identfy your emotions

Trauma Triggers – Reminders of Childhood Abuse

Trauma Triggers - Reminders of Childhood Abuse

When people experience childhood abuse, memories of it surface at unexpected times. Reminders of the abuse, called triggers, can appear suddenly without warning. Something in the present reminds survivors of their abuse. Suddenly you are hyper vigilant and on alert. You feel anxious, afraid, tense, want to get away, trapped, suffocated or helpless to name a few. Prior to this incident, you seemed OK. Because you are caught off guard, you believe “I must be going crazy,” or that this reaction does not make sense. It is often disturbing and frightening. Unless you know what … Read more

8 Steps to Heal Negative, Shameful Beliefs That Prevent Us From Developing Self-Worth

As a survivor of incest, I felt shame in the deepest part of me – my soul. I believed I was damaged; my insides felt like a criss cross of ugly scars that no one could see. I hid my shame by always looking “good” on the outside, while believing I was “getting one over” on everyone. I always thought to myself, “If only they knew.” I believed I was unlovable and unworthy since I was merely an outlet for my father’s perverse sexual needs coupled with my mother’s lack of protection. How could I … Read more

Identifying Feelings and Knowing How You Feel

Identifying our feelings can be difficult and confusing. For a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, it can seem daunting. If you are a survivor, like myself, you have been successful in avoiding sensations in your body through dissociation, which is a very skillful way to separate from yourself. To further disconnect, you may have turned to addiction, such as being a workaholic, food, drugs, alcohol, shopping, sex, or relationships. Your body is at war with itself . . . to feel is frightening. Often when a survivor is asked what he/she is feeling, the survivor … Read more