Lauren Wellbank

This month, several states signed new anti-abortion legislation into law. Georgia’s new law is among the most restrictive, making it illegal for women to obtain an abortion after a fetal heartbeat has been detected, usually around six weeks into pregnancy.
When I was 24 years old and entangled in an abusive relationship, I believe a law like this could have killed me.
Warning to readers: This article contains an account of sexual assault that may be upsetting.
“I don’t want to do this.” I tol...

Sentencing was handed down on Thursday after 26-year-old Shane Piche of Watertown, New York pleaded guilty to raping a 14-year-old girl. The former bus driver was sentenced to 10 years of probation for the June 10, 2018 crime.
During his testimony, Piche told the courts how he met the girl while working as a bus driver for a company contracted by the Watertown City School District. The 26-year-old explained how his relationship with the student developed, and how he used social media to “main...

Plain and simple, all parents worry. In the 1930’s, they worried about the affects listening to the radio would have on their children’s priorities. In the 1950’s, it was the accessibility of “adult” content on television. It wasn’t until the 1980s, though, that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) came up with guidelines for how children and teens should interact with the growing presence of technology and media. Since then, rules around “screen time” and acceptable media practices have ...

Children and adolescents who suffer from phobias can benefit from the use of Virtual Reality (VR) when it’s coupled with other therapeutic methods. Therapists report seeing significant and long-lasting results that curtail the anxiety and fears occurring from phobias.
“VR is used to treat a range of phobias including claustrophobia and the fear of open spaces, public speaking, flying, heights and spiders,” Jeffrey I. Gold, PhD, CHLA’s director of Children’s Outcomes, Research, and Evaluation ...

The Sunday before Earth Day – Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old high school student from Sweden – gave a rousing speech to gathered Londoners taking part in a week-long protest against climate change. A portion of the teen’s speech reportedly included this promise, “We will never stop fighting, we will never stop fighting for this planet, for ourselves, our futures and for the futures of our children and grandchildren…”
Sunday’s speech was not Thunberg’s first appearance at an environmental prote...

Sol Pais, the 18-year-old who was obsessed with the deadly 1999 Columbine High School massacre and made “non-specific threats of violence” toward the school, was found dead today.
On the 20th anniversary of the school shooting, Denver’s city’s schools went into lockdown as authorities searched for Pais, who they believed had an “infatuation” with the event. The Florida native’s body was found today in the Denver suburb of Littleton, Colorado. Her death has been ruled a suicide.
Details of Pai...

Long Island teenager Griffin Spikoski is the subject of A Misfit Story: Sceptic/How a 14-Year Became a Fortnite King, a documentary released on YouTube earlier this month. During the short film, the gamer, known to his 1.2 million YouTube channel subscribers as “Sceptic,” explained what it takes to earn six-figures playing video games.
Spikoski and his family revealed that some days the teenager would spend upwards of 18 hours playing the popular video game Fortnite, which he live-streams for...

Prince Harry spoke out against the popular video game Fortnite ahead of the BAFTA Games Awards earlier this month. The soon-to-be father explained his concerns. “It’s created to addict, an addiction to keep you in front of a computer for as long as possible. It’s so irresponsible.” He compared their addictive properties to that of drugs and alcohol.
The version of Fortnite that is popular today is a newer rendition of a game that was initially released for PC players. Over the years there hav...

Photo Courtesy Of Lauren Wellbank
The first time he hit me, we were in the car. There was no warning before his hand flew out and smacked me in the face. We both sat there in shocked silence for a moment. I felt my lips to see if I was bleeding, and my fingers came away red. We both looked at them in horror.
“Shit!” His voice was higher than normal, panicked. “I was just joking around. I swear.” He laughed. “I never actually meant to hit you.”
My breath was caught in my throat.
“I swear to Go...

Photography by: Westend61/Getty
There are a lot of things you probably already know going into this tax season—like how you will need to use whatever name is on file with the Social Security Administration at the time you file, which may not necessarily be your married name yet—but there may be some changes that took place that will affect how you file your first income tax return as a newlywed. To understand the ins and outs, we talked to accountant Clarissa Makhoul of Makhoul Financial Serv...

Photography by: Zosia Zacharia
There are so many reasons why a bride and groom might want to do something different than the classic exchange of wedding bands that commonly takes place during the ceremony. Fortunately, there are plenty of ideas that are a little outside of the ring box—but not so much that they cannot be added beautifully, and seamlessly, to most wedding ceremonies. Whether you're looking for an idea that supplements a traditional exchange or something entirely different, the...

Photography by: Burke/Triolo Productions
We've all heard at least one horror story about brides who was a little extra when it came to her wedding day. Although no one sets out to be a bridezilla, we can all agree that it's pretty fun to read about that bride—at least for the shock factor. Here, four former bridesmaids dish on the exact moments they realized their friends had turned into bridezillas.
When she explained the reason behind her child-free wedding.
Plenty of couples enforce a no-k...

Photography by: Hero Images / Getty Images
Getting your period on your wedding day can bring about a host of unexpected issues. Will the hormonal changes cause your face to break out? Will you be too bloated to fit into your form-fitting wedding dress? Where will you stash any feminine products you need if you weren't planning on carrying a purse? While there are some things that will be beyond your control (there's really no fighting those period-related pimples), worrying about how to deal ...

Photography by: Sara Lynn
Many couples are trading in traditional wedding details for more modern options, and this practice is one that's been extended to big-day registries, too. But how is a guest supposed to know what a couple needs or wants when they haven't indicated any preference? Instead of trying to guess, we asked wedding planners to share some great ideas to help you gift with ease.
No matter what, don't arrive empty-handed.
"As a wedding planner I have noticed more and more coupl...

Photography by: Ivy and Gold
Most women ask family members and friends to serve as their bridesmaids because they simply can't imagine not being surrounded by those who matter most on such a special day. But we've all heard those horror stories about friendships that break down following the wedding, causing women to worry about asking anyone to be a bridesmaid. That begs the question: How many brides are still close with the same women a year after the wedding? What about five years? Or a de...