The Smoldering Embers of C-PTSD
The Smoldering Embers of Complex PTSDBy Jesse B. Donahue 2024 ©The metaphor of smoldering embers nicely depicts my experience of day-to-day life. No smoke is coming from my ears, but hiding and avoiding social experiences are efforts to control a threatening fire....
Healing or Hiding: Recovered, Numb, or Disconnected?
So, you don’t flinch anymore. The song that used to destroy you? Doesn’t even register now.You can talk about what happened—maybe even crack a joke. No lump in your throat. No tears. No panic. But here’s the thing: that doesn’t automatically mean you’re healed. It...
When Choice Feels Like a Luxury
“Choice paralysis” is a popular term in psychology, meaning the sense of overwhelm some people experience when faced with long restaurant menus or too many clothes on a rack. It can sound counterintuitive. Aren’t more choices inherently better? The concept has seeped...
The Shivers
***TRIGGER WARNING: This blog discusses child abuse, including sexual abuse.*** By Morrene Hauser THE SHIVERS: When the nervous system is in such a state of overwhelm due to ongoing stress and anxiety that the body shivers and shakes uncontrollably. I can finally...