Trauma-Informed Blog
New content weekly! Survivor Stories, Research Articles, Poetry, and more written by clinicians, coaches, survivors, and mental health professionals.
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I Look Perfectly Normal, but You’d Never Guess How I Got Here
“It’s amazing you survived. How come you’re so…normal and happy?”That’s what people say when I tell my story: parental neglect, sexual abuse, homelessness, being trafficked. My answer? I never...
Self-Image
Hey, how are you feeling today? Have you taken some time for yourself today? If you are a survivor of trauma and abuse, the answer is probably not. As survivors, the last person we think about is...
Feeling Safe to Feel
Restoring Safety to the Nervous System For many of us living with stress-related trauma—whether acute, chronic, developmental, or complex—the hardest thing isn't the memory. It's the body's...
CPTSD in the Workplace: Overcoming Limiting Beliefs
Introduction As survivors of complex trauma, many of us face unique challenges in the workplace. One of the most significant obstacles we may encounter is the presence of limiting beliefs...
Parenting with CPTSD: Send Snacks and Backup
Being a dad with CPTSD feels like starring in your own personal three-ring circus, except, of course, it's not just a circus. It's a high-stakes act with no safety net, and the crowd is loud and...
Who is The Real Threat?
I've been following Kristen Browde on TikTok for some time now and have found her to be so insightful and inspiring that I had to introduce you to her and the amazing advocacy work she is doing...
The Death of A Narcissist
It’s something every survivor of childhood trauma dreads: the death of their abuser. No one has any idea how they are going to react. Will you be awash in regret? How about grief? The losses...
Embracing Your Strengths: How Trauma Survivors Can Leverage Their Unique Qualities for Career Growth
Introduction As trauma survivors, we often focus on the challenges and obstacles we face in our personal and professional lives. This tendency is rooted in a concept known as negativity bias,...
Standing Up to Job Change
If you’ve experienced prolonged and repeated trauma, emotions can be difficult. Identifying emotions can be a challenge. Knowing the difference between the basic emotions—happy, mad, sad, and...
The Heart of The Matter
The Heart of the MatterBy Jesse B. Donahue 2023 ©Hidden deep, and I mean buried at the core of my human soul, lies my “internal being,” repressed, shrunken, having been shattered by chronic...
Birds Of A Feather: Pranksters and Brats Inc.
I guess that’s how psychology works: in the absence of love and attention, you either withdraw into a shell or go out and seek it with a vengeance. Childhood trauma can increase the risk of ADHD symptoms. Kids with ADHD especially need special care, including cognitive behavioral therapy and a strong support system both at home and in school. More importantly, engaging in activities that keep their curious minds busy can significantly help with impulse control.
You Are Worth the Fight
***Trigger warning: This article discusses child abuse.*** Eight years ago, I had the joy of connecting with Rebecca O'Donnell, author of Freak: The True Story of an Insecurity Addict. I...
What is Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
“Complex PTSD comes in response to chronic traumatization over the course of months or, more often, years. This can include emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuses, domestic violence, living in a war zone, being held captive, human trafficking, and other organized rings of abuse, and more. While there are exceptional circumstances where adults develop C-PTSD, it is most often seen in those whose trauma occurred in childhood”.
