Trauma-Informed Support for Partners of Survivors
Can the Partners of Childhood Trauma Survivors Experience Vicarious Trauma? You would think the answer is obvious: “Yes,” and “Of course.” But a search for the term in conjunction with partners/ families and trauma shows few results.…
Why Do Adult Survivors Need Advocates? After all, adult survivors of childhood trauma look just like other adults. They talk like adults. They hold jobs, they volunteer, and they go to school. They have families. They…
I’ve recently had a couple of articles sent to me about how to help a survivor if you are in a close relationship. The articles, written by clinicians, were clear, thoughtful and with a good…
How do you celebrate the holidays when you’re too tired to care? It’s a very real question for me this year. Although not a new one. Yes, this year I am especially exhausted. In under…
I was at my second appointment with my new therapist. She asked, “Do you think you have secondary trauma?” I paused and answered: “Yes.” An online search of ‘secondary trauma’ pulls up information for mental…
If I knew the decision was right, why was I struggling? This August, we put our home up for sale. The plan: a relocation of 2,000 km to southern Ontario. The reason: to be closer…
Some of you know that I took the month of June (2017) off for some vacation time. I traveled to Victoria, BC to visit friends, spend time in nature, shop, and have fun! Sounds perfect,…
“How do you practice self-care?” It’s a question I’m asked a lot. I have a list of answers. Exercise Enough sleep Keep extra-curricular commitments to a minimum Spend time outdoors Talk with friends either by…
Adult survivors of childhood trauma are misunderstood, misjudged, and mistreated. They face an ongoing battle of shame, stigma, and disbelief–not just from individuals but from society. The following are real statements made about survivors: They’re…
What comes to mind when you think of a ‘flashback’? A war vet? A person (usually female) pushing the other away during sex? Someone diving for cover at a loud noise? Yes, these are possible…
What do you do when one member of a family is a survivor of childhood trauma and another family member has a serious health issue? What do you when the other’s health issue is also…