No, no, I'm sorry if I gave the impression I thought that. I don't think you're a weirdo or a highly disturbed person at all. But I do think you've been deeply hurt by the inexplicable actions of your colleague and former friend.

There's nothing at all wrong with feeling distressed and sorrowful when we've suffered a great betrayal and disappointment. From reading your other threads as well as this one, I can see how painful the whole thing has been for you.

I just know how helpful it was to me to talk to a counselor when a serious betrayal and life disappointment left me reeling with sorrow.

It's really normal for people here to suggest counseling when someone is hurting. Not because we think the other person is mentally ill, but because we know from our own experiences that a counselor can help us get through really painful life experiences. For instance, a bad breakup.

People often benefit from therapy when they've experienced a difficult break-up. In my opinion, the break up of a friendship and not being able to see the children involved is every bit as painful as any other kind of break up, sometimes more so.

Please keep posting here, venting if you have to. I'm sorry that what I said came out sounding critical of you. That's not what I meant at all. You sound like a loving person to me, one who has had her heart broken.

You've been hurt and the fact that you have to keep working with your former friend helps keep the hurt fresh. I feel for what you're going through. I really do. I experienced something similar myself in the past and it took me quite a long time to get through it because there was no way I could avoid the person who had wounded me.

I can say now I got over it and it doesn't hurt at all any longer. But it did take talking to a sympathetic counselor to get to that point. I know how deep your pain is. I'm sorry my earlier post came out all wrong and hurt your feelings.