by Madelon Wise | Jan 3, 2023 | ACEs, Addiction, CPTSD Survivor Stories, Guest Contributor
They were my only true friends, the books. Comic books. Fairy tales. Nancy Drew. I read incessantly, hoping to create a shell and a safe zone from the chaos all around me. I would get lost in the books. I loved having a world where I could go. They were at it again....
by Heidi Fischer | Dec 20, 2022 | CPTSD, CPTSD and PTSD, CPTSD Survivor Stories, Guest Contributor, Post Traumatic Growth, Self-Acceptance, Trauma
This article was originally published on The Mighty. Photos of Heidi and her friend Rachel from over the years, used with permission. Way back in the olden days of the early 2000s, I sat a friend down and let her know I needed to speak with her about something...
by Jamie Donmoyer | Dec 6, 2022 | Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD, CPTSD and Narcissistic Abuse, CPTSD Survivor Stories, Emotional Wellness, Guest Contributor, Healing from Toxic Shame, Healing Self-Shame, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Shame, Symptoms of CPTSD, The Brain and CPTSD, Trauma, Trauma-Informed
Perched on a stone wall between Starbucks and a fancy purse boutique, I peer over my phone. The Hollywood Tower of Terror glows in the distance as determined parents push strollers filled with exhausted toddlers, bubble machines, and sippy cups. They can’t leave...
by Rebekah Brown | Nov 15, 2022 | CPTSD, CPTSD Survivor Stories, Dissociation and CPTSD, Holiday Stress, Holidays
Why are the holidays so difficult for survivors of trauma? Because holidays bring up all of the helpless, paralyzing, vulnerable feelings of the family we have struggled with all our lives. Goaded by themes of gathering at Thanksgiving, heartbreak comes to the...
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 3, 2022 | Abandonment and CPTSD, Anxiety, Attachment Trauma, Boundaries, Building Resilience in Healing, Codependency, Combat Trauma, CPTSD, CPTSD and Parenting, CPTSD Survivor Stories, Guest Contributor, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Relationships, Silent Bystander Parents
Parental Narcissistic Abuse isn’t fun, but practicing setting boundaries can be with this “Choose Your Own Adventure”- style original story. Based on events experienced by the scapegoat of a narcissistic parent. Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash Section 1 1 It’s a...
