The Dangers of Platitudes

Platitudes. Most people don’t know what they are, though they are present in our everyday lives. The definition of platitude is a statement that has lost its original weight and meaning due to being overused. Statements like “nobody’s perfect” and “it is what it is” are examples of them. It can be frustrating to be…

The Difficulty of Trauma Anniversaries

Anniversaries usually bring us lots of joy because they help us remember something wonderful that happened in the past. Weddings, relationships, and even moving into a new house are all things celebrated with an anniversary. Unlike regular anniversaries, trauma anniversaries can be extremely difficult. Instead of helping commemorate a past event that brought you joy,…

Navigating the Holidays with PTSD

The holidays are a wonderful time of the year. They involve much-needed time off from work, family, and celebrations like Christmas, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, Krampusnacht, and Hanukkah. They also represent the end of a year and closing another chapter of our lives. Most of the time, we associate the holidays with joy and happiness. Traditional…

Dealing with PTSD in Relationships

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, can be hard to deal with in a relationship. It can be stressful at any time, but the closeness and vulnerability that come with being in a relationship can add to that. It can also cause issues with trust, closeness, and communication. This is especially true if your PTSD is…

How To Deal With Abusive Family During the Holidays

For most people, holidays like Christmas, thanksgiving, and new years are a source of joy. They include festive traditions, gifts, and time off work to relax. Holidays can also be a time for family. Many people don’t get to see their family year-round. Holidays are a convenient time to gather. People travel to see and…

Love Bombing & Oxytocin Addiction

Love bombing is a term widely used within the context of a romantic relationship. It’s essentially a form of manipulation that attempts to artificially create intimacy. When someone love bombs you, it means they lavish you with intense affection, attention, and praise in an attempt to win your trust and affection early in the relationship….

Losing Your Identity After Trauma

In a moment, you can lose everything. The stability of your world is rocked. You no longer trust what you see or believe. What was once solid and trustworthy now feels fragile and rotten. Nothing is safe, nothing is reliable, nothing makes sense. Maybe you were a child when it happened. Maybe your parent died….

So It Goes.

Last week I saw Robert B. Weide’s incredible documentary Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time. It brought me back to my twenties when I voraciously read 13 Vonnegut books back to back. He is utterly brilliant. When I heard that he had died in 2007, I remember saying, “How is the sun still shining or world…

5 Tips to Heal Generational Trauma

When we think of trauma, we think of something that happens in the present. Perhaps someone witnesses a murder or is the victim of a home invasion. Or perhaps someone grows up with an alcoholic parent or has experienced sexual violence. However, there’s also something called “generational trauma” that can cause just as much damage…

Five Ways to Support Women Struggling with PTSD at Work

So very many workplaces are heavily male-dominated. As a whole, men hold most leadership positions and earn more than their female counterparts. When a woman is coping with PTSD, especially from sexual violence, she might find it difficult to feel safe, seen, or heard. Additionally, women are often left out of the conversation about how…