by Jamie Donmoyer | Nov 10, 2022 | Building Resilience in Healing, Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, CPTSD Survivor Stories, EMDR, Emotional Wellness, Guest Contributor, PTSD, Shame, Trauma, Trauma-Informed, Treatment for CPTSD
“Breathe deeply.” I close my eyes and belly breathe as my EMDR therapist scoots her chair closer. This is standard practice in our weekly sessions. Soon she’ll tell me to open my eyes, focus on a certain phrase or idea, and follow her finger left and right. Sometimes...
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 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...
by Rebekah Brown | Sep 28, 2022 | Anger, Anxiety, Boundaries, Brain Chemistry, Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, Guest Contributor, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Recovery, Self Care, Trauma
What is The Dread? The Dread. That sounds rather odd doesn’t it? It makes dread personal. Like a living thing that comes in and out of my life as it pleases. Well, that’s exactly what it feels like. In author, Stephanie Foo’s excellent book about recovery from...
by Jamie Donmoyer | Aug 24, 2022 | Attachment Trauma, Boundaries, Building Resilience in Healing, Codependency, Combat Trauma, Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, CPTSD and Parenting, Family Estrangement, Gaslighting, Guest Contributor, Healthy Relationships, Narcissistic Personality Disorder
The positives and pitfalls of cutting communication with a toxic parent. Written by the scapegoat child of a narcissistic parent. So, you’ve decided to go “no contact” with a toxic parent. Congratulations! Maybe you’re exhausted from the angry messages, controlling...
by Jamie Donmoyer | Aug 16, 2022 | Attachment Trauma, Boundaries, Brain Chemistry, Building Resilience in Healing, Codependency, Combat Trauma, Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, CPTSD and Parenting, Emotional Wellness, Family Estrangement, Gaslighting, Grief, Healing Codependency, Healthy Relationships, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Parental Alienation, Relationships, Silent Bystander Parents
Practice breaking contact with toxic parents in this “Choose Your Own Adventure”-style story. Based on events experienced by the child of a narcissistic parent. Photo by Kevin Butz on Unsplash CONGRATULATIONS! After a lifetime of narcissistic abuse, you’ve decided to...
