Guestbook

Feel free to sign my guestbook, and share your experience of my website or my work. Note: your email will not be made public, though if you share a link to your website that will be public.  I also want to add that I cannot reply to people’s messages here.  I’m really sorry about that!!

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602 entries.
Laura S Laura S from Siegen wrote on June 22, 2025 at 5:32 am
Dear Daniel. I;m sorry for my english. Feel grateful that I Found you. I;m 36 years old and don;t know how to go on. I Was in the System for 15 years and it was so harmful. Took so many medicine and had to coldtaper the neurolepticum last year i took for 15 years, had a bad reaction after that long time and i;m paradoxically with my parents since them, because theres no place to go anymore. I became worse Under the medicine and so bitter and Toxic, nothing could heal in this time, it was burried. I loose trust in everyone and feel like the bitterness and the anxiety makes people avoid me, also professionals. Try to Move on because i still live after the Procedure. Wished so badly for my younger self i had a therapeut like you. Thank you for your beeing. Laura
Nur Nur from Turkey wrote on May 14, 2025 at 2:07 pm
Hi Daniel I'm really glad that ı found your chanel ıt made me look deeper to myself and made me understand my anger. I'm only 19 now and ı heard how you get out of your sitation which gave me hope. I hope you have amazing day thank you.
Tahiya Tahiya from San jose wrote on May 5, 2025 at 11:21 pm
I wonder if you would consider doing a video on how harmful it is to spread the lie that children chose their own parents before birth. I have heard this from many quarters and after working with the damage caused by parents whose abuse of children is beyond horrific I think spreading this lie should be illegal. No one would dare tell a parent they chose to be mugged or raped. I don't understand how anyone can tolerate this nonsense. If not, maybe I'll do my own video. Thanks
Ari Ari wrote on May 4, 2025 at 6:11 am
Hello Daniel. I was wondering if you could share your thoughts on “sitting quietly in the company of another”. Many thanks
Riya Riya wrote on May 2, 2025 at 1:30 pm
Hello sir! I wrote back to you about feeling suicidal a while ago and you recommended some of your videos. I just watched them. I was feeling really overwhelmed today and felt like I can't take it anymore but your video Helping Suicidal People in Psychotherapy helped me feel better. I got a tiny, tiny spark of hope and motivation. Tiny but significant. Tiny and rare. And for that, I am extremely thankful. I hope to become a therapist like you someday. Thank you so much for everything! Beyond grateful.
Laura Laura from Milwaukee wrote on April 21, 2025 at 2:14 pm
Working in the social work and therapy fields have caused me to experience a lot of burnout and vicarious trauma that has impacted my competency and ability to carry out the work effectively and ethically. The worst part of this impact is feeling so alienated, particularly the inability to discuss these struggles openly and honestly in professional spaces. Your videos offer such clarity and insight on these issues which has brought me great comfort and understanding. Along with this, your helpful wisdom on so many prevalent topics are brave in their honesty and express a deep knowing and care. These things are rare to come across in this life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Marco F. Marco F. from Berlin wrote on April 15, 2025 at 8:30 pm
Hey Daniel. I am writing you from my hotel room in Tunisia. I wanted to tell you a little anecdote that happened to me earlier today, as I arrived with the ferry from Palermo to the port ofTunis. There was an older man that approached me on the way out of the ferry. Turns out his name is Daniel, an American from Chicago, 74 years old, traveling the world. I couldn’t help but think of you (not because of the age 😆), because it was you and your videos that sparked the fire in me to start travel more again, something I was not able to do in the last few years, even though it is so dear to my heart. This Daniel I met on the boat ended up paying for our taxi ride to the Tunis city center, as I had no money on me. It was a truly magical encounter that felt like a sign. I want to thank you for your work and your perspective on life. Maybe we will meet one day while traveling. Love, Marco.
