by Elisabeth | Aug 26, 2014 | Defenders, Freedom Fighters, Parenting
Do you ever have those days? When your skin hurts? When a cocoon of blankets is the only place that will provide an ounce of comfort? When no physical touch, no matter how well-meaning, can soothe the inner turmoil? When the idea of a meaningful embrace actually...
by Elisabeth | Jul 31, 2014 | Parenting
To my children as we start our family tree, I cannot begin to describe the impact you have on my life. You are the blessings sent from the divine to wake me up. You are the little life tornadoes who never let me choose the easy way out of the pain. You are the epitome...
by Elisabeth | May 13, 2014 | Parenting, Trauma In Society
I don’t write about my experiences with bullying very often. Maybe I have internalized society’s beliefs that I should have stood up for myself in middle and high school, especially when my peers were doing the bullying. Maybe the shame is more significant because...
by Elisabeth | May 7, 2014 | Parenting
I was raised by narcissists. That probably doesn’t come as a surprise. As a child, my life never belonged to me. There was no autonomy. There were no choices at all. For illustrative purposes, I will cover some of the highlights of my relationship with my parents. I...
by Elisabeth | Apr 9, 2014 | Freedom Fighters, Parenting
After a childhood of severe abuse, I am a walking web of defense mechanisms. The most destructive mechanisms were developed when I was a younger child. Because of their devastating impact on my adult life, it was absolutely critical that I identify and work with these...
by Elisabeth | Mar 3, 2014 | Parenting
When Jared Leto won an Oscar last night, I don’t think anyone was shocked. However, his undeniably beautiful dedication to his single mother may have been surprising to some. Why? In our society, we have a habit of focusing on the damage that single-parented...
