Saying no, and staying close.
For adults noticing the cost of keeping everyone else comfortable.
Relationships and Boundaries
Dr. Nazanin Fathi, Ed.D., LMFT
Saying no, and staying close.
For adults who have learned to keep everyone comfortable and are starting to notice what it costs them.
A Common Pattern
Peace that only holds because you stay quiet.
You agree to plans you didn't want. You soften what you meant to say. You feel guilty asking for anything, then resentful when no one offers.
This often began as a smart way to stay safe or loved, in a family or an earlier relationship. It stops working when it leaves you exhausted and unknown to the people closest to you.
What This Work Covers
Limits that are clear, kind and yours.
Boundaries aren't walls or ultimatums. They're honest information about what you will and won't do. In sessions you might work on:
- Noticing what you want before you respond to what someone else wants
- Saying a clear no without a long explanation
- Tolerating someone's disappointment without rushing to fix it
- Boundaries with parents, in-laws and adult siblings, including across cultural expectations
- Limits in dating and early relationships
- Co-parenting and family relationships after separation
Sessions are available in English and Farsi. For many clients, talking about family expectations in Farsi feels different, and more accurate, than in English.
What Boundaries Protect
Wanting connection, and learning to say no.
- 01
Self-respect
Treating your own needs as real information, not something to apologize for.
- 02
Assertiveness
Saying what you want or don't want directly, without turning it into a fight.
- 03
Autonomy
Making your own choices while staying close to the people you care about.
- 04
Balanced family relationships
Finding a way to stay connected to family without losing yourself in their expectations.
Who this work is for
This work is for adults and young adults figuring out how to hold their ground in dating, friendships and family; for parents balancing their own needs with their children's; and for LGBTQ+ adults navigating relationships and family responses. Your history, family experiences and cultural beliefs are part of the picture, and they're welcome in the room.
Want to talk through what a boundary could look like?
Start with the practical details on the appointment page.