Around 50-60% of all people experience trauma at some point during their lives. Trauma can unquestionably disrupt your life and affect your emotional well-being. In addition, it's a precursor for numerous mental health issues like substance use, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Trauma denial refers to suppressing, rationalizing, or even disregarding that trauma occurred. It can...[ read more ]
Everyone experiences stress, but chronic stress or stress that persistently feels difficult to overcome may indicate unresolved trauma. It may also speak to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which isn't always obvious. Understanding and taking care of stress well is key to managing your mental health. Here are some emotional and physical symptoms that often go under the stress...[ read more ]
Even though everyone feels occasional shame, chronic or persistent shame can affect every part of your life. Shame coincides with feeling unworthy, which can deeply affect the quality of your relationships. Unfortunately, shame persists and shows up in insidious ways. It can erode even a healthy relationship, and it sometimes contributes to patterns of unhealthy interpersonal dynamics. Shame also often...[ read more ]
Knowing how to forgive yourself can be one of the greatest gifts you offer yourself in this lifetime. However, it's much easier said than done, especially if you struggle with your self-esteem or feel toxic shame over your past mistakes. The good news is that you can learn to strengthen your self-forgiveness skills. The more you commit to practicing kindness...[ read more ]
Traumatic events can fundamentally impact how safe you feel in the world. When you endure a trauma, both your body and mind store what happened. Even if you feel like you've moved on, your past may have more of a hold over you than you realize, and this can affect you in both insidious and profound ways. Here are some...[ read more ]
Secondary traumatic stress refers to the emotional distress and turmoil that occurs from indirect exposure to trauma. People with secondary trauma often exhibit similar symptoms to those who have experienced trauma directly. Caregivers and professionals working in trauma-exposed fields (first responders, therapists, clinical social workers, emergency nurses) are particularly susceptible to secondary traumatization. However, regardless of your profession, knowing the...[ read more ]
Do you feel like you have nothing left to give? Does it seem like the world is swallowing you whole or that it's just one traumatic experience after another? As we round the corner and finish up 2022, many of us are still struggling with our mental health. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported that the COVID-19...[ read more ]
We all felt something when the COVID-19 pandemic first made headway in 2020. In the subsequent months, people oscillated between fear, anger, denial, sadness, and anxiety. These emotions seemingly affected everyone around the planet- there was a sense of a universal shared experience amid the chaos. This phenomenon is known as collective trauma, and this kind of trauma isn't easily understood. Furthermore,...[ read more ]
Research shows that 70% of Americans have endured at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Trauma can impact your physical and emotional health. It can also affect your self-esteem, relationships, and sense of safety in the world. But while some reactions are apparent, it's just as important to recognize some of the subtle, lesser-known trauma symptoms. Let's get into...[ read more ]
Attachment is one of the buzzwords of the decade, and for a good reason. In simple terms, attachment refers to the emotional bond between two people, and it also entails how safe and understood we feel in the world. Research shows that attachment bonds first form in infancy. At this time, children rely on their caregivers to meet their every...[ read more ]