The Tie That Binds: Understanding Trauma Bonding and the Illusion of Intimacy
Shared pain can feel like love, but trauma bonds blur connection with control—true intimacy should heal, not hurt.
Our Inner Orphanage: Internal Family Systems Theory
After years of searching for effective therapy, the author found profound healing through Internal Family Systems, a method that views the mind as a community of protective parts shaped by trauma, and by compassionately understanding and unburdening these parts, they transformed lifelong anxiety into trust, balance, and self-acceptance.
Introversion, Extroversion: Weaving the Threads Between Two Not-So-Different Worlds
By exploring how our brains shape our social preferences, we gain deeper insights into the authentic, complicated world of the self.
human connection series | Episode 3 : Diversity of Outcomes in Social Connection
Exploring the diversity of human connection reveals how our ties shape emotional well-being, foster cultural evolution, and enhance empathy, while also posing unique challenges that require ongoing communication and understanding.
understanding trauma and healing
Trauma is a deeply personal and widespread experience shaped by individual and systemic factors, with lasting impacts on well-being, and Trauma Informed Care offers a compassionate, culturally responsive approach to healing by recognizing and addressing these effects.
human connection series | Episode 1 : Connection in nature
Humans exhibit a deeply ingrained need for connection, mirrored in nature through phenomena like mycelial networks and cosmic patterns, emphasizing our universal interconnectedness across micro and macro scales and its crucial role in survival and development.
BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP: A CASE FOR BODY NEUTRALITY
The age-old struggle of body image issues has introduced many concepts over the years, notably body positivity. Body neutrality, by contrast, is a fairly new mindset that challenges the idea of body positivity. While body positivity centers around the idea of loving your body regardless of size, shape, color, or ability, body neutrality focuses on appreciating what your body can do for you rather than how it looks. Body positivity is driven by your appearance; body neutrality asks that we redirect our awareness towards the body’s natural goodness rather than investing time or energy into loving or hating its appearance. … More
a simple way to clean your brain
All minds collect filth at the same rate as the body, so good brain hygiene should be a high priority on everyone’s agenda, too. There is an old saying that a mind is a terrible thing to waste, but what is the adage for a mind that goes uncleaned? Does it start to smell, foul and nauseating, when it does not receive a deep cleansing regularly? But seriously, could you imagine screwing your scalp off to scrub your brain with soap and water? Or running your brain through the washer on spin cycle and then letting it air dry, … More
procrastination
Every day at 9 am, the alarm goes off on my watch reminding me to clean the kitchen. I pause the alarm, telling myself that I will do it later. Later never comes. In fact, I turn off most of my alarms during the day that remind me to put in a load of laundry or run to the pharmacy. I am a master procrastinator who waits for the last minute to accomplish most daily tasks. This is a major source of stress in my life. I am the mom who washes her children’s laundry at 12 am on Sunday … More
Soul Keeping in Dementia
What I find intriguing is how the soul-identity of a person living with dementia is incrementally, imperceptibly transferred for safe keeping with loved ones. Personhood is conferred less and less by actual cognitive prowess and character and more and more through social bonds. This type of transcendence is completed when we pass on and leave behind memories, habits, recipes, fishing secrets, jokes and so many other ways of being. Like the imprinted seal on a ceasefire document, meaning continues in perpetuity beyond the physicality of paper, ink and wax. Dementia Friendly Chatter While it is impossible to be heard by everyone in … More