Kathleen C. Kathleen C. from Washington, DC wrote on April 5, 2025 at 4:47 pm
Daniel, If you ever visit Washington, DC please meet me at the Old Ebbitt Grill (near the White House) for a drink. I feel the need to explain to you just how much I agree with your general philosophy on life, and how much your YouTube channel has benefitted me. - Kathleen (an artist currently living too frugal a life to afford visiting YOU in Manhattan)
Morris F. Morris F. wrote on March 24, 2025 at 11:33 pm
Daniel wow. I am inspired. Your Chanel has given me the strength to start my own on YouTube. Just watched your video on stockholm. Posting is indeed terrifying. I just finished my PsyD but I decided to not pursue licensure for many of the reasons you left being a therapist (thank you for that video). After graduating this past August I finally grew the strength to leave some really problematic dynamics at home and in my community of origin. I blocked my mom and have been physically free for 7 months. I'm still pulling off the emotional chains layer by layer. I have a running theory around not just enmeshed families but "enmeshed communities" that I have been playing with. I come from a problematic insular community of nearly 100,000 people. Check out my page if your interested in learning more. I imagine we'd have a lot to discuss. Anyway deep deep gratitude. Thank you for your courage and for helping to inspire me. I appreciate that you exist.
Holmes Holmes from Toronto wrote on February 7, 2025 at 4:37 pm
Your most recent video on sex positivity spoke to me. I agree with you, I was taught to protect myself, to acquire consent and all that good stuff and I had agreed… and especially recently I was very honest and communicative about what I struggle with to my partners… yet I just allowed other traumatized adults to re-traumatize me… and perhaps I also hurt others as well. I had no idea I was readily handing other people, effectively strangers, they key to my undoing. I hadn’t realized I was ‘acting out’ my trauma in a sexual manner at all… I was in pursuit of love and affection—what my childhood lacked. My first instinct is to say I didn’t understand so much, about my own trauma and the world… I want to know what true healing is now, and for certain I won’t find my healing in another person. I’ve lost all desire towards sexual relationships and people in general—that may change with therapy… However again this video is very timely… I will looking at sexuality and the sex positive space VERY differently, as now I understand the severity of my own trauma and the trauma of others… Thank you for your work. Cheers!
Gayatri Gayatri from Pune, India wrote on January 22, 2025 at 4:09 pm
Hi Daniel. I want to give you a note of my appreciation, a question, as well as a humble request. You channel completely changed my life. I came to a video of yours - the analysis of the novel "Siddhartha". This got me intrigued. When I first began watching your videos I was an 18 year old studying in a foreign country having experienced sexual abuse from a partner, and having failed a year at university. You gave me the courage to speak up for myself, break away from my parents, confront them, keep believing in my truth, and finally decide not to have children. I especially love your "The Baby's Manifesto". Since then, you, and a another channel online by Heidi Priebe, gave me the tools and the vocabulary to have a dialogue with myself. And for this I am ever so grateful that words cannot capture it. What I love about you is your courage to be honest. On to my question. I am curious about your thoughts on Carl Jung. I know you do not believe in dream analysis based off of a generic guidebook of symbolism. But your concept of "breaking away from the parents" seems to align to his concept of the "hero(ine)s journey". But more generally, I wonder if you believe in a common consciousness. Forgive me if you have covered this elsewhere. I am very curious about your thoughts. As for my request, something that keeping arriving in my life cyclically is a period of procrastination. From what I know, there is no antidote other than facing the fear of the task head-on and trying to understand what is it that I am so afraid of with this particular task. Although things have gotten better over the last few years, somedays I still find myself so paralyzed and unable to leave my bed. I wonder if you would consider making a video on procrastination? Thank you and my best to you on your healing journey, Gayatri
Ana Ana wrote on January 20, 2025 at 4:20 pm
Hi, Daniel. I just want to say, that you are inspiring to me. Your thoughts about being OK with not having children completely changed my world. Well, at the same time I feel a lot of anger towards my parents… It is me who should take care of myself. I found your videos a year ago, but then stopped watching (don’t know why). Now I enjoy watching your videos, even though sometimes I can’t accept some scary facts about life… Thank you for your videos. I appreciate your openness and truthfulness. Sometimes I think that it would be great to have such a friend as you are! Best regards, Ana
Lori Lori from Denver wrote on January 17, 2025 at 2:45 pm
Hi Daniel. Your videos remind me that I'm not alone. Healing and finding my way back to myself has been one of the most painful things I've ever had to do, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I have made amazing progress over the last year after experiencing a rough phase stemming from unresolved trauma. As soon as I decided to open the door to years of repressed emotions, my anxiety was so high that it caused me to lose sleep for days and go into psychosis. It was like everything was flooding out as soon as I surrendered to all my coping mechanisms/addictions. I was hospitalized, and It was horrifying, but it was also one of the best things that happened to me because it forced me to look within. Now, I choose to approach my pain from a place of compassion. I'd like to share that I'm finally graduating this spring and also continuing my education for the career I always wanted but was too scared/insecure to chase. I was reflecting on my past and where I want to be, and I wanted to share this and say thank you for staying real. P.S. One of my favorite quotes is - "The only way out is in." Cheers.
