Tag Archives: Resilience

Near Death, Disbelieved, and Abandoned

“I haven’t had a shower since Monday so that’s my goal today. Have a shower. Also go for a walk would be good. if I can. I’ll see how my pain levels are and my energy. I can ignore pain … Continue reading

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Physician empathy is a powerful healthcare intervention

As a trauma survivor who has studied Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) for five years, I have learned that empathy is vital to human well-being, especially after trauma, and that, neurophysiologically, I need empathy. It helps integrate the brain, which helps the … Continue reading

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The half-brother I’ll never meet

Today is my half-brother’s birthday. When I was a teenager my mother told me to commit to memory her first child’s birth date, hospital name, city, and state. I recited them to myself again and again and throughout my life, … Continue reading

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The courage it takes to speak up against sexualized violence

I often hear that I am courageous for speaking my truth about sexualized violence in my life and its prevalence in America. Yeah, I know. But what is this courage really about? I’m not courageous because I speak my truth. … Continue reading

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How to save your own life

How to save your own life when the medical system is designed to kill you*: First, you get really pissed off. You must be determined to keep looking for new avenues and pick whatever seems the most sensible from where … Continue reading

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The Cuckoo’s Nest lives

Four years ago this month I was in a cuckoo’s nest! I’ve been working on trauma recovery for over 20 years. Unfortunately, some of the worst damage to my nervous system occurred through the so-called “standard treatment” for PTSD when … Continue reading

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Can’t we just run away from our trauma?

Can’t we just ignore or run away from our trauma? I tried! I quit my whole other life. Fledged my young adult children, sold and gave away my stuff, fixed up the house, sold it out a major loss, and … Continue reading

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Don’t “flip your lid,” down-regulate!

How does regulating the nervous system help sufferers of trauma and chronic stress? What is the “window of tolerance” and how can we widen ours? What happens in our brains when we “flip our lid” and how can we avoid … Continue reading

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The myth of self-regulation

Healing from trauma requires co-regulation with regulated nervous systems, particularly for those who experienced Developmental Trauma, which most often occurs in relationships. We are MADE to co-regulate. Wired for it. Co-regulation is a biological imperative. That means we cannot survive … Continue reading

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“Anger is a Secondary Emotion”

“Anger is a secondary emotion,” a watercolor I painted 3 years ago, about 3 weeks after my ordeal in the ER and mental hospital. Anger is often an indicator of a violation. This one was enormous. Although I painted well … Continue reading

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