DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a woman with a husband and a 19-year-old son, and recently I’ve been finding it difficult to be the only woman in the household. Sometimes it feels like I can be heard only when I raise my voice. What course of action can I take to convey these feelings to my husband and my son in a healthier manner? -- Mother's Voice

DEAR MOTHER’S VOICE: Start by talking to your husband. Remind him that this is an important time for you both to have a good rapport with your child, and you need his support. Tell him that you have noticed that the two of them often exclude you and that you find it necessary to shout in order to be heard. Ask your husband to help the family dynamics by noticing when each of them needs to stop and give you the floor, or at least welcome you into the conversation.

Next, talk to your son. Tell him about the importance of having meaningful conversation. Ask for his support. Be mindful not to ask too many questions. Teenagers don’t like that.

DEAR HARRIETTE: Occasionally, I have difficulty with bouts of loneliness. I have good friends and a good support system around me; however, sometimes it feels that I cannot express feelings that I internalize. I’ve been going to therapy to deal with this, but I’m having difficulty opening up to the therapist, and it seems like the therapy will not be beneficial to me. Is there any way for me become more comfortable expressing to others the thoughts that I’ve been internalizing for so long? -- Mr. Lonely

DEAR MR. LONELY: It is difficult to open up and share what’s going on inside for you. That is normal. In order to get past that, you need to convince yourself that getting support from a professional may help you to be free of your challenging feelings. You have to be committed to your mental health and to allowing yourself to be vulnerable so that you can sort through your feelings and come to a place of peace. Tell yourself that your mental health professional is there to help you reach your goals. If you don’t trust the professional you are using, find someone else. You must be able to trust your therapist.

Tell your therapist about your trepidation. Ask this professional to help guide you into a calmer, more trusting space. The relationship that you develop with your therapist is key to your ability to recognize your issues and tackle them.

As you have pointed out, you are the most important person in this equation. You have to want it bad enough to have the courage to do the work to reveal your true self. Have patience as you keep showing up. By sticking to this course of therapy, you may be able to work through why you are experiencing this type of loneliness and how you can climb out of it. Good luck!

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been hiding my tattoos from my parents for years. They disapprove of tattoos in general and have somewhat traditional beliefs. I have two tattoos -- a large one on my upper arm that can be concealed under a T-shirt sleeve and a small one on my fingers. Recently my mother discovered my small tattoo and berated me only a little bit. The reveal went better than I thought it would, probably because the tattoo she saw is very small.

Do you think I should show my mom my bigger tattoo? It seems like my relationship with my mother is improving; it was somewhat strained in the past, and she has recently been more accepting of who I am. I am afraid that if I show her my bigger tattoo, I will lose our new connection. What do you think I should do? -- Tattoo Girl

DEAR TATTOO GIRL: I would continue to go slowly. Build your relationship with your mother, letting her get to know you as the person you are evolving into. Share ideas bit by bit with her so that she gets to know your values, your beliefs and your ideas. Tell her that you share some of the traditional beliefs that you were taught by your parents, but not all. Reinforce to her the values that you share, and point out where you differ. Let your mother know that you mean no disrespect when you take a different path than what she and your father have chosen.

When you feel that your mother is accepting of the fact that the two of you have some differing views but are able to love each other anyway, let her know that you want to share something with her. Do not spring it on her. Make her aware of the fact that you have a reveal, and then show her. Thank your mother for her support and love.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am currently in a short-term long-distance relationship, and my partner and I have noticed that it is harder to communicate as a result of this distance. We had been together long enough prior to our separation to understand that we both still love each other and believe that we can communicate well face to face, but we are having trouble with the long distance. Do you think there is anything that can be done to help us communicate better during the few months we will be away from each other? -- Temporary Distance

DEAR TEMPORARY DISTANCE: Talk about the big picture. Yes, it is challenging today, but you have a timetable. Create a calendar that you share that has as its North Star the date that you come back together. In between, assign dates for when you will talk to each other, see each other and otherwise communicate.

The good news is that technology can support your ability to be in close touch, even if you are unable to be in each other’s company. Talk about trust. Now is the time to fortify that trust and encourage each other to live your lives as you stay committed to your shared journey.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a young woman in my life who is important to me. I consider myself her mentor. She calls whenever she needs anything, and I do my best to be available at a moment’s notice. I am beginning to see, though, that when I need her, she is often MIA. If I text or call her, I may have to follow up three or four times before she responds. Meanwhile, if she texts or calls me, I do my best to drop everything to make time for her. I don’t like how this is balancing out.

I feel like maybe she is taking advantage of my kindness. I do know that she is busy building her career while my work is slowing down, but still I think I deserve the basic respect of having her get back in touch with me in a timely manner. What should I say to her? -- Feeling Unappreciated

DEAR FEELING UNAPPRECIATED: You have touched on something that is likely key in this relationship: Your mentee is actively growing her career as yours is slowing down. I doubt that she means to be unavailable or unresponsive to you. Probably she is swept up in the rush of her life and is oblivious to her actions. This, by the way, does not give her a pass. It just gives perspective on why she may be MIA at times when you reach out to her.

Part of your mentoring should include you finding a way to talk to her about what’s been happening between you. Schedule a time to talk when you can let her know that she is not being responsive when you need her, and this hurts your feelings. Point out from a bigger-picture perspective that if this is happening with you, it is most likely happening with others. Recommend that your mentee make lists of who she’s engaging and whether she is following up with them in a timely manner. Make it clear to her that follow-through is important on the road to success.

DEAR HARRIETTE: Recently I was at a party with my boyfriend. I got quite drunk, and he had to take care of me for the rest of the time we were at the party and when we got back to my home. The next day he seemed resentful, and I’m worried that I said something to him that I don’t remember to tick him off. What should I say to him to find out why he’s mad? -- Too Many Drinks

DEAR TOO MANY DRINKS: Good for you that you recognize your intoxication was inappropriate and may have created long-term negative repercussions.

Tell your boyfriend you need to have an uncomfortable conversation. Apologize for getting drunk at the party. Thank your boyfriend for taking care of you. Ask him if you said or did anything -- beyond obviously being drunk -- that offended him. Tell him that as hard as this may be to hear, you need to know. Listen as your boyfriend shares his memory of that evening. Apologize if there is anything else that you did that was offensive.

Decide together that you will help each other monitor your alcohol consumption so that you don’t get that drunk again.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)