Hello, We need more awareness on “childhood PTSD” and what causes it. My PTSD went undiognosed and untreated for over fifty years. My PTSD was a direct result of some very serious trauma caused to me in the form of physical, mental and verbal abuse. My PTSD took me to places in life that no… Read More »
Part of the damage from abuse and neglect in childhood is what actually happened when we were kids. But a significant part of the problem today comes from what I call “Inside Traumas.” These are self-defeating behaviors that are common to people who are frequently in a state of dysregulation. They start as an innocent… Read More »
Official diagnosis with Complex PTSD is a “hypothetical and experimental diagnosis” that for now, is lumped in with standard PTSD. But what’s the difference? And (as many of you have asked) why do I keep referring to the effects of abuse and neglect in childhood as “Childhood PTSD?” Is that real? In this video I… Read More »
Anger is natural when we visit past experiences of abuse and neglect during childhood! We are encouraged in some modes of healing to “feel our feelings” and vent the anger. And it’s true, anger is a step up from self-hatred and depression. But when we amp up the anger, is it genuinely relieving our emotional… Read More »
This version of ‘A Child in Tears Approaches You’ is for adults who identified as male when children. A version for adults who identified as female when children is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIn53JC9jyo “A Child in Tears Approaches You…” addresses Childhood PTSD in Adults who identified as male when children. This is a ‘Wild Card’ recording… Read More »
When we grew up with childhood trauma, we’re sometimes justified in blaming others for struggles we have today. There’s no way to avoid placing blame on parents and others who abused and neglected us. But blame taken too far can poison the healing process and leave us disempowered and unclear how to move forward. Healing… Read More »
Abuse and neglect in childhood can leave a lifelong residue of guilt for things that were never our fault. This same fuzzy thinking can ALSO make us numb to the awareness that we HAVE actually hurt someone. This can make it painful to decide whether to stay connected — or cut off contact — with… Read More »
Learn one of the primary ways people have been re-regulating PTSD symptoms for millennia — through movement. In this video I describe two kinds of exercise that work powerfully to heal symptoms of Complex PTSD and and childhood trauma. These movements help re-regulate the brain, nervous system and emotions. You may already be using them.… Read More »
Do you ever get STUCK in thoughts of the trauma you endured in your childhood — and of all the hardships that hindered you as a result? It’s almost like being hypnotized… the dark thoughts cast a spell that makes it almost impossible to imagine feeling better. But there is a way to break the… Read More »
For a lot of people with Childhood PTSD, TALKING about traumatic memories can make symptoms worse — worse than if we were to do nothing at all. Yet talking about the past is the default mode of therapy for virtually everyone who is depressed, anxious or troubled about the past. It’s true that talking can… Read More »
Childhood PTSD can make it almost impossible to form (and keep) healthy romantic relationships. More than most people, we tend to rush in, get overly intense emotionally, and then stay in bad situations because we’re afraid to be alone. People who had trauma in childhood CAN have good relationships, but sometimes we need a new… Read More »
Adults who experienced early trauma are prone to dysregulation of the brain and nervous system, especially in response to stress. Dysregulation, in turn, can trigger (or exacerbate) depression, anxiety, illness, addiction and emotional outbursts. So clearly, learning to re-regulate is the first step in healing the effects of Childhood PTSD. If you think you may… Read More »
Millions of people — more than 1 in 7 in the U.S alone — are taking psychiatric drugs for depression and anxiety. It’s not clear, however, that they are helpful for treating the effects of early trauma. These symptoms may include depression and anxiety, but rather than a chemical imbalance, the cause may indeed stem… Read More »