Communication From the “Parts” of Trauma Victims

A lot of people do not seek trauma therapy until they have been flooded with responses and memories from their “parts.” If you remember correctly, the “parts” are what often happens when people develop depersonalization, chronic depression or other symptoms. This is often falsely diagnosed as dissociative identity disorder, but the presence of certain symptoms [...]

By |2021-12-15T03:32:55-05:00June 4th, 2020|Trauma|

Understanding the Fragmented Self in Trauma Victims

Everyone responds differently to trauma, and in the same way, it makes sense to expect that the resulting fragmented self would be unique. People who have histories of chronic trauma, or who have gone through multiple types of abuse or neglect often appear normal. But what has really happened is that they have formulated a [...]

By |2021-12-15T03:32:55-05:00April 20th, 2020|Trauma|

What is Trauma? Understanding it and Facing it

When we think about trauma victims, we often envision images of wounded soldiers or veterans. But trauma is so much more, and it should never be segregated to just one or two groups of people. It happens to just about everyone in one form or another. You may have a friend or relative who struggles [...]

By |2021-12-15T03:32:55-05:00March 9th, 2020|Trauma|

What Have We Discovered Through Scientific Research on Trauma?

“…during every stage of my medical training, whether I was studying surgery, cardiology, or pediatrics, it was obvious to me that the key to healing was understanding how the human organism works.” ~ Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk began studying post-traumatic stress and trauma in the 1970s. It was an [...]

By |2021-12-15T03:32:55-05:00March 9th, 2020|Trauma|

Understanding Your “Self” as You Heal From Trauma

So many trauma victims feel trapped because of their thoughts. They may suffer from flashbacks or get triggered when certain painful memories arise. In a way, their trauma locks them inside a mental prison that is impossible to escape. Healing from trauma is not quick, and it is a process that takes time. Even so, [...]

By |2021-12-15T03:32:55-05:00February 12th, 2020|Trauma|

The Impact of Disassociation for Trauma Victims

For many victims of trauma, the experiences that traumatized them happened when they were children. The brain resorts to disassociation as a way to protect itself from getting hurt again, and it is very common for people to carry that into adulthood. While disassociation does work as a survival strategy for a period of time, [...]

By |2021-12-15T03:32:55-05:00January 9th, 2020|Trauma|

Understanding Childhood Trauma and its Effects on Adulthood

Many people experience trauma when they’re children, and the effects of that trauma are often carried with them into adulthood. When children are abused or neglected by people who are supposed to love them, they have to distance themselves from it emotionally. This fragmentation is a survival mechanism. It helps them to preserve their self-esteem, [...]

By |2021-12-15T03:32:55-05:00January 9th, 2020|Trauma|