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 Sunny Lynn, OMC | Nov 9, 2022 | Anxiety, Building Resilience in Healing, CPTSD, CPTSD Poetry, Dissociation and CPTSD
Haunted: The Recurring Horrors of CPTSD (as published in The Friday Edition of HeartBalm Healing at https://heartbalm.substack.com) It’s that time of the year – scary ghost stories, eerie face masks and costumes, and tricks and treats. Yet while it feels natural to be...
by Elizabeth Woods | Nov 8, 2022 | Codependency, CPTSD, CPTSD and PTSD, Depression, Dissociation and CPTSD, Guest Contributor, Uncategorized
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains childhood sexual abuse. Somebody once told me “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. Those people only experience hard times every so often. Maybe a small setback in life, a bump in the road to that promotion you worked so...
by Mari Stewart | Nov 2, 2022 | CPTSD, Suicide Prevention, Treatment for CPTSD
TRIGGER WARNING” I’m going to talk about suicide and other hard and ugly things. If this isn’t for you, please, move along. Comments will be monitored. ************************************ I have spent a great deal of time recently in doctor’s offices. Nothing...
by Sheri Heller | Oct 28, 2022 | Complex PTSD Healing, CPTSD, Guest Contributor
It’s difficult to become who you are when beset by survival fears Know thyself. Be your best self! Confident people have high self-esteem. Egotistical people are self-centered. Self-awareness is a sign of humility and introspection. Magical thinking is self-defeating....