Listened to a speaker share the idea of one lady facing massive health problems. She created a Can-Can list….I can breathe, I can smile, I can……. You get the drift. Too often with PTSD, long term health problems, or disabilities we sometimes focus so much on what we can’t do we neglect to open ourselves…
Every person heals at their own rate and in their own way. However, I learned from reading many blogs, books, and articles that there are a few basic rules that show up on a regular basis. Rule #1 Stop lying, especially to yourself. This is difficult to look at your own life without excuses or…
Each year, every person has an opportunity to begin again. What will I bring with me into the new year? What will I have the courage to leave behind? So many people with PTSD want another chance at living a ‘normal’ life. So many are disappointed to find out that ‘normal’ doesn’t exist. My counselor…
Many besides Pavelka use affirmations as part of their toolbox of things to do to help cope with life. I take a dim view of them since my mother used an affirmation that she taught her students but she didn’t really believe what she said. I get the concept but I saw a negative example. …
Train to use the tools in your toolbox. I started with practicing with my counselor. Then I practiced on a person that was truly out to get me fired. If the experiment went badly I didn’t worry because I wasn’t building a relationship, I was learning to protect myself from those that wish to do…
I am continuing my take on each one of Pavelka’s Toolbox. Today’s post is about the magic words. Yup, old fashion but still powerful and healing. Please Thank You I’m sorry I don’t know Please and Thank you go along way to smooth many situations. However, I learned that extreme pleading and over the top…
Thorn in my side….. Stated by Pavelka, “…is absolute. What you think about, you bring about. If you focus on the bad, more bad will come, but if you focus on how you want things to be and you believe and picture it as though it is already here, it will turn up.” This to…
A challenge in “Princess Bride” rather than a fight to the death it would be a fight to the pain. The description stayed vivid in my mind. The implication is death is preferred to pain and pain must be avoided at all cost. Through my life experience I learned that isn’t always true. When I…
Growing up with a constant flow of criticism and ways to ‘improve’ myself I have an internal tape that is down right cruel. My sister and I talk often about how to disrupt the negative tapes in our heads. The most interesting experiment is when we played Can-you-top-this with our own negative tapes. Instead of…
Amy Beth Gardner Follow · August 14 · My daughter starts middle school tomorrow. We’ve decorated her locker, bought new uniforms, even surprised her with a new backpack. But tonight just before bed, we did another pre-middle school task that is far more important than the others. I gave her a tube of toothpaste and…
PTSD - Accepting, Coping, Thriving 