I have a guest blog for you today, from Johnzelle of Panoramic Counseling. EMDR Therapy Francine Shapiro is a legend in the mental health community. She made the groundbreaking discovery that launched the EMDR therapy movement in 1987. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy. Shapiro didn’t set out to create a new … Continue reading Guest post (Johnzelle Anderson) – EMDR Therapy
The emerging blogger series is aimed at community building through giving mental health bloggers who are early in their blogging evolution the opportunity to have their work seen by a wider audience. It's also a way to introduce you as a reader to some newer members of our community. This post is by Sharleen from … Continue reading Emerging Blogger Series: Sharleen
Shattered by the Darkness: Putting the Pieces Back Together After Child Abuse by Gregory Williams is a heart-wrenching account of childhood sexual abuse perpetrated by the author's father over many years. The book contains detailed descriptions of sexual abuse, sometimes with multiple abusers. There is nothing gratuitously graphic in the descriptions, but readers who have … Continue reading Book Review: Shattered by the Darkness
Ghosts Within: Journeying Through PTSD is written by former war zone journalist Garry Leech, who developed post-traumatic stress disorder in response to the horrors to which he'd been exposed through his work. The book does describe some of the traumatic events the author experienced. This took a few forms: as descriptions of flashbacks, as part … Continue reading Book review: Ghosts Within
In this series, I dig a little deeper into the meaning of psychological terms. This week's term: Stockholm syndrome Stockholm syndrome is a type of psychological bond that forms between a captor and a hostage. The hostage develops positive feelings toward the captor and their cause, and negative feelings toward law enforcement. While it masquerades … Continue reading What is… Stockholm syndrome?
I Walk With a Limp: My Personal Journey as a Trauma Survivor by Barbara A. Lawrence describes the impact of the physical, sexual, verbal, and psychological abuse she first experienced as a child at the hands of her family. She writes about the PTSD she developed as a result, along with a myriad of other … Continue reading Book review: I Walk With a Limp
In this series, I dig a little deeper into the meaning of psychological terms. This week's term: trauma vs. PTSD I wanted to take a look at the difference between experiencing trauma and having PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Part of this is that I believe that I have experienced trauma, but while it still impacts me … Continue reading What is… trauma vs. PTSD
In Shattered: A Memoir, Patricia J Grace tells her story of the lasting impact of childhood sexual abuse. This abuse occurred at the hands of multiple brothers, as well as others, after the death of her father. While her mother was aware of the abuse, she did not intervene to try to stop it. In fact, … Continue reading Book review: Shattered
So, what is it to be trauma-informed? Trauma-informed practice recognizes the intersectionality of trauma, mental health, and substance abuse, and involves an awareness that anyone may have experienced trauma, whether they have disclosed it or not. Trauma-informed practice aims to create environments that prevent re-traumatization and promote a sense of safety. The individual client's safety, … Continue reading How trauma-informed practice can improve mental health care
While many sources of trauma are time-limited, some occur repeatedly over prolonged periods of time. The term complex PTSD is used to capture the profound psychological harm these people exposed to the latter have experienced, including changes in self-concept, problems with emotional regulation, distorted perceptions of the perpetrator, and impaired relationships with others. There are … Continue reading Why isn’t Complex PTSD in the DSM-5?
The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study was a landmark research trial conducted by Kaiser Permanente and the U.S. Center for Disease Control. The study examined the correlation between adverse experiences in childhood and health outcomes in adulthood, and clearly showed just how profound that connection is. The ACEs study participants were asked to report whether … Continue reading What we can learn about trauma from the ACEs study
In Untangled: A Story of Resilience, Courage, and Triumph, Alexis Rose offers raw, forthright descriptions of the repeated abuse she experienced in childhood and into adulthood. I would caution anyone who has experienced abuse themselves to carefully evaluate whether they are far enough along in their own healing to feel safe while reading this kind … Continue reading Book review: Untangled
If I Could Tell You How It Feels: My Life Journey With PTSD captures Alexis Rose's journey toward healing from PTSD. The book consists of narratives interspersed with poetry, along with beautiful art by Janet Rosauer. The chapters are short, which I always appreciate since it makes it easier for readers with concentration problems, and they … Continue reading Book review: If I Could Tell You How It Feels
This week's round of TED Talk picks are focused on trauma and come from a diverse range of experiences. Nadine Burke Harris: How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime https://embed.ted.com/talks/nadine_burke_harris_how_childhood_trauma_affects_health_across_a_lifetime In this talk, Nadine Burke Harris passionately addresses the findings of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study. This study found a significant … Continue reading TED Talks on Trauma