Jeffrey Jeffrey wrote on January 17, 2025 at 10:15 am
Hello mister Mackler, I want to deeply thank you. One of your YouTube videos has been the reason I have finally been able to move over childhood trauma. Two things you have said in particular has helped me greatly. 1) Acknowledgement of trauma. I've been bullied every day by my eldest brother in a pretty relentless way for the first 10 years of my life. I wanted to kill myself when I was 8 years old. Everyone was always telling me that this is normal. That I should stop acting like a victim. Older brothers bully their younger brothers. I told my mother I probably need to see a psychologist but she told me, nah, you're fine. The first time I felt someone acknowledged my trauma, in my entire life, was when I heard you say in a video that most people are traumatised and don't even know it, because trauma is normalised. When I heard this I cried everyday for a week straight, at the ripe age of 33 years old. Something finally clicked. I'm not crazy, everyone else is. I've become increasingly happier ever since. I've FINALLY been able to move past old trauma thanks to your video. So thank you. 2) The second thing you've said that really helped me during this period, was that dealing with childhood trauma is like a grieving process. This is the first time I've ever heard this and I was amazed at how accurate this statement felt. It did felt like grieving. I was grieving all the years of pain I went through. I was grieving that I lost part of my childhood. And in this process of grieving I've finally been able to reach a point of mental stability I didn't think could be possible for me. So thanks again! Keep up the good work.
lalita lalita wrote on January 9, 2025 at 11:19 pm
Hey, i just came across one of ur video on self pity. the way of looking at life this way is really radical but it seems to make sense. though even thought of criticising ppl who had a tough time in life seems callous but may be this is the only way to break free from this pattern of helplessness. thanks for sharing 🙂
Isaac Isaac wrote on January 9, 2025 at 10:57 am
Hi Daniel. Your talks are greatly appreciated. I discovered your channel about three years ago and began watching you again recently. I think your perspective is refreshing, and you come across as quite authentic. When you talk about your travels it’s really quite inspiring - as someone who struggles with low confidence and a lot of discontent, I too want to take up an adventure. I suppose I want to ask: what instigated your want to travel? Was it difficult to muster the willpower to escape for the first time? Was there a specific moment in which you felt free? I also want to say that I really admire the fact that despite having been through hardships you retain a positive attitude. I find it’s so easy to become bitter and arrogant, so much so that we can lose parts of ourselves. And to who’s benefit? It costs nothing to be kind yet it costs us everything to be hateful. (That’s my spur of the moment sentiment, lol). I will say also that you’ve helped me reconnect with the parts of myself I have lost or had forgotten about. I have been journaling a decent amount - just making accounts of my dreams, my thoughts and feelings towards the people I meet, reflections on my childhood and so on. I doing so I am beginning to see my true self again - hardly without obstacles along the way! Anyhow, thanks for doing what you do - a lot of us really appreciate your videos and I wanted to share that with you. Yours sincerely -a random 22 year old from England
Juli Juli from Denver wrote on December 27, 2024 at 1:43 pm
Hey Daniel (and everyone on this beautiful journey), I hope you see this because you deserve to know the profound impact you've had on my life. From the bottom of my heart and soul, thank you for sharing your authentic self. You've inspired me to share my own truth, and I hope it encourages healing in others as you have done for me. Truly, thank you so much. You are important, and you are needed. I wish you and everyone an adventure-filled day! Sending light and love.
