My counselor asked me why didn’t I tell? At first I didn’t know, because I didn’t remember. To help me get in touch with my feelings he gave me a children’s coloring book about feelings to use. Color this page happy and what color is sad and so on then came the page “What would…
We had several dogs in our home. One dog was very unusual. A beautiful German Shepherd flunked out of the seeing eye program. The dog found a forever home with us. Before I knew I had PTSD, looking back I realized our dog behaved like a PTSD trained dog without the training. He would nudge…
Dissociation from my emotions is a symptom of PTSD/CPTSD. I was numb. I didn’t feel pain but I didn’t feel happiness either. I was so completely detached from my feelings that I couldn’t tell you at any given moment what I felt. I knew I had feelings….sometimes I was happy and sometimes I felt bone…
The title of the article caught my attention right away, which it is supposed to do. 15 Things Only People With ‘Smiling Depression’ Understand I remember talking to my first counselor and complaining that my doctor told me I was depressed and didn’t know it. He smiled and gently asked, “Do you ever feel angry…
I am in holiday season mode. Maintaining and not moving too much. Hence, the breaks and gaps between posts. https://ptsd-acceptingcopingthriving.com/2018/11/15/phases/ A couple of weeks back I posted about the “Gold Standard” of counseling being taught in phases. My experience was I wanted to get strait to the processing and hurry up and get it over…
I entered counseling with the idea of getting marriage counseling. After years of raising kids I felt like there was this stranger in my house that I was married to. I was in for a real shock when after 2 months the counselor explained that my reactions to the homework assignments were not what he…
Interesting how Lilly needs to write again about feeling all feelings including peaceful ones. For me I needed permission to feel angry, sad, and all the ‘negative’ emotions. Without the ‘negative’ emotions, I did not recognize feeling peace when it did come. It got smothered along with all the other emotions. My first counselor recognized…
Please read that title with a ton of sarcasm. Has anyone made a sarcasm font yet? Self-care #12 Healthy eating and sleeping. https://healingfromcomplextraumaandptsd.wordpress.com/2017/07/16/25-obvious-non-obvious-self-care-issues-complex-trauma-survivors-struggle-with-lilly-hope-lucario/ Judy’s perspective is here: https://theprojectbyjudy.wordpress.com/2017/11/16/self-care-12-of-25/ I agree with Judy, we both wrote earlier blogs about eating habits or lack of good ones. Mine is written here: https://ptsd-acceptingcopingthriving.com/2018/01/17/eat-your-vegetables/ Healthy sleeping, those two…
I wasn’t allowed to have feelings or they were purposely and maliciously twisted for the purposes of my abusers. Stop the feelings – stop my abusers controlling me. This brings me to self care #5 Allowing myself to feel all emotions – joy and anger are the most difficult for me. https://healingfromcomplextraumaandptsd.wordpress.com/2017/07/16/25-obvious-non-obvious-self-care-issues-complex-trauma-survivors-struggle-with-lilly-hope-lucario/ Judy’s…
The Black Hole/Pit is like quicksand. The more you struggle, the worse it gets. The key is to “float”. Clear your mind and relax your body by learning and practicing Mindfulness. Concentrate on your breathing and body sensations. Allow your feelings to “pass through you and around you” without judgement, without reaction. This…
PTSD - Accepting, Coping, Thriving 