Psychoeducation

Feelings are not final, but I often hear folks express fear that if they allow themselves to access feelings of hurt or of crying that they will not be able to stop. But when we fight against those feelings, they just tend to grow and…

Emotions and feelings are important and provide useful information to us. However, we get in trouble when we believe that our feelings are the same things as facts. And just to be 100% clear, a person’s feelings are their feelings. They are always valid and…

This is a theme that’s been coming up a lot lately with my folks. They are feeling down, overwhelmed and maybe even hopeless. They are upset because they feel like they have had a backslide in their progress and start questioning themselves. But then when…

These cues can be events or people that resemble or symbolize a part of the trauma. For example, seeing a person who looks like the perpetrator or a windy day after a hurricane, or an authority figure. Smells can be a strong trigger as well,…

Cognitive distortions are exaggerated or irrational thought patterns that typically support and reinforce negative thinking. When someone has grown up in an abusive, unhealthy, or toxic environment, this is a common cognitive distortion. Often this is a direct result of being told that the person…

Today I am reflecting on how many people I meet, both in my life and in my work that really minimize abuse when it does not leave a mark on the body. I some folks minimize or dismissing their partners’ controlling and emotionally withholding behavior.…