by Robyn Brickel | Jan 19, 2021 | CPTSD, LGBTQ and Complex Trauma Healing
On November 7, 2017, Virginia voters elected Danica Roem to the Virginia House of Delegates. Roem is the first openly transgender state legislator in America. Her campaign focused on local issues, especially improving traffic problems, which resonated with voters....
by Shirley Davis | Jan 18, 2021 | CPTSD, Emotional Flashbacks
Emotional flashbacks are troubling and often disabling events that cause a person to experience alarming and crippling bursts of strong emotions. Emotional flashbacks are experienced without the linked visions from the past that accompany average flashbacks. In this...
by Jess | Jan 15, 2021 | ACEs, Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, CPTSD and PTSD, CPTSD Survivor Stories, Depression, Family Estrangement, Grief, Guest Contributor, Healing from Toxic Shame
Let’s talk about this untimely death situation. Well. This is a big topic that I’m not sure how to tackle, per se. Death is a new one to me. I’ve been relatively lucky that way. The death of the person who passed down most of our family trauma… that’s an even...
by Rebecca Donaldson | Jan 14, 2021 | ACEs, Attachment Trauma, Complex PTSD Healing, Pyschotherapy, Trauma-Informed, Treatment for CPTSD
To those who have ever been harmed in therapy, I am sorry. To those who continue to ruminate over what happened and are unable to move past it, I can relate. We may never receive the answer we are looking for, but we can learn to be gentle with ourselves. I wrote this...
by Alice Kenny | Jan 13, 2021 | Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD Survivor Stories, Family Estrangement, Guest Contributor
Once when I was in my early twenties, I confronted my mother. I matter-of-factly said, “You know, Mom, you beat me. You beat me a lot.” She replied, “I don’t remember that.” “Well, you did,” I pressed. “Maybe I slapped you once or twice.” So, that was her concession....
by Rebekah Brown | Jan 12, 2021 | Complex PTSD Healing, Emotional Wellness, Family Estrangement
I sat with several other children in the dark, dank little basement of the church where my father was pastor. Karen Wray, my Sunday School teacher, pointed to the classic drawing of Jesus welcoming the children. I pondered it for a long time. Nobody in my home greeted...
by Shirley Davis | Jan 11, 2021 | CPTSD, CPTSD Research, Emotional Flashbacks
In our first piece, we discussed the definition of emotional flashbacks and how they change survivors by interrupting their daily lives. This article will attempt to explore what it is like to have an emotional flashback and the 13 steps to manage them proposed by Dr....
by J Bradley O | Jan 8, 2021 | ACEs, Complex PTSD Healing, Mindfulness
Easily one of the greatest impediments to recovery is nagging, negative beliefs. Even the most optimistic struggle on occasion. However, I’ve discovered three ways to break the grip of negative beliefs that practically anyone willing can use to create a more...
by Rebecca Donaldson | Jan 7, 2021 | ACEs, Attachment Trauma, Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD and Inner Child Work, Family Estrangement
Though I wish we could, we don’t get to pick the families we are born into. We do, though, one day get to pick those who raise us. My life may not be typical, but it’s beautiful. I haven’t been home in over seven years, and that’s my choice. I’ve chosen to live a...
by Rebekah Brown | Jan 6, 2021 | Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD and Inner Child Work, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, CPTSD Survivor Stories, Emotional Wellness
I had looked forward all week to the Mary Kay Cosmetics party my mother was hosting. Too little to wear make-up, I certainly wasn’t too small to be interested. I had looked at every picture in the Mary Kay catalog and dreamed of the day when I could get my hands on...