Dr. Nicole LePera

So then there was that piece of, especially with my dad in particular, my mom a little less so because cognitively she was already starting to decline during the end of her life.

But there was a question and confusion, like there was many conversations where my dad or my mom would come to me and be like,

why do you have to use us as the example?

Like, why do you have to share about our family?

And so I would explain to them, well, I did because, A, this is the only experience that I can speak from because it's the only one I've lived, and B, our family and our experience is so common.

There's nothing to be shameful about it.

I don't think you were ill-intented at all.

I think you were two parents literally doing the best that they can.

So there was those type of conversations that had happened in the beginning, and now...

several years in.

I mean, my family was just up in New York City when I had my book event just a couple weeks ago.

My dad sat front row, was crying, you know, with pride.

So there's been a lot of evolution and acceptance of why I have to, to some extent, air my family's dirty laundry.

And again, I think that has just been such a gift.

But they've always been in support.

But there's been a little, I think, lack of clarity of...

why certain things had to happen from my unavailability to the content in which I continue to share, but they now see and gain.

And I've seen my family evolve so much, my relationships with them.

I've watched my sister.

I'm so proud of her.