Handling the Coronavirus Crisis with C-PTSD
The Coronavirus pandemic can be especially triggering for those of us with complex trauma. There will be constant reminders of our trauma as we try to navigate a world in crisis. Those...
A Message from the Freedom Fighters
Since very early in my life, I have had to live in survival mode. That means, my controller was fully in charge. They made all the decisions in my life and they were all made from a fear-based...
In Defense of Anger
We live in an anger-hating world. This is not surprising. Anger has been labeled as dangerous. It has been labeled as dangerous by angry people. They know deep down inside that their anger...
Healing through Relationships: What Works and What Doesn’t
Relationships after trauma can feel like a mine field. There is no telling where the next explosion will come from. And our emotional responses to relationship patterns can be so intense, it...
The Convenient Solution
I watched Troop Zero the other night. At the end, I cried and cried. I cried more than I normally do. I’m not a crier. I never felt safe enough to cry. I did love the story. It was a great...
The Roller Coaster of Recovery
When we start our recovery journey, our controllers have big plans. We are going to find the right approach and helper the first time. We are going to find the shortest distance between point A...
The Toll of Toxic Shame
Toxic shame is one of the most detrimental epidemics in a world filled with childhood trauma. But it isn’t easy to see. It is often heavily defended by our dissociation, anger and futility. It...
Reigniting Joy
My trauma led me to understand emotions in a one-dimensional way: “bad”. They do come in two forms of “bad” though. There are emotions that are a bit uncomfortable, but tolerable. I can power...
The Reality of Fear
There is no single emotion that drives our world today, but if I had to choose the most impactful, I would choose fear. Fear is the most prevalent emotion on this planet and most of our decision...
The Isolator: Navigating Relationships after Trauma
I’ve been working with some intense battles in my system lately. I have a tendency to focus on my defenders when I am feeling blocked and I often discuss them in my writing. To be fair, the...
