Repetition compulsion is when we keep getting the same outcome that we never asked for. It seems no matter what we do, no matter how hard we try, we’re right back where we were before. For some, we end up in the same toxic relationships. For others, we keep encountering setbacks each time we try …
Repetition Compulsion: The Hamster Wheel of Fate Read More »
Most of us have heard of the term displacement. It’s when we take our frustrations out on something or someone who had nothing to do with the triggering event. Well, we can think of transference as displacement’s “next of kin” because at first glance, they have core traits in common. Both are the results of …
Transference: How Unprocessed Trauma Finds an Outlet Read More »
We all have some degree of cognitive bias. It gives us our fundamental beliefs, after all. We need that foundation to interpret information so that we can understand it. That’s because to function in our day-to-day life, we must make sense of ourselves and our place in the world. So, when confronted by a new …
Cognitive Bias to Cognitive Dissonance: How Our Beliefs Direct Our Lives Read More »
Our beliefs direct our lives and cognitive bias is one of the ways we develop our beliefs. The two most extreme types of cognitive bias are impostor syndrome (Trauma Glossary 2) and the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Of course we don’t all live in one extreme or the other. But as we kick off this brand new …
Cognitive Bias: Impostor Syndrome and its Counterpart, the Dunning-Kruger Effect Read More »
The Watchtower is the medial prefrontal cortex. It’s that part of the brain that’s located just above the middle of our eyes. Besides acting as a counterweight to the amygdala (fight or flight response), it functions in the way you would expect from a person who has watchtower duty. In the Medieval Times, those who …
The Brain’s Watchtower with the Mohawk of Self-Awareness Read More »
As a staunch advocate for complex-PTSD and having complex-PTSD, myself, I can tell you that I have endured every type of abuse, except overt sexual abuse. While hooray for small favors is in order, it does put me in a learning deficit. I’ve heard countless stories of child abuse over the years. Adult survivors have …
Understanding Sexual Abuse: An Interview with an Advocate Read More »
Last week’s article was a thorough how-to on going no contact with toxic parents (here). I asked my group members if there was anything that hit home for them. Then I followed up by asking if they wanted to share their anonymous experiences. Five volunteered, but what truly surprised me was that their stories had …
Love Bombing, Parental Betrayal, and the Trauma Bond: A Group Interview Read More »
Good for you on finding this article! It means that you’re finally considering what you need instead of what your abuser needs. But finding this article also means you have many questions, which I will cover. You may wonder what no contact means and whether or not you are ready. You need to know how …
How to Go No Contact with Your Toxic Parent Read More »
What happens next? How long will this take? Where is my rhythm? Any time you work these answers, you are using your brain’s timekeeper. Its medical term is dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, but that’s a mouthful. Thanks to trauma researcher, Bessel Van der Kolk, (The Body Keeps the Score) we have a simplified nickname. The Timekeeper …
The Brain’s Timekeeper: How We Determine What Happens Next Read More »
Two weeks ago, we covered the most important parts of the brain for healing trauma. It reiterated the importance of being present while building and maintaining our window of tolerance. That article, which was an introduction to this series is here. This week, we are covering the thalamus, how it works, its connection to our …
Thalamus: That Part of the Brain that Interprets the Present Read More »
