From Maiden to Crone and the Long Road to Hope
***TRIGGER WARNING: The following article discusses childhood trauma and could be triggering.*** I found the photo not long after being diagnosed with CPSTD. Little broken me looking into the camera with a depth of pain and sorrow that no child should have to bear....
How Covert Narcissists Use ‘Flying Monkeys’ to Create Trauma and CPTSD – A Guide to Finding Support
One of the most painful tactics in covert narcissism is turning family members against you. This manipulative strategy, designed to isolate and control, often pulls loved ones into the narcissist’s web to unknowingly serve as “flying monkeys”—trusted people who,...
Home for the Holidays
The holidays are an intense time of reflection for me. I used to have a big family—a big, loud, Hispanic family—we would gather for birthdays, holidays, and random Sunday dinners. My grandmother held the group together with love and community. Those days are long...
Transforming Perimenopause, Menopause, and Burnout: Holistic Approaches to Wellness
The physical and emotional changes associated with perimenopause and menopause can be overwhelming. Struggles with falling or staying asleep, fatigue, brain fog, hot and cold flashes, mood swings, anxiety, and a loss of motivation are common [1, 2, 3]. Unfortunately,...
Healing through Art, Love, and Remembering My Dog Rusty
As a survivor and forty-year practitioner of trauma recovery, I guide individuals through cathartic, intuitive writing, visual art, dreams, and embodied approaches to recover from trauma. Children are born primal and free You are meant to be innocent, organic, and...
Learning To Live With Alexithymia
On my healing journey, I discover new things every day. When I learned I had Alexithymia, after the initial feeling of “great, another thing to contend with” because of my trauma, it actually helped me better understand what it was I was experiencing, how...
It’s Never Too Late to Heal From Childhood Trauma
***TRIGGER ALERT – The following article describes childhood trauma and could be triggering.*** I twirled around, causing the skirt of my best Sunday dress to flair out in a way that delighted my four-year-old sensibilities. It was 1966, and my black patent...
Mastering Emotional Intelligence
A Crucial Skill for Trauma Survivors in the Workplace Introduction Embarking on a career journey, especially as a trauma survivor, is a courageous adventure that demands resilience, strength, and a key understanding of emotional intelligence (EI). In this article, we...