Tag Archives: Trauma

Cuckoo’s Nest, Day 1

“What am I doing here? I hate it so far. Noisy, institutional. No real comforts, shitty pillow, cold room, can’t see through the window. I don’t even have personal care items, like soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrush, and toothpaste. So here … 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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Open Letter to A. Snortz, Psy.D.*

I write this on the third anniversary of our final office visit. You probably forgot that day. I have not. To refresh: my GAD was back up to critical, I told you I had increasing suicidal ideations and thought it … Continue reading

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14-Step Neuroscience-Based Recovery from Complex PTSD

Having lived with Complex PTSD (more accurately, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Injury, or PTSI) my entire life and studied the biology of fear for several years, I’ve come up with a neuroscience-based recovery plan: 1. Recognize that I was powerless during … Continue reading

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SGB for PTSD

Since Sept 2020 I’ve had 20 Stellate Ganglion Blocks (SGBs) as a treatment for my Complex PTSD  and quadrilateral Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). This minimally invasive and largely safe treatment has been used to treat PTSD for about 10 … Continue reading

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Coregulation saved my father’s funeral

My father–whose behavior made him a monster to me–was buried with honors at Arlington National Cemetery in September. I spent weeks readying. I bought dress slacks, pulled together an outfit, worked through my fears, and intensively practiced three lines of … Continue reading

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