When you support someone who has CPTSD, what do you call yourself? When you care about them and help them as best you can, what does that make you? Defining myself in relationship to being…
What do the loved ones of trauma survivors need? If you have been reading this blog for a while and you are a supporter, you probably have a list of needs. Maybe a long list.…
I recently came across a series of research articles focused on complex post traumatic stress disorder (complex PTSD or CPTSD) and the daily life experiences of those with the diagnosis and their relatives. As you…
A few years ago, in the early part of seeking trauma support for my husband, I began to experience an unsettling feeling. It was kind of like a heavy wool blanket. The type that feels…
What happened to you? is not the only question for families of trauma survivors. If you have been reading my blog for a while or any other trauma-related information, I am sure you are familiar…
Last week, I attended a one-day workshop with Kristin Neff, Ph.D. For those of you who are not familiar with Dr. Neff’s work, she is a self-compassion researcher and the co-founder of the Mindful Self-Compassion…
If you are a partner or loved one of someone with CPTSD (complex post traumatic stress disorder), it’s not easy to give yourself a break. Here’s a recent story of how I cut myself slack.…
You are more than your trauma. I couldn’t sleep. My mind ran restless laps around last week’s events. As much as I wanted to put it all behind me, my brain had other ideas. I…
If you’ve been reading my blog posts for a while, you’ll know the topic of self-care is really important to me. It’s important because as a partner to a survivor, I know the high risk…
There are costs to loving a trauma survivor. I know this statement may come across as or unsupportive, insensitive, or unkind. But despite the potential misinterpretations of this statement, it still needs to be said. There are…
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.…