by Elisabeth | Oct 31, 2014 | Defenders, Freedom Fighters, Inner Children, Parenting
So, the holidays are here. You may be thinking this is a little early, but I include Halloween in my definition of the holidays. I call it the holiday trifecta. And they come every year. And every year, I brace myself. I actually attempt to store up energy, but of...
by Elisabeth | Oct 21, 2014 | Defenders, Dissociation, Recovery
One of the most devastating feelings during recovery is the deep sense of isolation and separateness. There are days when I feel like the only person on the planet who has suffered such horrible trauma and pain despite knowing many survivors of abuse and trafficking....
by Elisabeth | Oct 10, 2014 | Defenders, Freedom Fighters, Inner Children, Parenting
I have worked hard to maintain my mask of normalcy over the years. I was trained by my family that there could be no external signs of abuse, physically or behaviorally. And since I was convinced the abuse was my fault, I thought it imperative to comply. When I felt...
by Elisabeth | Oct 3, 2014 | Inner Children, Recovery
There’s a popular Zen saying in the self-awareness circles. “Before enlightenment, chop wood carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood carry water.” As with most Zen concepts, it seems like a simple idea on the surface. And as with most Zen concepts, it isn’t...
by Elisabeth | Sep 17, 2014 | Defenders, Freedom Fighters, Parenting
Children have opinions. This is not a surprising statement for anyone who has raised a child past the age of 18 months. Children know what they want and they expect to get it. If they don’t get it, they will let you know their disappointment. Of course, this can be...
