by Milena "Mila" Stankovic | Jul 19, 2023 | CPTSD, Dr. Jamie Huysman, Guest Contributor, TAR Tales
Even though we like to feel that our past is behind us and our childhood relationships are just memories, our character and worldview today can be greatly shaped by how we were brought up. Our childhood experiences hold even more power over our present selves when we...
by Sunny Lynn, OMC | Jul 18, 2023 | Attachment Trauma, Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, Guest Contributor
A Daughter’s Pain – a Mother’s Happiness: Growing up with a Jealous, Narcissistic Mother (as published in The Friday Edition of HeartBalm Healing at https://heartbalm.substack.com) As an adult, you may look back at your childhood self and realize how...
by Shirley Davis | Jul 17, 2023 | CPTSD, Mindfulness, Trauma-Informed
Practicing mindfulness and meditation is indeed healthy for our minds, but how? What part does the brain have to do with mindfulness and meditation? In this piece, we shall discover together the neuroscience of mindfulness and meditation and ways you can use them to...
by Madelon Wise | Jul 14, 2023 | Abandonment and CPTSD, ACEs, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, CPTSD Survivor Stories, Guest Contributor
After my mother died, there it would be in my lunch box: Wonder bread enveloping two slices of flabby, sodium-laden meat. Second, only to the chemicals, the processed-beyond-belief combination of pork, spices, and beef was infused with green olives and pimentos. Yes,...
by Milena "Mila" Stankovic | Jul 13, 2023 | Guest Contributor, TAR Tales
We live in a world that values positivity and optimism. While these qualities can be beneficial, toxic positivity can have negative consequences — especially for those dealing with serious illnesses. Toxic positivity is the idea that individuals should only focus on...
by Cyndi Bennett | Jul 13, 2023 | Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD, CPTSD and PTSD, Occupational Mental Health & CPTSD, Workplace Trauma
One of the major components of career development is self-awareness. Self-awareness is “conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives, and desires.” It is also a conscious knowledge of your giftedness, skills, and goals. Self-awareness helps us...
by Rachel Grant | Jul 12, 2023 | CPTSD, CPTSD and PTSD, Guest Contributor
I’m not going to waste any time in this month’s post – let’s get right to the heart of the matter. “How easily a life can become a litany of guilt and regret, a song that keeps echoing with the same chorus, with the inability to forgive...
by Milena "Mila" Stankovic | Jul 11, 2023 | Dr. Jamie Huysman, Guest Contributor, TAR Tales
Ah siblings. As kids, maybe you shared toys, built elaborate pillow-and-blanket forts in the living room, and banded together against your parents’ “tyrannical” rule. With age, you became sounding boards and confidants. In fact, just thinking about your brother or...
by Mari Stewart | Jul 11, 2023 | Brain Chemistry, CPTSD, CPTSD and PTSD, Guest Contributor
You might think that the ultimate profession for someone with CPTSD was writing. You get to hide facelessly behind a keyboard and play with words. Sounds like a sweet gig. However, there is an ugly truth about writing which needs to be uncovered. As can be attested by...
by Erena DiGonis | Jul 10, 2023 | CPTSD, Guest Contributor, Polyvagal Theory and CPTSD
Introduction As a complex trauma therapist and advocate, I dedicate time to researching and seeking innovative ideas and tools to enhance healing for my clients. I know that many well-meaning suggestions can get too complicated and time-consuming. I was attending one...
