For years, my father controlled the flow of money into my life through a structure that was never honest about what it was. Five LLCs — all wholly owned and controlled by him — transferred approximately $5,000 per month, in aggregate, into my LLC. These transfers occurred consistently, month after month, for years. There was…

I’ve spent a long time trying to understand my parents without flattening myself in the process. That’s harder than it sounds. Because it requires holding a truth that most family systems can’t tolerate: that people can try and still cause harm, that love can be present without being sufficient, and that clarity does not require…