by Robyn Brickel | Oct 25, 2022 | Guest Contributor, Self Care, Trauma, Trauma-Informed
Do you always feel like you’re on high alert? Or do you just feel numb? Perhaps you bounce back and forth between the two? Have you wondered how to feel calm or peaceful? If you find the state of the world today especially triggering, you are not alone! Fortunately,...
by Jamie Donmoyer | Oct 20, 2022 | Attachment Trauma, Boundaries, Codependency, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, Family Estrangement, Healing from Toxic Shame, Healing Self-Shame, Healthy Relationships, Mindfulness, Relationships, Trauma-Informed
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash Congratulations! You’ve decided that you’re through being abused by a toxic parent, partner, or friend and are ready to go No Contact. Good for you! You’re taking a HUGE, healthy step! Your first urge? To explain why. You want to...
by Sunny Lynn, OMC | Oct 19, 2022 | Abandonment and CPTSD, Building Resilience in Healing, Emotional Flashbacks, Mindfulness, Self Care
The Dark Chasm of Disappointment & Learned Helplessness (as published in The Friday Edition of HeartBalm Healing at https://heartbalm.substack.com) Disappointment to the average person can be upsetting and frustrating. Disappointment to the abuse and neglect...
by Cyndi Bennett | Oct 18, 2022 | Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD, CPTSD and PTSD, Guest Contributor, Occupational Mental Health & CPTSD
One of the questions I get from trauma survivors is whether they are really capable of being a leader. The short answer is an unequivocal “YES, of course.” There are several things that trauma survivors should pay attention to if they want to be good, effective...
by Ramon Diaz | Oct 14, 2022 | Childhood Sexual Abuse, CPTSD and PTSD, Grief, Guest Contributor, Sexual Abuse
Incest can create a severe ripple effect in someone’s life. People that relate to the person who experienced incest are affected negatively. Families and loved ones are left confused about why a person would harm a loved one in this manner. Moral reasoning begins to...
by Rebekah Brown | Oct 13, 2022 | Childhood Sexual Abuse, Depression, Emotional Wellness, Grief, Guest Contributor
I looked out over the south rim of the Grand Canyon and thought about the epochs of time it took to shape such a place. I always heard everyone say pictures don’t do it justice. They were right. No matter how panoramic I tried to make my camera, I simply could...
by Lee Frost | Oct 12, 2022 | Childhood Sexual Abuse, CPTSD, Guest Contributor, Pain
TRIGGER WARNING: the following article discusses sexual assault. My CPTSD is based on traumas that started in early childhood. I have no conscious memory of “normal.” My traumas are old, familiar enemies. I know them well. They’ve become characters in my mind to...
by Heidi Fischer | Oct 11, 2022 | Anxiety, CPTSD, Emotional Flashbacks, Guest Contributor
This article was originally published on The Mighty. My thoughts come at me too quickly, too loudly — it’s as if my mind is shouting. At the same time, my heart is racing and I find it difficult to breathe. I grip the kitchen counter to stop myself from falling over....
by Shirley Davis | Oct 10, 2022 | CPTSD
There are many types of neurodivergence among humans, some helpful, others harmful. The two getting the most notice are Asperger’s Syndrome and complex post-traumatic stress disorder, with headlines and movies putting them in the spotlight. This article will...
by Sunny Lynn, OMC | Oct 7, 2022 | Codependency, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Silent Bystander Parents
(as published in The Friday Edition of HeartBalm Healing at https://heartbalm.substack.com) The term narcissism and its variations get thrown around quite often and the definitions are mixed up and can be lost in translation. It’s important to be clear about this term...
