I’m feeling the disconnect from friends, family, classmates. Seeing the gulls be together, yet be apart, reminded me I can do that too. It’s just looking different for awhile.Would You Rename Yourself?
June 22, 2019
My Journey with God, Personal Growth, Recovery, Trauma Action, Bact to School, gratitude, healing, Mental Health, personal growth, psychology, recovery, truth 19 Comments
I did.
Our names are a huge part of our identities…Given by our parents, modified into nicknames we may or may not like, and sometimes linked to our ancestors or favorite family members.
Names have ancient roots or meanings that we often are unaware of. Sometimes, though, our names don’t represent who we really are, or who we want to be.
This is a topic on my mind because I recently changed my name. More
Recognizing Trauma: At the Dental Office
January 12, 2019
Personal Growth, Recovery, Trauma anxiety, Health, Mental Health, recovery, truth 27 Comments
In the 15 years I worked in the dental field, I saw a wide range of anxiety behaviors surface for patients. I’ve had my own experiences of dental anxiety too. The dental office is actually a very common place for anxiety to land.
The dental chair is a vulnerable place to be. Someone with authority is hovering over you while you lie supine, they are shoving pokey things in your mouth, and you are usually in a small, confined area. More
Theory Brought to Life
December 16, 2018
Facing Fear, Family, Personal Growth, Recovery, Trauma Family, Mental Health, motherhood, parenting, recovery, truth 18 Comments
I’m in awe of a recent experience that brought my classwork alive.
The week before Thanksgiving, a speaker in my class was discussing how children deal with trauma. She was explaining how the brain works and what needs to happen for them to process trauma. It was a lot of interesting theory. Until she said something that really hit home.
“Children need to tell the trauma story over and over and over. This is how they metabolize, process, and heal from it.”
One of my most traumatic stories is one that still has an emotional life of its own. Every time I think about, talk about, or write about this event, the feelings are still incredibly raw. I thought about how I was never allowed to tell my stories, let alone repeatedly. In fact, this story remains mostly untold. More
New Chapter
November 11, 2018
Facing Fear, Personal Growth, Recovery, Trauma Action, Blogging, Mental Health, truth 22 Comments
After a much longer hiatus than planned, I’ve made a commitment to resume blogging. You have all been so vital to my healing and continued work. I’ve missed you! I hope I can give back a fraction of what you give to me.
Last summer I made another commitment that is dramatically changing me. More
Charlie Rose and my Dad
November 21, 2017
Facing Fear, Family, Personal Growth, Recovery, Trauma Charlie Rose, depression, Gayle King, Mental Health, recovery, truth 27 Comments
Thanks to Gayle King, I’m in tears this morning…fresh tears remembering how hard it was to tell someone what Dad had done to me for so many years. And how similar Charlie Rose is to my Dad. The power. Oh. My. God. The. Power. More
Life Without My BF
September 19, 2017
Family, Personal Growth, Recovery, Trauma friendship, recovery, truth 30 Comments
Several months ago, a very cherished friendship ended.
I’ve been grieving the loss ever since, but today I’m really missing her.
Even though it was me who said I couldn’t continue the friendship, More
It’s going to be beautiful
August 6, 2017
Facing Fear, My Journey with God, Personal Growth, Recovery, Trauma Action, Adventure, Family, gratitude, grief, healing, Mental Health, moving forward, recovery, truth 36 Comments
Last month I went on a 2500 mile solo camping trip on my motorcycle. I went through 7 states in 6 days.
I was both excited and nervous to go solo, but also determined to face my fears.
It was time for some growth.
Turns out I had so much fun, my fears were forgotten, and definitely for naught. The trip was a confidence booster, and equally important, gave me much needed time for reflection. More
Roller Coaster Ride
July 9, 2015
Facing Fear, Personal Growth, Recovery, Trauma Action, depression, facing fear, finding freedom, Forgiving My Mother, healing, Letting Go, motherhood, Struggle to Forgive 38 Comments
It’s been a roller coaster ride the last 6 months during my blogging sabbatical. Continued growth, awareness, & forgiveness; betrayal; and a surprise!
My decision to back away from blogging and other optional activities was born of necessity. Some important relationships were requiring intensive attention, and I needed to focus on figuring out what my role was in each relationship. It’s never pretty looking in the mirror, but always worth it in the end.
It’s easy to think relationships are strong when times are good.
But when things go awry, you find out what the relationship is really made of.
Birthdays of My Dad and My Father
December 20, 2014
Facing Fear, Family, My Journey with God, Personal Growth, Recovery, Trauma childhood trauma, Christmas Memories, emotional strength, Facing Adversity, facing fear, Family, forgiving dad, Forgiving My Father, healing, Letting Go, Mental Health, recovery, Spiritual Journey, Transformation 13 Comments
Dad’s birthday is today; gone now nearly 5 years, he would be turning 92.
He hated Christmas. Apparently his birthday was forgotten every year in the midst of Christmas preparations when he was growing up. The pain of being forgotten never seemed to leave him. He would not allow us to put up a tree until his birthday had passed, and even then did so grudgingly.
I know now Dad’s Christmas experience is only a tiny window into his life story. More
