Hi, I’m Lana, the founder of Toxic Ties, a space dedicated to supporting and empowering people who are struggling in toxic or emotionally abusive relationships — whether with a parent, partner, in-law, friend, or colleague.

If you’ve ever been told to “just cut them out” or “go no contact” but found that it wasn’t that simple, you’re in the right place. Real life isn’t black and white, and relationships — especially those that involve family or shared history — rarely allow for easy exits.

My Background

I’m a psychologist-in-training with over a decade of studying childhood emotional abuse, relational trauma, and narcissistic family systems.

My doctoral research focused on posttraumatic growth potential in adult survivors of child emotional abuse — exploring how people not only recover from emotional trauma but also find strength, meaning, and transformation in its aftermath.

My academic background and my years of engagement with readers and clients have shown me that the path to healing isn’t linear; it’s layered, personal, and profoundly dialectic.

What You’ll Find Here

Toxic Ties is more than a blog — it’s a community and a library of resources for people healing from toxic dynamics and relational trauma.

Here, we explore:

• Signs of emotional and psychological abuse
• How to set and maintain healthy boundaries
• Understanding gaslighting, projection, and trauma bonding
• Coping strategies grounded in DBT, ACT, mindfulness, and trauma theory
• Emotional recovery after narcissistic abuse or family enmeshment

Each article is designed to help you reclaim clarity, confidence, and inner peace — not through fake positivity, but through real psychological insight.

Here, we talk about what it means to grow beyond your pain — not just survive it.

My Approach

I believe that knowledge is power — especially self-knowledge.
My work combines compassion, psychological insight, and practical tools so that readers can move from confusion and self-blame to clarity and empowerment.

Through articles, reflections, and guidance, I want to help you:

• Make sense of your experiences
• Break free from cycles of shame and self-doubt
• Heal from toxic dynamics without losing your sense of self
• Build healthier, more balanced connections
• Learn to set boundaries without fear or guilt

You Are Stronger Than You Think

Whether you’re in the thick of a toxic dynamic or processing the aftermath, healing begins with self-compassion.

Toxic relationships can destroy your sense of self-worth, but they can also awaken your strength.

That’s what Toxic Ties is all about: turning pain into power, and survival into growth.