SURVIVORS GUIDE FOR LIFE
Complex trauma recovery is not a ‘quick fix’ but a journey to a new life. A life that feels like living not just existing. Survivors Guide for Life is an annual membership to a resource site with instant access to videos, articles, writing prompts, worksheets, charts and action steps that can literally change your life. Find out more …
Survivors have the ability to create the same beautiful life experiences, accomplishments and fulfilled dreams as others. But sometimes we get stuck in our traumatic world and struggle to find the freedom we so desperately seek – we need a fresh pair of eyes to uncover what we’ve tried so hard to forget. Find out more…
When I first started working with Elisabeth over a year ago, I was a new mother in an abusive marriage. But I thought I was the problem. I had no self-esteem. I hated motherhood. My son triggered memories in me I didn’t know existed. I was severely suicidal because I’d lost all hope. After a decade of counselling, I couldn’t think of another way out. I’d tried everything including drugs, doctors, friends and relatives, but nothing was working. Thanks to Elisabeth, I found my strength and my voice. I left my husband and emotionally disconnected from my abusers. I’ve realized my worth. I’m a happy mom and I’m no longer suicidal. Is my life perfect? No. But Elisabeth helped me process my childhood trauma. She was my guiding light. She was my substitute mother, my earth mother. I wanted Elisabeth to save me, but she accomplished more than that. She taught me how to save myself. Elisabeth is a truly remarkable, kind, nurturing, firm, wise and intelligent woman. She gave me the tools to mother myself. She gave me the tools to mother my son. Without her, I’m terrified to think where I’d be. Most importantly, she believed me. She validated my truth. We went to dark places, but she wasn’t afraid. She never judged me or humiliated me. She heard me. She intuitively picked up on my needs. She was consistent and reassuring. She answered every email and every question with prompt and thoughtful compassion. She gave me a second chance at life. I’m forever grateful for her work and her presence in this universe. I’m still rebuilding my life and making lots of mistakes, but I love myself unconditionally… perhaps for the first time. Thank you Elisabeth! Andrea
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The Revolution Starts with Healing
I know that trauma is universal. It crosses all genders, races, ethnicities, religions, cultures, belief systems and even the political divide. While traumas are almost as diverse as the people on the planet, our trauma responses can be shockingly similar. My...
In Pursuit of Freedom
I’ve been struggling lately with what it means to be free. While we tend to put too much emphasis on those external steps, I know that freedom can only come from one thing. Freeing ourselves from dissociation is what makes us free. If we see things clearly and...
The Best Decisions
I’ve been thinking about my parenting journey and the decisions I have made along the way. I know Mother’s Day is almost here, but it feels bigger than that. Maybe it’s the big life changes coming in the next year. My twins are completing their junior year of...
The Battles Continue
My system is at war right now. Is this more of a war than normal? It’s hard to know. Most of the time, we believe we are feeling the worst we’ve ever felt because we just can’t remember how bad we felt before. That’s also a defender trick to convince us that we...
Back to the Blog Too
As a survivor of trauma, there is nothing more unnerving and disorienting than the process of recovering memories of traumatic events. I despise the unknown. It is difficult to acknowledge there are aspects of my own life of which I have no awareness. It’s scary....
Where Does Shame Come From?
There is nothing more emotionally devastating than the weight shame has on our lives. The desperation of hiding our shame fuels most of our controller’s behaviors keeping us from our rest and inner peace. Shame drives much of our futility which keeps us stuck and...