Most of us know that not all apologies are created equal. Have you ever had the experience of someone telling you they’re sorry, but you couldn’t feel their remorse? Without it, the words are empty and meaningless. In contrast, when someone has sincerely expressed their regret for hurting you it offered validation and a chance… Read More
Despite our best efforts, we don’t get to choose when, where, or how much we experience painful emotions. Intense feelings like hurt, frustration, sorrow, anger, fear, guilt, and shame can be triggered by all kinds of things – sometimes even our own failures and mistakes. Emotional pain is an unavoidable part of life which is… Read More
One of the biggest challenges trauma survivors face is in developing and maintaining relationships. Understandably, survivors of interpersonal trauma have experienced a profound violation of trust in a relationship that should have been trustworthy, but they are not the only trauma survivors who struggle with getting close to others. I often hear things like “I… Read More
We would not be human without emotions. They are essential to our survival. Without them it’s almost impossible to communicate, maintain relationships, and navigate many of the challenges we face. Our emotions allow us to recognize situations in our environment that we need to address and can provide us with the motivation to take action.… Read More
Human beings are designed to cope with stress and threats. When an experience falls so far outside our expectation for safety that it overwhelms our ability to cope, it is considered traumatic. These events can include physical or emotional threats that we experience personally or witness, or if we come into contact with the aftermath.… Read More
