by Elisabeth | May 13, 2020 | Defenders
Dear Mother, You turned me into a lot of things when I was a child. You projected all your horrible trauma on to me and made me your enemy. In reality, I was simply a child who wanted to be loved. I was your child and I wanted your protection. I wanted to feel...
by Elisabeth | May 6, 2020 | Parenting, Recovery, Relationships
Dear Mother, Another American Mother’s Day is approaching and I am still unraveling the web of contracts you spent my entire life trying to weave. I can’t even imagine how much energy and time you spent attempting to limit my life. Seriously, people have used that...
by Elisabeth | Apr 22, 2020 | Dissociation, Recovery, Trauma In Society
In case you hadn’t noticed, everyone has an opinion about what we should be doing during this quarantine. When we learn to please others at a young age, this barrage of opinions can be especially confusing. We need to know the right answer and we struggle to trust...
by Elisabeth | Feb 5, 2020 | Defenders, Recovery, Relationships
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 is hidden under our defenses like anxiety, depression and addiction. ...
by Elisabeth | Dec 11, 2019 | Relationships, Trauma In Society
I hear it often from my clients. “I’m quiet.” “I’ve always been an introvert.” “I just don’t have much to say.” “I used to talk too much but I matured, and I don’t do that anymore.” There seems to be a general acceptance among survivors of trauma that their...