Anon ME Anon ME wrote on November 30, 2024 at 11:01 pm
I have a DEEP hate for myself. It stems from childhood and behaviors in my adult life. As a young boy of 5-6 years old I was molested by an older boy. I could not tell my parents of the actual sexual abuse for my father was very Macho and my more was a alcoholic. I went to school in the 60's. I now know I am dyslexic and have traits of being on the spectrum. Elementary school was very difficult to say the least. While in the 2nd Third grade I was given a large cardboard box and my desk and I were placed in the box in the back of the room. To say it was traumatizing was far beyond that. Having no friends and parents that I could not turn to left me lost in a dark world in my head. I was passed on to grade to grade without help for my development problems. I did not know why I was disliked and hated. I was teased continually. I think that when I was in my mid teens my brain decided to give the world a reason to hate me. I did two things, I abused a distant family member and was exposed and the hatred continued. Then I started abusing animals, part of me was this is payback to the world. The other was giving my brain a reason why I was disliked. This became a pathway in my brain, and I continued this for decades. I have have stopped with the help of a counselor and a 12-step program. My problem is how do I stop hating myself? I cant get past the actions I have done.
Cathy Sarah Cathy Sarah from Gloucester wrote on November 28, 2024 at 11:02 am
As an Adoptive parent of over 12 years to a child who is Neurodiverse I just want to say your recent video on Adoption was sadly very ill-informed and disappointingly superficial. Adoption is a hugely complex subject and all adopted children suffer neuro-developmental trauma and many others have other conditions such as FAS (Foetal Alcohol Syndrome). These days people who take on Adoption I would say have to be the most under stress and under supported parents on the planet (apart from other parents of SEN children). The unsupported bit is because all your support network gradually falls away person by person as people around you realise this is not the same as having a birth child. It is being a therapeutic parent 24/7 and the times we trusted our child to other people who treated them like a birth child were the times they were traumatised (I am mainly talking about mainstream school educators). It would be a much better way to educate your viewers to do some actual research into the reality of adoption these days, rather than some anecdotal evidence and also to do some research into SEN parents too, as there is usually a big overlap given all the co-occurring disabilities many adoptive kids have. On a side note, many Neurodiverse adults are discriminated against by social services and their kids end up in care. I think the crimes being perpetrated against Neurodivergent people in our society are appalling as well. That could be highlighted too. I am not Neurodivergent I am Neurotypical but I have insight into their experiences of life through parenting my child and fighting their corner for 12 years.
anonamon anonamon from Phoenix wrote on October 12, 2024 at 1:49 pm
Good day, Daniel. Just over a few years ago, I escaped a 7 month long kidnapping experience. Your videos on eating disorders and pretty privilege are my favorite videos so far. But, your video on evidence-based psychotherapy caught my mind. More and more, when I see things that are evidence-based treatments, I see Faustian contracts. Currently, my case is being investigated. I so wish you were local to me, not for therapy, but to buy you a coffee, at least, and listen to what you have to say. Keep making videos on lesser discussed mental health topics! Some topics I hope to see therapists speaking on is the trans-to-sex-work pipeline and the targeted kidnappings and exploitation of American upper class children and adults by immigrants and second gen citizens. If you’re not familiar with what I’m talking about, think about OnlyFans models. What they don’t tell you is that they often have pimps and are forced to do sex work as escorts. On every college campus is some student or older friend of a student or even rich father of a student is talking to every pretty girl he can find to convince her to do OnlyFans for his profit. Well, that was my speech. Daniel, if you’re curious, you have my email.
Sam Sam from El Paso wrote on October 9, 2024 at 11:13 am
Hi, Daniel. I have been a follower of yours for some time and am a 25 year old autistic female. Your videos have helped me more than you can imagine! I’m sure you’ve heard that many times—and true as it remains, I still struggle with a lot. I am seeking a little more guidance if that is allowed to ask on here! Please reach out, and if not, have a good day otherwise!
