My son seems to blame me for his anxiety. How can we reconnect?
Dear Annalisa, My 22-year-old son is about to start his third year of a four-year degree course, and he is living at home. He has always been quiet and…
My partner ghosted me after I miscarried our child. What did I do wrong?
Dear Annalisa, I had a lockdown romance with someone I met through online dating. He was the first man I’d dated after coming out of an…
My elderly mum is tearful, angry and lonely. What can I do?
Dear Annalisa, I’m worried about my mum. She’s in her early 80s, has mobility problems and seems depressed. Every phone call with her usually ends with her…
OCD has plagued me for most of my life – can I ever escape it?
Dear Annalisa, I am a 76-year-old married man and have had intense and ongoing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) since the age of 13. My father was killed in the second world…
How do I let my friends know that sometimes I need help, too?
Dear Annalisa, I’m a 37-year-old gay male. I don’t want an “other half”, because I like being single, but I’m always there for my friends, even during this…
My daughter’s barbed comments hurt me. How should I respond?
Dear Annalisa, My daughter is in her 30s and leads an independent life with a demanding job, which gives her a lot of satisfaction. Her mother and…
My older brother makes me feel stupid and I can’t laugh it off
Dear Annalisa, I am a 40-year-old woman who has been talked down to and patronised by my older brother my entire life. He often speaks to me…
My 10-year-old has started sleeping in my bed. Am I wrong to allow it?
Dear Annalisa, Before lockdown, my 10-year-old daughter slept in her own bed every night without any problems. She is an intelligent, happy girl, albeit a bit…
Annalisa Barbieri 