by Jess | Nov 20, 2020 | CPTSD, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, Emotional Wellness, Healing from Toxic Shame, Healthy Relationships
Who has bad taste in romantic partners? I do! No matter how many times I think I’m choosing wisely… uh… I’m not. Plain and simple, I don’t know how to choose a good human for my significant other. Am I a chronic dater? Just taking whatever comes my way? Nope,...
by Rebecca C Mandeville MFT | Nov 18, 2020 | Attachment Trauma, Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD and Inner Child Work, CPTSD and PTSD, Trauma-Informed, Treatment for CPTSD, What is CPTSD
Complex PTSD ( which is sometimes interchanged with terms such as complex relational trauma, developmental trauma, and interpersonal trauma) is a relatively recent concept. With the recognition of complex PTSD (C-PTSD) by the World Health Organization (WHO),...
by Shirley Davis | Nov 16, 2020 | CPTSD, CPTSD Research, Feeling Good Enough
Survivors who struggle with complex post-traumatic stress disorder often fight feelings of being inferior or not good enough. We focus so much on our downfalls and mistakes that we lose sight of the good things we do and the positive traits we bear. In this piece, we...
by Matt | Nov 13, 2020 | CPTSD Poetry, Guest Contributor
The following is a collection of survivor inspired poems from some of our guest writers here at CPTSD Foundation. We are so grateful for each person who shares their voice using the written word, to help encourage, validate, and inspire every person who is continuing...
by Shirley Davis | Nov 11, 2020 | CPTSD, CPTSD Research
The term dysfunctional family is used to give a name to a family that does not function within normal parameters. There may be alcoholism, drug abuse, neglect, and abuse. These disturbed families harbor children who, because of their debilitated families, are not...
by Shirley Davis | Nov 9, 2020 | Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD, Emotional Wellness
As children, many survivors faced not receiving love from their caregivers without paying a tremendous price, and even then, it wasn’t true love. This lack of attention and care left most abused and mistreated children living in a limbo of desiring the love they...
by Jess | Nov 4, 2020 | CPTSD, CPTSD Survivor Stories, Guest Contributor, Hypervigilance
I have to admit, I’ve been having a rough time in one regard lately. Which is hard to believe considering all the ways this Complex Trauma journey complicates my mental and external worlds. I’m not feeling emotionally-off balance or down and out… but I am feeling...
by Shirley Davis | Nov 2, 2020 | CPTSD, Feeling Good Enough
If you were raised in a trauma filled home, you may have grown up not knowing how you fit into the world. Some days you may feel that you do not belong on planet earth and that you were a mistake. This series is dedicated to the fact that you do belong and are...
by J Bradley O | Oct 30, 2020 | Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD Survivor Stories, Mindfulness
Reading Randi’s post, How to Stop the Cycle of Abuse (September 18, 2020), I was deeply moved by the level of insight and heart. Had those who raised me understood even one of her important points, my childhood would have greatly improved. Given the poignancy of...
by J Bradley O | Oct 28, 2020 | Complex PTSD Healing, Depression, Emotional Flashbacks, Family Estrangement, Grief, Healthy Relationships, Holiday Stress, Mindfulness, Surviving the Holidays
Chilled and humid, the air sticks to my skin. The sky is thickly overcast, a shock after three warm days of sunshine. Is this the perfect background for my somber mood or the conditions that provoke it? October starts a long anniversary I don’t want to recall, much...