When someone is experiencing reactive abuse they are responding in a significant way to the toxic behavior they repeatedly experience from another. The abuse may be physical or psychological in nature. The over the top reaction often occurs when that abuser instigates some kind of controlling mind game, and constantly provokes their victim until they react. Read more
Guilt can be a huge barrier in being assertive, especially for a people pleaser. It makes us question our choices and wonder if our internal rules are somehow flawed. We may feel responsible. We may not want to disappoint someone. We may not want to hurt their feelings. Read more
s to have strong boundaries when we are interacting with someone at the grocery store, or when we are dealing with an issue at the bank. Where challenges arise is when we are trying to maintain our boundaries with our close friends, romantic relationships and families. Read more
We can all act childish every now and then especially when we our world is challenged. While we may appear to be adults on the outside, when situations occur, that trigger one of our scripts, our wounded “inner child”, can appear and take over the show. This unconscious part of ourselves can at times covertly control our demeanor. In some situations this part of ourselves can unknowingly run our lives. Read more
This Healing Trauma Series is for individuals who have experience long-term trauma through neglect, physical, mental, emotional or sexual abuse and have become stuck in a chronic cycle of stress.
What do you do if your emotions are on overdrive? What do you do if you find yourself easily trigger by life events and your inner world spiraling out of control? Is there a way to recover and reestablish peace of mind? There is. It is by going inside healing trauma. Read more
When our nervous system detects a threat or we are faced with a distressing situation, our bodies naturally and instinctively react by activating our stress response. These threats trigger the body to engage defensively where it sets off a series of rapid well-orchestrated physiological and hormonal changes. They spring into action and allow us to respond quickly in an effort to ensure our survival. All of this happens instantaneously and outside of our conscious control. Read more
By definition, fawning refers to the flattery or affection displayed to gain a favor or advantage. Fawning is the opposite of the fight response. Instead of aggressively attempting to get out of a dangerous situation, fawn types attempt to avoid or minimize confrontation. They do this through what is referred to as ‘people pleasing’, where they bend over backward trying to be nice. It is not done to be considerate to the other individual but as a means of protecting themselves from additional trauma. Read more
Dissociation, for many people, is a natural reaction to stress or trauma and is most often tied to the freeze response. It is one way the mind works by disconnecting us from unbearable feelings and emotions that may overwhelm us during traumatic events. Dissociation can help us better deal with what might otherwise be too emotionally devastating to bear. Read more
Freezing is a universal fear response. It is like fight-or-flight on hold. When engaged, it permits us to not feel the harrowing enormity in front of us. We become paralyzed in fear. A stuck freeze response might also hold you back in life with fears of moving forward. Read more
Our body is naturally and automatically programmed to respond to frightening situations. Its goal is to minimize or avoid real or perceived danger. It is designed to protect us and survive physical, mental and emotional challenges. In the modern world, it can help us to perform better under pressure and better cope with demanding circumstances. Read more
