As a psychotherapist, one of my absolute, favorite moves of all time is

when I meet a new client who sheepishly admits that they want a romantic

relationship in spite of believing that they shouldn’t:

“So you’re a “Turtle Dove.”

With this statement, my hope is that I begin to unravel the years of

twisted thinking they’ve been exposed to suggesting that they “need to

learn how to be ok with being alone.” Why should they be alone? Because

they REALLY don’t want to be alone? Because they are uncomfortable and sad

being alone? Because they desire a significant other more than anything

else in their lives? So there must be something wrong with them. They must

be deficient in some way. They must have a “love addiction” or low

self-esteem. Wow. Are we really that sadistic???