by Elisabeth | Dec 22, 2014 | Relationships
Relationships are hard for everyone, but especially for survivors of child abuse. Before I started my recovery work, I spent years in relationships that were obviously abusive and damaging to my emotional wellness, but I was too blinded by my own trauma to see it. My...
by Elisabeth | Dec 15, 2014 | Defenders, Recovery
I have been thinking about leadership lately. What does it mean to be a leader? What personal characteristics does that require? Is a leader defined by their followers, by their dissenters? What is required of them when they are a leader? And why am I so scared to be...
by Elisabeth | Aug 14, 2014 | Recovery
To My Survivor Friends, We talk often about how our recovery partners, friends and family may not always say the right thing. We know they mean well, but it is difficult for them to understand our painful situation. They may trigger us with what appears to be...
by Elisabeth | Jun 19, 2013 | Dissociation, Recovery
Dissociation was my defense mechanism of choice when I was young. The sexual, physical and emotional abuse started when I was only three years old, and I could not escape it, so I learned to leave my body entirely. At the time, it kept me sane. In adulthood, it...
by Elisabeth | May 24, 2013 | Defenders
I’ve been celebrating lately. There are many reasons for celebration. I have graduated with a master’s degree and quit my job to begin work in the trauma recovery field. Everyone is letting me know how proud they are. Everyone is congratulating me for...
