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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Parenting with PTSD
How do I not repeat the mistakes of my parents? One of the most common questions I get is, "Rachel, how do I not repeat the mistakes of my parents?" My first answer is always, "Well, you are...
Finding Your Life After Trauma
Do you remember the last time you noticed you were glossing over your own needs? Like the time you were really tired at work and had a big birthday party to celebrate that evening, and your boss...
Cracking the Code: Unraveling Triggers for Mastering Emotional Regulation
This month, I will explore the topic of emotional dysregulation, as it is one of the defining symptoms of Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) and wreaks havoc for the trauma survivor...
Surfing the Light Through the Darkness
By Jesse B. Donahue 2019©Primordial awakening… at the onset of our evolution and today, found within the formulation of a contemplative moment. From the ‘beginnings,’ we were and are all alone on...
An Attack on All Fronts: The Mind-Body-Soul Divide-and-Conquer Technique of Narcissistic Abuse (Part 3 of 4)
Part 3 of 4: In my worst dissociative episodes, I had never felt so deeply without myself I am familiar with (and very grateful for) dissociation. It has protected me in chronic and extreme...
CPTSD: Learning Thief
Several years ago, when my life seemed more normal, I worked in public relations and corporate communications. I worked for several high-profile firms where, among other assets, employment...
The Shattered Encasement of Suicide Grief
TRIGGER WARNING: This blog discusses suicide My Mom’s suicide was the culmination of years of enduring painful emotional abuse and narcissism. There was no blood, just a strong gas smell from...
Our Mental Health and Society
Mental health services in the UK have always been hard to access. In the past 5 years, they can no longer meet the increasing number of suffering individuals' needs. The recurring question is,...
Reclaiming Serenity: Navigating Self-Care After a Flashback
Over the past couple of weeks, I have been talking about having flashbacks in the workplace, how to get grounded, and how to clean up the mess afterward. If you haven’t noticed, that is a lot of...
Why Do Men Stay Too Long in Toxic Abusive Relationships?
Many men stay in toxic, abusive relationships (TAR) due to a variety of complex reasons and deep-seated fears. One primary reason is men's tendency to view themselves as "fixers." Men often cling...
I Wasn’t Born Hating Myself
The flashbacks were extra intense one night, and my internal anger was boiling over. As an adult, I have always lived alone, so my apartment was my little oasis (and also my torture chamber)...
An Attack on All Fronts: The Mind-Body-Soul Divide-and-Conquer Technique of Narcissistic Abuse (Part 2 of 4)
Part 2 of 4: I was being future faked In support groups for narcissistic abuse, a word that comes up often is servitude. It took tremendous logistical energy to be with my partner: in a year and...
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”.
