The entire series in January will be focusing on how trauma-informed care can help adults overcome the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). However, to understand the process of healing, we must first explore what happens to the brains of traumatized children, and how neuroplasticity and mindfulness aid us...

Your health is not something that you can just wing. We understand that you may be thinking that because you’ve done it in the past, this means that you can continue on the way that you have been. If you think about it though, that doesn’t make any sense....

What is Emotional Intelligence?   Emotional intelligence (EI) (aka emotional quotient or EQ) describes one’s ability to use, understand, and manage emotions in positive and effective ways to relieve stress, defuse conflict, and overcome challenges.   Emotionally intelligent people build strong relationships, succeed in their endeavors, and achieve personal...

Two of the purposes for which clients enter psychotherapy are recovery after a traumatic event has plunged them into an abyss of negative emotions, and the human capacity for misconceptions about others with whom we have associations. These two problems often fog our ability to get and maintain relationships...

Living with the after-effects of childhood trauma is a daunting task. Healing can take decades and the scars remain for a lifetime. However, there are two human activities that make matters worse for those who wish to move on from an abusive childhood; ruminating. This article will examine ruminating...

This morning I was surfing a social media website when I ran across someone’s post that broke my heart. This person, a woman, was saying how much she wished she could love herself but that she hated everything about her life, her personality and her past. In effect, she...

There are two basic facts about life that many people either were never taught or they try to say do not apply to themselves: Life isn’t easy and life isn’t fair. These two concepts are true for everyone, no matter your financial status, your ethnic background, your sexual orientation,...

Chronic pain and a healthy lifestyle are seemingly going hand in hand. Pain can drastically reduce your quality of life and reduce your ability to carry out daily tasks that you need to do alone. With over 20% of adults over the age of 18 living with chronic pain,...

This article includes an honest discussion about self-harming behavior, a topic that is highly triggering to some. Caution is advised.   Self-harm is something people do when they are so overwhelmed by emotions that they do not know what to do. Indeed, self-harming behavior does bring a measure of...

We all have days when the couch looks a lot more appealing than any workout mat. Staying motivated can be a bit of a challenge, especially when you’re just starting out or you have had a tough therapy session. Motivation is never something you have or don’t have. It...

Your appearance has a huge effect your mood and ability to heal from the trauma of dissociative identity disorder. So, it makes sense that you might need to take steps to help yourself. Can you imagine a world without mirrors, a world without cameras? There would presumably be downsides...