Conversation:

i feel so relieved after reading this article now i can breathe more freely that i can change my mind and be illogical and possess the right to be wrong sometimes

I know that those 'assertive rights' might sound obvious, but it really can help to have someone remind you that you have them - especially if you've spent years being bullied into thinking that you DO have to be perfect, and getting abused every time you've made the slightest slip.

I thought it was very telling that, of the students on the assertiveness training course I went on, five of the six of us had one thing in common: we'd all had absolutely ing awful bosses who'd made our lives a misery and destroyed our self-esteem. The exception was a guy who was a manager himself, and wanted to learn how to manage people without being like that.

Very true....I spent four years with a bunch of old fart vets who made me feel like a lowly piece of poo. Of course, when I screwed up that's when I was noticed.
Thanks for this article, Ormondroyd! I'm off to a therapist! Er, as soon as I'm eligible for insurance at work and can find a gay-friendly therapist.
Which, if homosexuality *is* a disease, can I call in queer?

It has to be worth a try! Go for it!

And, seriously, good luck finding that therapist. A good one can make you feel *so* much better, as I know from experience.