Tagged With "Complex PTSD"
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A Gathering of the Tribes, 9/11 & The Surviving Spirit Newsletter September 2021
The Surviving Spirit Newsletter September 2021 Healing the Mind, Body & Spirit Through the Creative Arts, Education & Advocacy Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health “ Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars”. Kahlil Gibran Hi Folks, Twenty years ago today at this time of the morning I was getting ready to leave for Ellenville, New York to perform and speak at the Annual New York Association of...
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12 Commonalities A Harvard Doctor Found In “Health Outliers” Who Had Radical Remissions [lissarankin.com]
By Lissa Rankin CURED Tip #1 Activate The Relaxation Response As I described in detail in my book Mind Over Medicine, one of the keys to mind-body-spirit medicine in general and the field of psychoneuroimmunology specifically relies on making lifestyle changes aimed at creating nervous system regulation, flipping the nervous system from disease-inducing “fight or flight” sympathetic nervous system stress responses or “freeze” dorsal vagal parasympathetic responses to the homeostatic healing...
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My Biggest Insight of the Summer (Healing Complex PTSD and Chronic Illness)
Spring in my garden is a riot of color. I caught the above pic of my poppies just past their peak after deciding to replace them and wanting to document the process. Because uprooting a cheery, bright colored plant that makes me happy in order to take the chance that something else might do an even better job can feel, as a friend of mine once quipped, "fraught with peril." And that's what it can feel like when we are in the process of healing. When, instead of believing that this is the...
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The Surviving Spirit Newsletter October 2021
Healing the Heart Through the Creative Arts, Education & Advocacy Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health “ Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars”. Kahlil Gibran The Surviving Spirit Newsletter October 2021 “Don't Quit” by John Whittier When things go wrong as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high And you want to smile, but you...
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Beginning the Healing Journey: Return to the Resilient Zone
Dysregulated stress is central to the ACEs/health outcomes link. The healing journey starts with regulating stress arousal that is stuck on too high or too low.
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THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC
THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC by Michael Skinner “ Music can heal the wounds which medicine cannot touch.” - Debasish Mridha Music has a profound way of touching us in so many ways. For myself, the power of music has given me great joy, hope and healing. Music has been a lifesaver for me and that is not something I throw around lightly. I would like to share with you how it has affected my life in so many positive ways - I am forever grateful to have the gift of music in my life. Music...
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Tension and Trauma-Releasing Exercises—the Benefits and Challenges
In August, my articles have been centered around Tension & Trauma Release Exercises (TRE) and how they can aid in self-regulation and the treatment of trauma. We discovered that TRE is life-changing if done correctly and with a tension-releasing exercise practitioner. In this article, we shall recount former posts about TRE and explore together the benefits and challenges of this unusual form of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex post-traumatic stress...
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The Surviving Spirit Newsletter January 2022
Healing the Mind, Body & Spirit Through the Creative Arts, Education & Advocacy Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health “ Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars”. Kahlil Gibran The Surviving Spirit Newsletter Hi Folks, The latest edition of the Surviving Spirit Newsletter - sharing Hope and Healing Resources for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health is posted at the website -...
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Healing Healthcare A FREE GLOBAL MINDFULNESS SUMMIT [healthcare.mindful.org]
FEBRUARY 8-10, 2022 Join us for some or all of this inclusive 3-day online event featuring conversations, meditations, and panel discussions with 40+ experts in healthcare and mindfulness. All summit content will be available to view through February 20. Welcome to the Healing Healthcare Global Mindfulness Summit Our healthcare industry has been delivered to the edges of its capacity by this global pandemic. The successive waves of grief, PTSD, and burnout caused by COVID have yet to be...
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Adverse Childhood Experiences, the Brain, and Sleep
Sufficient, good quality sleep strengthens the brain wounded by ACEs in many ways. Intelligent sleep strategies improve mood, brain (and medical) health, brain function, and the capacity to rewire negative neural pathways imprinted in childhood.
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Nightmares and ACEs: They No Longer Need Rule the Night
Recurring nightmares lead to much needless suffering for survivors of adverse childhood experiences—suffering that goes well beyond disturbed sleep. Five steps help take back the night.
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The Surviving Spirit Newsletter March 2022
Healing the Mind, Body & Spirit Through the Creative Arts, Education & Advocacy Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health “ Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars”. Kahlil Gibran The Surviving Spirit Newsletter March 2022 Hi Folks, The latest edition of the Surviving Spirit Newsletter - sharing Hope and Healing Resources for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health is posted at the website -...
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ACEs and the Resilient Brain
Beyond the main pillars of sleep, exercise, and nutrition, these six practices optimize brain health and functioning in the present, while preparing the brain to adaptively rewire the hidden wounds from toxic childhood stress.
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ACEs and the Resilient Brain
Beyond the main pillars of sleep, exercise, and nutrition, these six practices optimize brain health and functioning in the present, while preparing the brain to adaptively rewire the hidden wounds from toxic childhood stress.
