The Trauma Tug-of-War
The tug-of-war that takes place in my psyche now is that in relation to my trauma, I’m simultaneously obsessed and avoidant. I avoid the triggers because it’s painful, even detrimental, to revisit the traumatic memories.
Category: Recovery
Coping Skills
“I’m learning the ropesI’m learning to copeI’m learning that more of us got hella demons than got any hope.” -Xiuhtezcatl I’ve been in and out of therapy for over a decade, but I didn’t really understand what it means to put my mental health first until a few years ago. I was going in circles… Continue reading Coping Skills
Birthday Post 10
I hear you don’t like itI don’t care if you don’t…You can burn the skin I live inBut you cannot burn the witch away-Aurora, The Devil is Human It’s taken twelve years to record my thoughts on milestones ten times. For me, a birthday is a chance to reflect on how life changes as it… Continue reading Birthday Post 10
Letters of Self-Compassion: You’ve Come So Far!
A reflection on what self-compassion means.
Necessity and Hope
It feels profoundly selfish to be constantly in need. It might seem helpful to make comparisons – there are people worse off, there are people better off. Yet the fact remains that each day contains necessity. We all need food and a place to sleep. People who’ve always had their basic needs met see wisdom… Continue reading Necessity and Hope
MOVING UPDATE 5.30.2024
We are down to just six weeks before we leave! We are so grateful to the people who have donated to our campaign so far!
Rethinking Victimhood
“Don’t be a victim.” “You have a victim mentality.” “I’m not a victim.” “I’m not like a typical victim.” These statements are often normalized and seen as signs of strength and resilience. We don’t want to give our abusers so much credit as to define ourselves by what they did to us. However, these phrases… Continue reading Rethinking Victimhood
How Harmful is Educational Neglect?
For the past several weeks, I’ve been re-entering the world of Duolingo. Since I first used the app about a decade ago, it has received a full makeover and many additional courses. It now includes math and music challenges, and I’ve been enjoying those a great deal. When you start a new course, the app… Continue reading How Harmful is Educational Neglect?
Parrot Performance
I didn’t know how to connect. I only knew what I was taught, and I was taught badly. Like a parrot in a cage, I learned the language of my captors. My parents kept me trapped inside a small world, and I only knew how to speak the way they taught me to. Dad was… Continue reading Parrot Performance
Letter of Self-Compassion: Writer’s Block
“There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.” This phrase is commonly attributed to Hemingway, but may have been said by Red Smith in an interview about column writing. I haven’t read the works of either of these men, but for years I lived by this… Continue reading Letter of Self-Compassion: Writer’s Block