From Touch-Starved to Touch-Afraid: The lasting impact of touch deprivation
Growing up without affection can shape the way we seek and avoid love. On my thirteenth birthday my mother drove me to a mental hospital in Chicago. She claimed she couldn’t ‘handle’ me anymore. That was confusing to me because I had been ‘handling’ myself and my...
Once, I Dropped My Basket
My whole world had fallen apart at the seams. What was left, after everything was said and done, was myself, a six-man tent, everything I owned in a backpack, and my dog.I had run away from everything that hurt me — and in the running, I had been reduced to this.My...
8 Things Survivors Need to Stop Apologizing For | Part 2 | Having Boundaries
Boundaries are not punishment. They allow safe connection while helping you stay connected to yourself. What boundary are you practicing right now? Guest Post Disclaimer: This guest post is for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing...
The Power of Your Breath
Did you know that your breath is the fastest way to calm down when you are feeling dysregulated? Nobody is immune from stress, regardless of age and we all have one thing in common — we react. How we react to stress is different for everyone, but there is a...
Raised Without Boundaries? Read This.
Ever felt like your needs are too much, or your feelings are an inconvenience? If so, it’s not your fault, and you aren’t the problem. You’re responding to a childhood curriculum you never chose, but had to graciously accept. Many survivors of emotional...
Your Circle Is Your Mirror: Cliques, Gatekeeping & Life Lessons
***TRIGGER WARNING*** This article discusses trauma, including bullying, abuse, and crowd baiting references that may not be appropriate for all. My name is Jenney Clark and I am a voice for the voiceless. “I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems...
What Do Your Clothes Say About You?
I was helping one of my friends move house recently. We’ve been friends since college, and she asked me to help her box some of her old stuff for the movers. Her teenage girls were packing up their clothes, and I couldn’t help hearing some of their conversation. They...
The Overlap of ADHD and PTSD: Why the Brain Works Overtime
Understanding Increased Vulnerability and Symptoms: Beyond the Diagnosis and Survival Instincts During all those years before I finally got the right diagnosis of PTSD and AuDHD, chronic failure was a painful part of my life, both privately and at work. I...