Curiosity Was Framed
I remember the first time I stopped defending against my repressed memories. I had always seen the memory flashes, but I ignored them. They weren’t memory flashes of actual attacks. They were...
Have Trauma, Will Hover
Parenting is hard. Single parenting is extremely difficult. Single parenting with family-based trauma is borderline impossible. There are so many times I have wanted to stop a parenting moment in...
A Slippery Slope
As with many Americans, I have been following and reacting to the recent Supreme Court rulings and other political events. I am very passionate about human rights. I know what it is like to...
From Dissociation to Awareness
Dissociation was my defense mechanism of choice when I was young. The sexual, physical and emotional abuse started when I was only three years old, and I could not escape it, so I learned to...
The Innocence of Man
Not surprisingly, Father’s Day is not my favorite of the Hallmark holidays. I have never had a problem with Valentine’s Day, because being single is my choice. I have never had a problem with...
Finding My Flow
I have moved past the point in my life where I describe myself by what I do for a living, but if I had to, I would say I'm a program manager. By nature, program managers are highly organized (if...
Priceless…
I am a survivor of family-controlled child sex trafficking. When the family is involved in trafficking, it starts with incest at a very young age. There is a process of desensitizing the child,...
The Internal Oppressor
Last weekend, I experienced a sensation that only lasted about 60 seconds. It was the feeling of complete psychological, emotional and physical freedom. It was a beautiful feeling. Everything...
A Culture of Trafficking
I struggle on days like these sometimes. Every survivor has their triggers, and mine is the military. I don’t have a problem with the military men and women who have died for our country. I...
