Why Mindfulness?
Why Mindfulness? You probably have heard people talk about the benefits of mindfulness. What many people don’t realize that mindfulness is much more than a fad or “new age-y” spiritual practice, it is also a key component to healing the symptoms of trauma, and there is LOADS of research in neuroscience to back this up. […]
BLACK SHEEP
BLACK SHEEP The “black sheep” is a common idiom used to describe someone who is considered disreputable or a disgrace in any group (such as communities, schools workplaces, or religious organizations), however, most people relate the term to describe the “odd one out”, within a family dynamic. A paramount feature of the Black Sheep phenomena […]
To Forgive or Not to Forgive?
To Forgive or Not to Forgive? Forgiveness is often touted as a necessary requirement to healing. It is included in most religions, is frequently a key component in trauma and recovery programs and is advised by mental health practitioners with almost the same frequency as it is by spiritual leaders. Forgiveness can be a kick-ass […]
Gaslighting
Gaslighting The term gaslighting* refers to an emotional abuse tactic that causes a victim to question their own feelings, instincts, and sanity, putting the abuser in a position of power. A clear indicator of a gaslighter is one who overrides your truth and tries to convince you that your perception of reality is false. A […]
When Healthy Eating Turns Unhealthy
When Healthy Eating Turns Unhealthy “Clean eating” is a term frequently used these days. However, it is one that I personally try to avoid as it can create a problematic view of food that can incite debilitating shame (i.e: clean versus dirty; good versus bad – polarized beliefs are something mental health professionals try to […]
PTSD in Children
PTSD in Children Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is something most people easily attribute to war veterans or victims of accidents and disasters. PTSD is shockingly prevalent for many people, including children and teenagers. Presentations of anxiety, depression, trust issues, violent outbursts, phobias, avoidance, chronic “daydreaming” [dissociation], or poor concentration are some of the symptoms of […]
Trauma Treatment EMDR
Trauma Treatment: EMDR Eye movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) Once considered unorthodox, eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR) has earned accolades as an effective trauma treatment for adults, youth and children, supported by more than twenty randomized controlled studies, and is now considered one of the two preferred trauma therapies recommended by the World Health Organization (Farkas, […]
The Importance of Knowing Your Family History
The Importance of Knowing Your Family History For many people, an exploration into family-of-origin history can seem unnecessarily painful. Parents are not often keen on sharing family histories that hold ancestors in a negative light (slave owners, Nazis, colonizers, et cetera), or share stories about ancestors who endured unimaginable traumas (such as genocide, incarceration, and […]
COMPLEX POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ class=”cs-ta-center” style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text] COMPLEX POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER [/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-left” style=”margin-top: -30px;”]Complex PTSD is known in clinical terms as a disorder of extreme stress, not otherwise specified (DESNOS) or self-trauma disturbance (Briere, 2002; Pelcovitz, et al., 1997). [/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center” style=”margin-top: […]
