Conquering Self-Blame —

The challenges of moving forward from a traumatic history — God asks no person whether he or she will accept life. That is not the choice. You must take it. The only choice is how ~ Henry Ward Beecher Trauma is a penetrating wound and injury, which threatens one’s life and arrests the course of normal development by its repetitive…

The decline of the work ethic — In his book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1904) German sociologist Max Weber introduced the term work ethic. Weber correlated the rise of European capitalism with Protestant values and theological Calvinist doctrines of dutiful work characterized by discipline and diligence. According to Weber’s thesis, in the social…

Choosing illusory safety over harsh reality and popular opinion over truth is the status quo — Given that reality is largely subjective we have variable interpretations of truth. Nevertheless, there are objective realities (i.e.-the physical world exists) independent of individual perception. Ideally, these objective truths would yield a universal consensus. At least one is inclined to think so. …

Their hardships and their options — Treating two brothers raised by a maternal narcissist has heightened my awareness of how insidiously dangerous this sort of disordered narcissist is and how deeply damaging they are to their children. It has called to my attention how the life trajectories of these men were largely determined by their familial…

Improving modern day human interaction — This is the age of communication. An optimized digital world in which global correspondence is at our fingertips. A world in which the potential for human interaction is ostensibly enhanced. …

Getting unstuck from an insidious cycle of penance and self punishment — “Do not look for healing at the feet of those who broke you” ~ Rupi Kaur (Milk and Honey) Many of the folks I see for complex trauma therapy are immersed in the arduous process of dismantling their bondage to a malignant narcissist (NPD). Although the humiliation of objectification and…

Examining internalized hate — “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” ~ Audre Lorde Being that it is Women’s History Month I am led to reflect on the vital role of women in society and the invaluable contributions of women throughout history…

The unforeseen onset of emotional abuse — With the intent of distancing from memories of a difficult marriage and an even more difficult divorce, Christie moved to a new town to start fresh. She was eager to put the past behind her and form uplifting connections with quality peers. Meeting Louisa at a local coffee shop seemed…