“Dissociation is the essence of trauma. The overwhelming experience is split off and fragmented, so that the emotions, sounds, images, thoughts, and physical sensations related to the trauma take on a life of their own.” (Van der Kolk, 2014, p66). …
How Trauma Affects the Brain
Trauma affects the brain, especially the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and hippocampus. Ongoing trauma is associated with “lasting change in these brain areas” (Bremmer, 2006). When there is a potential threat, the amygdala sends an instant message to the hippocampus, activating …
Re-Traumatisation
This event is retraumatising on several counts. Firstly, she experiences the same trauma her mother experienced, having her child stolen. Secondly, she re-lives her own trauma of being stolen as a child. She may then slip into further depression and …
Have you ever wondered if you would have marched with Martin Luther King?
Have you ever wondered if you would have marched with Martin Luther King in the American Civil Right Movement? I would like to think I would have marched. Now is the time to march. HOW you march it is up …
Intergenerational Trauma
Intergenerational trauma is real. Trauma is passed down through family lines. When a member of a family experiences a trauma, such as being raised by an alcoholic, experiencing slavery or the Holocaust, these traumas have biological and behavioural impacts on …
The Johari Window
Do the work – What is the work around race for me as a white person? For me it is the same as all of the therapeutic work. It is being brave enough to look within, to search myself FIRST. …
Let’s Look At Some of The Statistics:
I am posting these statistics because I wanted to see them laid out before me. There is a problem, not only in the US, but also in Australia and the UK. Questioning our privileges, biases, and looking at racism within …
How to Work With The Critical Inner Voice
Does your critical inner voice make you want to take a holiday from yourself? Did you grow up with critical parents? What were the comments that you heard? Did you get: You look fat in that. Nobody values you, why …
What You Can’t See in This Photograph
This is the first photograph of my little girl. She had just been handed to me. She was four and a half weeks early, but she was healthy and prefect. What a relief! But I was haemorrhaging. The placenta had …
How Fear Stops Us Connecting in Relationships
Deep listening involves: Imagining your partners world – Stepping into their shoes Hearing your partner – you don’t have to agree with what they are saying but take a moment to really HEAR them in a new way. Seeing the …