by Elisabeth | Apr 7, 2015 | Defenders, Dissociation, Freedom Fighters, Memory Repression
As a survivor in the anti-trafficking movement, I am often treated as though I am only necessary for my story. This is not news. Most of my survivor friends can tell you about being re-exploited by those in the movement who are trying to make things right. But of...
by Elisabeth | Mar 2, 2015 | Memory Repression
As a trauma survivor in recovery, I have spent a long time in the wilderness. It isn’t an actual wilderness. I am not a fan of the outdoors. Nature and my dissociative defense mechanism are not compatible. I am speaking of the wilderness that is often the subject of...
by Elisabeth | Dec 4, 2014 | Dissociation, Memory Repression
The other day, during my presentation to an audience of medical professionals, one of the doctors asked a good question. “Many of these victims eventually become abusers, so what do we do when they start abusing others? How do we treat them when they are no longer a...
by Elisabeth | Sep 2, 2014 | Dissociation, Memory Repression
I love vacations. I know this is not a particularly startling revelation. But I think that I like them more than the average person. I have perfected my escape-artist defense mechanism and there is nothing better than physically leaving home to appease an escape...
by Elisabeth | Jul 24, 2014 | Dissociation, Memory Repression, Recovery
Sometimes starting a new life can bring up grief and regret for the old life. While I am happy to have new experiences without the pain and anxiety of the past, it makes me wish there had been more of it. Time is such a tricky aspect of the human experience. We can’t...
by Elisabeth | Jul 2, 2014 | Memory Repression
I love to swim. I always have. It was healing for me. When I was in the water, nobody could get to me. Nobody could hurt me. I was in my own world, a world that flowed, a world where all the darkness and pain of my reality was far away. The physical pain stopped too....
