by Rebekah Brown | Jul 3, 2024 | ACEs, Guest Contributor, Healing Self-Shame, Toxic Relationships
In my forties, I was a part of a support group for survivors of abuse. Most of the women who attended were dealing with abusive partners. I was the only one sharing about childhood abuse, though I am sure nearly everyone there was a survivor of childhood trauma. We...
by Bonni Benton | Jul 2, 2024 | Brain Chemistry, CPTSD and PTSD, Emotional Wellness, Guest Contributor, Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Part 4 of 4: As quickly as I could after the nervous breakdown, I kept going because recovery time from violent relationships was not covered by my health insurance. I was a sloppy, hot mess. (My lack.) I was very lucky to have colleagues, bosses, and a mother who...
by Jennifer Lock Oman | Jul 1, 2024 | Brain Chemistry, CPTSD, CPTSD and PTSD, Emotional Wellness, Guest Contributor, Mental Health Professional
Strengths can be found in childhood survival strategies. Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) is much more prevalent than anyone might surmise. Because adults who managed this attachment trauma as children learned many adaptive survival skills that they...
by Rachel Grant | Jun 28, 2024 | CPTSD, CPTSD and PTSD, Guest Contributor, Parenting With Trauma
How do I not repeat the mistakes of my parents? One of the most common questions I get is, “Rachel, how do I not repeat the mistakes of my parents?” My first answer is always, “Well, you are already breaking old patterns just by asking that question...
by Susan Gold | Jun 27, 2024 | CPTSD and PTSD, Guest Contributor
Do you remember the last time you noticed you were glossing over your own needs? Like the time you were really tired at work and had a big birthday party to celebrate that evening, and your boss dropped another manual on your desk asking for a synopsis by morning, to...
by Cyndi Bennett | Jun 27, 2024 | CPTSD, Occupational Mental Health & CPTSD
This month, I will explore the topic of emotional dysregulation, as it is one of the defining symptoms of Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) and wreaks havoc for the trauma survivor trying to navigate the workplace. Emotional dysregulation refers to...
by Jesse Donahue | Jun 26, 2024 | CPTSD, Guest Contributor
By Jesse B. Donahue 2019©Primordial awakening… at the onset of our evolution and today, found within the formulation of a contemplative moment. From the ‘beginnings,’ we were and are all alone on this forsaken planet. There were no rescuers to save us from anything,...
by Bonni Benton | Jun 25, 2024 | CPTSD and PTSD, Emotional Wellness, Guest Contributor
Part 3 of 4: In my worst dissociative episodes, I had never felt so deeply without myself I am familiar with (and very grateful for) dissociation. It has protected me in chronic and extreme circumstances. Dissociation and I are at peace, having decided together that...
by Paul Michael Marinello | Jun 24, 2024 | Brain Chemistry, CPTSD, Learning Difficulty
Several years ago, when my life seemed more normal, I worked in public relations and corporate communications. I worked for several high-profile firms where, among other assets, employment consists of one key attribute: one’s ability to be precise and agile,...
by Jennifer Kindera | Jun 24, 2024 | Codependency, Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, Grief, Shame
TRIGGER WARNING: This blog discusses suicide My Mom’s suicide was the culmination of years of enduring painful emotional abuse and narcissism. There was no blood, just a strong gas smell from the lawnmower. A tarp is placed strategically on the concrete floor. Maybe...