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Veterans Find Peace on America’s Trails (yesmagazine.org)
Spending time in nature, or “ecotherapy,” is increasingly recognized as a helpful therapy for people suffering from PTSD. It’s a path to recovery that Cindy Ross promotes in her new book, Walking Toward Peace: Veterans Healing on America’s Trails . She profiles former soldiers who suffer from depression, guilt, nightmares, and hypervigilance as a result of their damaging experience in war. Regaining equilibrium in civilian life is yet another battle for these wounded warriors, sweated out on...
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Ross Morgan
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SIGNS YOU’RE A COMPASSION FATIGUED LEADER — AND 10 TIPS FOR RECOVERY
By Shakima L. Tozay, (first published @ Govloop.com) Are you emotionally and physically exhausted? Do you no longer feel a sense of personal accomplishment in your work? Have you become more disconnected from your co-worker? Over the last 2 years, the emotional impacts of the pandemic and the exodus of workers in what has been called the Great Reshuffle, has taken a major toll on many leaders. Last year, nearly 48 million U.S. workers left their jobs. Additionally, the “hidden...
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Join Us Saturdays- EmpowerSurvivors Guided Somatic Awareness Meditation
Join us Saturday mornings at 10:00 am Central Time! ( 11:00 am Eastern/9:00 am Mountain/8:00 am Pacific) Join us, via Zoom, as we explore how simple breath, movement, and toning techniques can bring us into the present moment and help ground us into our daily lives. Facilitator: Thomas Travers Contact Info: twtravers@mac.com EmpowerSurvivors: https://www.empowersurvivors.net/ Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkcOutrD0sG9cU5uUg3WSGPA6GR7HD0M5p...
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Support Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month
I'm grateful for the awareness on post traumatic stress - but I hope someday they drop "disorder" from the language and use "injury" or some other word - just feels stigmatizing, like we are defective and lends credence to the stigma & discrimination we face when trying to heal from things that were done to us, experienced or that we observed. Take care, Michael. Support Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month & Learn the Signs of PTSD - ...
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Just Get Over It - Part 2 - Healing Childhood Trauma in Adulthood
Hi folks, Some more thoughts and resources to counter the hurtful phrase - Just Get Over It - Part 2 . Also address the maligning labels placed upon trauma and abuse survivors. Sorry for the technical glitch of the smaller screen. Will resolve to fix that going forward. Healing Childhood Trauma in Adulthood - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EgIkkKgJoE&t=36s “ Healing doesn't mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls our lives."”- Unknown “ There are wounds...
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Healing From Trauma Means Dealing With Disgust [slate.com]
Irene recently came to therapy because her anxiety had been revving up, resulting in sleepless nights, difficulty concentrating, and isolating. “I can’t tolerate all of the meanness in the world,” she said. For years, she had been markedly distressed by the political climate, and the recent war in Ukraine has made that worse. Further probing revealed that Irene (not her real name) had survived a personal war. Growing up, she had been emotionally abused by her mother. “She called me stupid...
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Underground Shame from Adverse Childhood Experiences: Understanding Prepares the Heart to Heal
New understanding of the brain provides hope for breaking the painful grip of shame that’s imprinted in childhood and continues to affect adults. Rewiring shame calls for more than the traditional left brain approaches.
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3 More Ways to Rewire Shame from Adverse Childhood Experiences
These three cognitive countermeasures round out the skills for neutralizing shame imprinted in the first 18 years of life. They complement the right brain strategies described in recent articles.
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Indigenous and Holistic Alternatives to Mental Health and Trauma Healing
Innovative research to support community initiatives
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Rest, Healing, & Hope for Trauma Survivors
Note: I've not posted in a while. I can't believe it's been almost three years since I was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer. I miss this community and I miss work. But I am doing well at the moment and I'm SO grateful to still be here (meaning alive and on the planet). It's been A LOT of treatment and quite a roller coaster of medical and other experiences, but that's not why I'm here and posting today. Today, I'm writing today is to reflect on how healing from trauma feels and is...
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Secondary Traumatic Stress - a Hidden Epidemic Join Us Sept. 30th
The "Great Resignation," "Quiet Quitting," and rising social awareness of historical racism have all brought attention to a common but frequently overlooked hazard of caregiving professions: Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). In the execution of duties, professions that support our society with compassion and empathy can face traumatic stress from exposure to the experiences of the people that they are there to support. This stress can have deleterious physical and emotional consequences...
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How to Help Survivors of Extreme Climate Events (psychologytoday.com)
By Elaine Miller-Karas MSW, LCSW Building Resiliency to Trauma Psychology Today, September 30, 2022 Mental health can suffer after extreme climate events. KEY POINTS Mental health conditions exacerbated by natural disasters include post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. After a disaster, the number of people needing assistance from the mental health systems strains or exceeds community capacity. There are simple strategies helpers can use to help survivors restore...
