As I write this, things are hard at home. My husband is struggling and so am I. 2018 was a challenging year and I feel discouraged. About ten days ago, I went out for one…
The practice of being fully alive
Tag: partners
Five quotes to help make sense of my partner’s complex PTSD
Making sense of complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is hard. As a partner to a man with C-PTSD, I struggle. Some things just don’t make sense. When I discover a clear quote that summarizes a key…
The Costs of Loving a Trauma Survivor
There are costs to loving a trauma survivor. I know this statement may come across as unloving, unkind, and insensitive. It might come across as uncaring, unsupportive, and cruel. But despite the potential misinterpretations of this statement,…
What Partners of Survivors Read for Inspiration, Information, and Strength
What do partners of survivors read? Over the past year, I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with many partners of survivors. What I’ve learned is that partners are avid readers. We read for inspiration. We…
When a Week is Lost to Trauma
Last week was lost to trauma.* The days and hours of the second week of September passed and the dates on the calendar changed but, in our home, all activities outside of navigating my husband’s…
My Husband’s Developmental Trauma Changed Me
My husband’s developmental trauma changed me. Seven years ago, my husband of twenty years began to experience a series of visual flashbacks. These emerging memories pointed to a very different childhood than he had previously remembered.…
Partners of Survivors: Who Are Your Bridge People?
Who are your bridge people? It’s been one year since our house sold and we picked up and moved to Eastern Canada. It’s been a year of change, new people and places, challenges, and disappointments.…
5 Reasons the Stories of Partners of Survivors Matter
Do the stories of partners of survivors matter? I tucked this question into my laptop bag and entered the doors of Humber College summer writing school this past July. I had submitted fifteen pages of…
What Happens in a Facebook Support Group for Partners of Survivors
My partner has told me how isolating it is to suffer from her CPTSD she got from her ex. I know it’s tough for her to find support since psychologists are beginning to explore its…