Blackbird

Blackbird Fight or flight: the instinctive physiological response to a threatening situation, which readies one either to resist forcibly or to run away. I covered my ears at the deafening sound of the shotgun blast. My father discharged another volley into the...

Shared Mechanisms of Rumination, Depression, and CPTSD

Today I wanted to take a step back and talk about something that I researched relatively recently for a different project. Something that has only become more relevant in my life as this post has sat around, untouched.   The connections between rumination, depression,...
Mrs. King Versus the Gaslighters

Mrs. King Versus the Gaslighters

Gaslighting: to manipulate (someone) by psychological or abusive means into questioning reality. I had watched my big brother board the school bus every day for the last year. Now, it was finally my turn. The very first week of first grade, my teacher, Mrs. King,...

Death of an Abusive Parent

Let’s talk about this untimely death situation.   Well. This is a big topic that I’m not sure how to tackle, per se. Death is a new one to me. I’ve been relatively lucky that way. The death of the person who passed down most of our family trauma… that’s an even...
The Importance of Self Care When Coping with CPTSD

The Importance of Self Care When Coping with CPTSD

Trauma can affect a person’s emotional, physical, and psychological well-being in various ways. Because the trauma experienced may be unique to an individual, their response to a traumatic event is also unique and may include: flashbacks; trouble sleeping; avoidance...