I'm Lori Gottlieb. I'm the author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, and I write the Dear Therapist Advice column for The Atlantic.

And I'm Guy Wynch. I'm the author of Emotional First Aid, and I write the Dear Guy Advice column for Ted.

And this is Dear Therapists. Each week, we invite you into a real session where we help people confront their biggest problems

and then give them actionable advice and hear about the changes they've made in their lives.

So sit back and welcome to today's session.

This week, a woman who has elaborate revenge fantasies about the people in her life

wants to understand why she does

this and how she can stop.

I have no training in how to have a positive conversation.

I think it feels shameful as a grown woman that I can't defend myself.

And so I take all of that hurt and I channel it towards these letters.

First, a quick note, dear therapists is for informational purposes only, does not constitute

medical or psychological advice and is not a substitute for professional health care advice,

diagnosis or treatment.

Always seek the advice of your physician, mental health professional, or other qualified

health provider, with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition.

By submitting a letter, you are agreeing to let IHeart media use it in part or in full, and we may edit it for length and clarity.

In the sessions, you'll hear, all names have been changed for the privacy of our guests.

So, hey, Guy.

Hi, Lori.

What do we have going on in our mailbox this week?

Today we have a rather interesting letter, which I will just read, and you will see why.

...