideas because many of her stories seem grossly exaggerated – if not entirely fabricated. I didn’t really mind until she started bringing my name into the stories.
She has not said anything bad about me, but the fact that she has used my real name to tell the stories certainly rubs me the wrong way. I asked her to stop and she was offended and said she thought I would enjoy being mentioned on her popular channel.
I want to clear my name, but I do not want to ruin her credibility. Should I just stand by and let her continue to lie, or should I expose the fake stories?
Friend is lying to YouTube
DEAR FRIEND LIES FOR YOUTUBE: Privacy is a major issue and an immediate challenge in the world of the internet. You have the right to ask your girlfriend to stop using your name in her stories.
Considering she’s lying about you and associating your name with the lies, I think it would be considered defamatory language. Tell her that if she does not stop, you will prosecute.
Suggest she use pseudonyms in her stories instead of someone’s real name. This way, she can figure out what she wants without involving others in the process.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve been sorting out some emotional issues for some time now. I have come to a decision that I am afraid to make: I will ask my father and stepmother to attend an upcoming therapy session with me.
My therapist recommended that we sit down together as many of my problems stem from the way they treated me when I was younger.
I’m very nervous to ask them, because I’m sure they have no idea I feel that way. How should I approach this?
Group therapy
DEAR GROUP THERAPY: Be gentle as you approach your family. If possible, go to them and take this up personally. Tell them that you have been through some challenges and sought therapy to solve them.
Explain that some sensitive issues have arisen that include things that happened when you were younger and still living with them. Tell them that your therapist has asked the three of you to come together to talk through these sensitive topics, and you hope they will agree.
It is likely that they will try to get you to reveal what the topics are. This is where you will do your best to stand firm. Tell them that it has been difficult for you to reach this point in your healing process. You believe you need the professional support of the therapist to help the three of you examine what is coming up. Assure them that this is not an ambush. Instead, getting together with your therapist will give you a safe space where you can talk together and sort through whatever comes up.
Harriette Cole is a lifestyle expert and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c / o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
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