by Jeff Spiteri | Feb 21, 2023 | Childhood Sexual Abuse, CPTSD, Emotional Wellness, Family Estrangement, Hope, Parental Alienation, Sexual Abuse, Shame
Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die” ~Anonymous When I bring up the word forgiveness to people most greet it with a sigh. The sentiment often embodies something along the lines of “I’ve tried”, “good luck,” or “what a struggle.”...
by Milena "Mila" Stankovic | Feb 17, 2023 | CPTSD, Depression, Grief, Guest Contributor, Pain, Trauma
I spent my childhood terrified of the word “death”. I can remember lying in bed feeling my heart swell in my chest every time the thought of death crossed my mind. I feared death because my parents were much older than the parents of my peers — the thought of losing...
by Rebekah Brown | Feb 16, 2023 | CPTSD, CPTSD and PTSD, Emotional Wellness, Feeling Good Enough, Generational Trauma, Guest Contributor, Healthy Relationships, Self Care, Symptoms of CPTSD, Trauma-Informed
My hand lingered along the crystal punch bowl. I flicked it with my finger and listened to the high-pitched ding only real lead crystal can make. Setting out eight matching punch cups, I mixed ginger ale with Hawaiian punch and stirred. It was a time of celebration...
by Madelon Wise | Feb 15, 2023 | ACEs, CPTSD, Gaslighting, Generational Trauma
I spent the summer of 1963 at my Aunt Sue’s house across the bay from San Francisco. It wasn’t clear to me nor is it now, exactly how Aunt Sue and I were related, but I know that her dead husband shared a name with my maternal grandfather. She was childless, and...
by Elizabeth Woods | Feb 14, 2023 | CPTSD, Family Estrangement, Guest Contributor, Triggers
***Trigger Warning*** This guest post discusses specific, explicit, aspects of a personal trauma story. Please be kind to yourself as you read. Complex PTSD is a long-term condition caused by childhood abuse and trauma. A survivor is someone who was exposed to...
by Shirley Davis | Feb 13, 2023 | CPTSD, Generational Trauma, Going No Contact
We have been exploring together the ins and outs of going no contact with a family of origin. As we have seen, going no contact is a dramatic and often traumatic event that allows you some peace when your family denies your past abuse or is still abusing you. This...
