Surviving trauma is a miracle. For years, you have lived as a miracle because you are a trauma survivor. You made it through the one or multiple horrendous things which have happened in your life, the things which drastically changed your sense of self, your sense of the world, and your sense of how youRead More
Most colleges around the country start their fall semesters or quarters in August or September. If you are attending college or graduate school this year, it is likely that you are already back in the classroom. Adjusting to a social, academic setting can be challenging if you spent the better part of the summer, theRead More
You can think of all of our thoughts, actions, and feelings as small pebbles being tossed into the flowing waters of the way of the universe. Everything we do, think, and feel, is energy. Our entire world runs on energy, responds to energy, reacts to energy, and is energy. More spiritually put, what we giveRead More
People with a long history of alcohol abuse often have serious health challenges. Some of these might include heart and cardiovascular diseases, kidney issues, and liver conditions. Other issues may include mental health or other consequences. One of the least known causes of most people is alcoholic neuropathy. Gradually, the condition gets worse asRead More
Sex, violence, crime, and widespread substance abuse have long been standard facets of entertainment in television. Humans like to be disturbed, the entertainment industry seemingly has come to believe, and a shock factor always sells as “good TV”. Increasingly, there is a movement toward honest storytelling and authentic depictions of topics like substance abuse withRead More
Judy Crane defines trauma in her book The Trauma Heart as “any life event or series of life events or ongoing life events that create a negative impact on your life that changes or distorts your vision of yourself and your place in the world.” Sexual abuse is inarguably one of those events. Sexual abuseRead More
The opioid epidemic has been ravishing our country and many parts of the world for years. Within the last three years, numbers of opioid related deaths in America have risen drastically, providing startling statistics. From 2015-2016 more than 100,000 people died from an opioid overdose. More specifically, that is the people who were reported andRead More
Memory floods and reliving trauma applies to those who have been in avoidance of their trauma as well. There is a difference between memories being inaccessible due to repression and memories going untouched due to denial and/or avoidance. Anecdotal evidence from millions recovering trauma have proven time and time again that avoidance is an unsustainableRead More
When you’re in recovery for anything from trauma to addiction, alcoholism to eating disorders, gambling to shopping, you hear about the “gifts of recovery”. Everyone is talking about these gifts of recovery and how wonderful they are, how worthy they make every ounce of effort, pain, and struggle we go through in our recovery efforts.Read More
The world is becoming increasingly trauma sensitive, but not necessarily in the way which actually provides sensitivity to trauma survivors. While the media is still learning how to discuss traumas appropriately, the media has taken great strides in talking about trauma more openly. Meaning, the media is getting better at no longer shaming traumatic eventsRead More