Trauma-Informed Blog
New content weekly! Survivor Stories, Research Articles, Poetry, and more written by clinicians, coaches, survivors, and mental health professionals.
Remember...
Important Information About Our Content
Everything you find on this blog, CPTSDfoundation.org, or within our wider digital communities is created for educational and informational use only. No content shared here—whether by our staff or guest contributors—is intended to supersede or replace the clinical relationship you have with your medical or mental health providers. We are here to support your journey with information, but we do not provide medical advice or treatment. Guest opinions are their own and may not represent the views of CPTSD Foundation. Privacy Policy and Full Site Disclaimer, Terms of Service.
Recovery Isn’t a Cure – It’s a Commitment to Live Anyway
Recovery doesn’t mean your symptoms disappear. It means you stop letting them run your life. Here’s what real trauma-informed support actually looks like.
Feast and Famine
Healing is a little like coming off a diet that you didn’t want to be on in the first place. Suddenly, all the things you craved (along with some things you didn’t even know you wanted) lay...
Living With Trauma: A Life On The Edge
Living with Trauma is not easy. It can include a daily rollercoaster of emotions, most of which are unwelcome. It feels like being inside a constant washer spin cycle of hurling emotions, as we...
5 New Ways to Make Your Work Environment Support Your Healing Journey
As trauma survivors, we know all too well how our surroundings can profoundly impact our healing journey. Our work environment, where we spend a significant portion of our days, is no exception....
Nurturing the Garden, Nurturing the Self
This summer, I am celebrating ten years of gardening, so I thought it would be a great time to share some of the benefits I’ve discovered and experienced from this wonderful hobby. Stress Relief:...
How the Narcissistic Parent Uses Annihilation
Narcissistic Behavior I watched as the rage my father always carried washed over his face. Turing red, he stared at me with threatening eyes. I immediately looked for a way to back down. I had...
When Did the Tears Stop?
TRIGGER WARNING: This article discusses child abuse and suicidal ideation, which may be triggering for some readers. When I reflect on the earliest parts of my childhood, from approximately the...
The Smoldering Embers of C-PTSD
The Smoldering Embers of Complex PTSDBy Jesse B. Donahue 2024 ©The metaphor of smoldering embers nicely depicts my experience of day-to-day life. No smoke is coming from my ears, but hiding and...
CPTSD and the Brain: A Battle Inside Your Head
The human brain is a wild mix of wiring, chemistry, and memory, running everything from your heartbeat to your deepest thoughts--all while somehow letting you remember the lyrics to songs you...
Why Even Opening an Email Can Feel Scary When You’re Healing from Trauma
Have you ever stared at an email, felt a tightness in your chest, and thought, “I’m not ready for this”? You’re not alone. As someone who works with trauma survivors every day, I hear it all the...
Understanding Your Window of Tolerance: A Career Survival Guide for Trauma Survivors
As trauma survivors navigating the professional world, many of us have experienced those moments when work feels utterly overwhelming or, conversely, when we feel disconnected and numb. These...
Healing or Hiding: Recovered, Numb, or Disconnected?
Just because you’re not crying doesn’t mean you’ve healed. Here's how to tell if you’re truly trauma-recovered—or just desensitized, disconnected, or emotionally frozen.
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”.
