This is a question a reader submitted to me via a HubPages article I wrote: My step-daughter (13) is the second youngest of a blended family of eight. She lacks empathy and has high anxiety. She lies, manipulates, distracts to get what she wants and avoids any real responsibility. How does a step-parent navigate this situation? As I’ve stated elsewhere, I am not a licensed mental health professional; therefore, I do not feel comfortable giving personalized advice. However, I will share a few thoughts I had upon reading this question. First, have you expressed your concerns regarding your manipulative step-daughter to your spouse? If your answer is no, why not? Do you feel that your spouse will refuse to hear you out, or will listen to you but then invalidate your concerns? Then, there are larger issues to deal with, and I would urge you to explore why you don’t feel comfortable raising this issue with him/her. If you answered yes to the question above, does your spouse acknowledge t
Healing From Emotional Abuse