Gonfalier Gonfalier wrote on October 6, 2024 at 4:52 pm
I have just viewed your video on Critique of Borderline Personality Disorder. A really excellent video, and thank you for your work. There is one aspect of this diagnosis that you do not talk about, and that is sexism and the disproportionate use of this diagnosis for women. I think that this comes down to 3 possible reasons, maybe more: 1. Sexist expectations of women that do not allow women to be angry and to not be nurturing. So if they are angry and not nurturing they must be severely pathological = BPD and not some less pejorative diagnosis. (This is true whether they have a trauma background or just are not nurturing by temperament. If the therapist is sexist, this will be regarded as pathological.) 2. If the patient is a good-looking young woman with a male therapist, and the male therapist feels sexually attracted to her, he can shift the blame for his inappropriate feelings to the patient by labelling her BPD, "communicating" her sexual attraction to him through her countertransference--really his projection of his sexual desire onto her--etc. etc. (Notice that whether the female patient actually feels sexually attracted to the therapist or not is not part of the equation. There has been an actual study that shows that the more attractive a man finds a woman, the more likely he thinks that she is sexually attracted to him. "I want sex with her therefore she must want sex with me.") 3. Unstable relationships. You described one way that relationships can be unstable due to the trauma background of the patient. But women grow up in a highly sexist world, and if they react to the sexist expectations placed on them, that can also create "unstable" relationships. (Like being angry when hit by a sexist trope. The sexist person doing this doesn't see themselves as doing anything to provoke that anger.) If they have an abusive boyfriend, that can look like an "unstable" relationship to a therapist looking to make this diagnosis. There are so many ways to create "unstable" relationships in our sexist world without it being a problem residing somehow in the woman. Yes, I was given this diagnosis by a sexist therapist and all three of the above things were present. But the diagnosis was really due to #2, and the rest were just icing on the cake, so to speak. Therapy with him was a constant diminishment of my intelligence, which did not send up red flags because I was getting the same from all sides. For example, my failure to panic over a comprehensive exam (because he'd panicked over his) was a sign of pathology in me, per him. I passed the exam. My failure to panic was really as sign that I was smarter than him, but of course he could never admit that. (This was only one of many indicators, which he never seems to quite grasp. I see it now, looking back.) So my intelligence and accurate assessment of my preparation had to be pathologized. In "therapy" where the patient is constantly being put down by the therapist (who is not aware of what he is doing due to sexism) is not going to produce a good result long term, so that is another impetus for the therapist to label the patient with BPD, which as you say, blames the patient for the therapist's inability to help her. That can be a fourth reason.
sue sue wrote on October 2, 2024 at 9:39 pm
mark passio has a very expansive podcast on mummy and daddy issues for our species. https://www.markpassio.com/podcast/478-woeih-show-168
Brice Little Brice Little from Marietta wrote on August 3, 2024 at 8:10 am
Bro….tight
Cleopatra Cleopatra wrote on July 22, 2024 at 7:32 pm
Hi, I would be grateful for your thoughts on writing one's life story as self therapy. I have seen the video you made about your autobiography. I have learned about writing one's recovery story. I have come across narrative therapy only in terms of the name, have not gone further to read about it. I remember notions of post traumatic growth. What, in your experience, is a fruitful way to proceed? To take wise risks for the opportunity to improve one's health. Thank you.
Kostas Kostas wrote on June 1, 2024 at 6:24 pm
Hello Daniel! I've been watching your videos for a long time and i can say that you have helped me so much discovering myself and doing my self therapy. Its a very painful process, Im discovering feelings that i didnt know they existed! Sometimes i cry a lot, and I feel a lot of pain. But through this, i have started feeling stronger and hopeful. I just wanted to say hello and thanks for all the help and the hope you have given me.
Tania Tania from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic wrote on May 25, 2024 at 10:24 am
I am very grateful to have come across your content.
Sandi Sandi from Pacific NorthWest, USA wrote on May 4, 2024 at 10:58 am
Thank you for being here for everyone Daniel. I just watched your YT video for the first time, and you have made a positive uplift in my well-being that I desperately need. You are appreciated.
May May wrote on April 23, 2024 at 10:54 pm
Can you possibly do a video on being a caretaker to a horrible aging parent? My mom died last year she never got her affairs in order and now I have my father who is falling apart and refuses help. he won't pay his bills and lives in filth. He berates me when I make suggestions, saying HE knows what to do and he never does anything I have paid his bills a couple of times and tried to help a couple of times. Fool me once as they say My family never knew who I was, I didn't either. They didn't know who they were. I hate that I am in this situation. I blame myself I should have walked away a long time ago. I have tried in fits and starts now. this channel and your book are very helpful thank You
Kyle Kyle wrote on April 21, 2024 at 12:21 am
I stumbled upon your videos on Youtube and I loved watching them! Then I saw you made a song, "The Seeker's Ballad" and liked it so much I thought I'd try and re-master it. So If you ever want a copy just let me know. I think it sounds pretty good. Honestly it's not much just added a smidge of effects.