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How Hope is Different From Optimism
Hope is different than optimism. It’s better. If you’ve been following my posts lately, I’ve been discussing how hope (as measured using the Adult Hope Scale) acts a personal resource against burnout, low job satisfaction, and PTSD, for example. For most people, the science of hope is a new concept. We use hope as if it were a wish - “I hope it doesn’t rain” or “I hope you’re feeling better.” Nice sentiments, but not much else because you don’t have control over a wish. In essence, you’re...
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How to Increase Your Sense of Control and Boost Your Resilience
When I look back, I am amazed at how differently I dealt with adversity during the first few decades of my life. Growing up in a stressful home primed me to experience life with caution. Whether it was being afraid of physical harm, loneliness, or failure, I’ve lived my life with an exaggerated fight-flight response to everything. Adversity seemed around every corner, and no one was ever there to save me. I developed maladaptive mechanisms to minimize, avoid, or go around the things I was...
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💗 Get A FREE Copy of My NEW Book - It's Not About Food, Drugs, or Alcohol: It's About Healing Complex PTSD
Hi Everyone! The good news is after seven years, with a five year break (AKA stall-out), I have finally finished my new book and have titled it: It's Not About Food, Drugs, or Alcohol: It's About Healing Complex PTSD Although my book won't be available to the general public until its launch date on Feb 21 st , 2023, I am offering FREE advance reader copies to a limited amount of people this week. Below is a summary of what my book's about and how to qualify to get a free copy this week.
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The Surviving Spirit Newsletter December 2022
“ Hope is being able to see the light despite all the darkness.” - Desmond Tutu “ Healing may not be so much about getting better, as about letting go of everything that isn’t you - all of the expectations, all of the beliefs - and becoming who you are.” - Rachel Naomi Remen The latest Surviving Spirit Newsletter - Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health is out - It can be read online via this & you can also subscribe -...
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💗 Get A FREE Copy of My NEW Book - It's Not About Food, Drugs, or Alcohol: It's About Healing Complex PTSD
Hi Everyone! The good news is after seven years, with a five-year break (AKA stall-out), I have finally finished my new book and have titled it: It's Not About Food, Drugs, or Alcohol: It's About Healing Complex PTSD Although my book won't be available to the general public until its launch date on Feb 21 st , 2023, I am offering FREE advance reader copies to a limited amount of people this week. Below is a summary of what my book's about and how to qualify to get a free copy this week.
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TOP 10 Downloads Year 2022 - The Healing Place Podcast
The Healing Place Podcast moved into the TOP 2% globally out of over 3 million shows and continues to positively impact the lives of thousands of listeners worldwide with messages of hope, healing strategies, research, faith, compassion, empathy, and love.
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Re: 💗 Get A FREE Copy of My NEW Book - It's Not About Food, Drugs, or Alcohol: It's About Healing Complex PTSD
Celebrating you and this amazing book! Thank you for putting it out into the universe to guide others along their healing journeys. A must-read for all trauma survivors. Two thumbs up!
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Bouncing Forward After Adverse Childhood Experiences
Once the healing of hidden wounds from adverse childhood experiences has sufficiently progressed, attention can turn to developing a richly satisfying future. Your innate inner strengths, experiences, and acquired skills will help rewire your brain for a brighter future.
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Self-Care for the Soul
Self-Care is a necessity for all mental health workers, but it is especially imperative that anyone just entering the profession practices healthy forms of self-care. The mental health field, and anyone with a “relationship intense,” role can easily experience compassion fatigue. The concept of compassion fatigue refers to exhaustion after a period of helping others through emotional, psychological, and/or physical trauma. (Figley, 2002) While some may scoff at the idea of compassion...
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A Promising Treatment for Hidden Wounds from ACEs
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is an emerging trauma therapy for the hidden wounds resulting from Adverse Childhood Experiences. Research to date shows ART for traumatized adults is quick, effective, safe, and well-tolerated. Consistent with new understanding of the brain and body-centered treatment approaches, ART primarily targets trauma images and associated physical and emotional sensations, creatively and efficiently using eye movements and strategies from other trauma treatments.
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How to Stop Running from, Neglecting, and Betraying Yourself
“Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.” ~George S. Patton Much of the difficulty and struggle that we go through in life comes from our resistance to change. At some point, we get stuck in painful circumstances, yet we fear facing our reality and doing the work required to ignite a positive change. After all, the enemy we know is better than the enemy we don’t know. “It’s not that bad”, we tell ourselves. So we settle, give up on our desires, try to make the best of what we...
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Rising from the Ashes of Childhood Brutality
Country music artist Allen Karl (Sterner) endured unspeakable childhood cruelty and chaos, yet turned into a caring, competent adult. His story provides many useful insights that can help and inspire others who have endured multiple ACEs.
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The Surviving Spirit Newsletter June 2023
Healing the Mind, Body & Spirit Through the Creative Arts, Education & Advocacy Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health “ Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars”. Kahlil Gibran The Surviving Spirit Newsletter June 2023 Hi folks, Welcome to the the June issue of the Surviving Spirit Newsletter. It can be read online via this & you can also subscribe -...
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Mary Martell
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