Tag Archives: personal growth

Unashamed of my Complex PTSD

Posted on June 15, 2020 by Shay

A few people have asked my why I talk so much about Complex PTSD, or Developmental Trauma. I am open about my struggles with ​Complex ​PTSD and depression​ in part because I am not ashamed.​​ I have physiological conditions brought on … Continue reading →

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“Resilience in the Time of Covid-19” podcast

Posted on April 19, 2020 by Shay

As the pandemic rolls on I notice signs of chronic stress and even trauma in friends, family, and acquaintances. They describe symptoms like anxiety, panic attacks, depression, loss of hope, and more. I saw these are mild symptoms of chronic … Continue reading →

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Things Nobody Wants to Know Are Part of Me

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Shay

The amount and magnitude of cruelty and contempt I endured in my life is mind-boggling. If I described to you some of the events that were common in my childhood you would vomit or at least feel like it. Yes, … Continue reading →

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Break the cycle of distress with self-regulation

Posted on December 26, 2019 by Shay

If I could teach everyone in the world one thing it would be self-regulation. This is a key ability for all people, an ability often disrupted by trauma, especially in those with earliest onset. These simple practices can help an … Continue reading →

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When your trust is unapologetically broken, forgive yourself

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Shay

When someone breaks our trust we sometimes feel a sense of lack for having trusted, for having allowed ourselves to be cheated. It’s an element that is often overlooked, though it may have a deep effect. After the sailing disaster of … Continue reading →

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And on the 7th day, I heard a voice

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Shay

I felt a little piece of my heart sink the moment I saw the boat. From my vantage point, the driver’s seat of a rental car, the vessel was hardly more than a white dot bobbing gently on a mooring … Continue reading →

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The flying fish of fate

Posted on April 20, 2017 by Shay

A year ago today I met a delightful elderly woman on the train when I traveled from Wilmington DE to Wilmington NC on my way to help with a private yacht transit to East Greenrich RI, over 800 miles away. … Continue reading →

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The day I sailed a patio lounge chair

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Shay

The day I sailed a patio lounge chair, six years ago, I was recovering from the flu and enjoying the unseasonably warm day by resting outdoors. I tried to nap in the sun, but the wind kept calling me to … Continue reading →

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Star of wonder

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Shay

A concept I came across in recovery from childhood abuse and trauma is that of going back to one’s childhood, to meet the child you were, and give her a gift with some words to go with it. Tell her … Continue reading →

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This ain’t no bro joke

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Shay

A recently created meme on Facebook asks “If American women are outraged at Trump’s use of naughty words, who in the hell bought 80 million copies of 50 Shades of Grey?” This equates the choice to read erotica with deserving to be sexually … Continue reading →

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