The human brain is remarkably adaptive, especially in response to trauma and adversity. When individuals experience neglect, emotional or verbal abuse, sexual abuse, or witness family violence—particularly in early childhood—their brains undergo survival-based changes to help them navigate a dangerous world. These adaptations are, in many ways, a reflection of the brain’s resilience. However, when trauma survivors move into safer
Awe Impacts Depression
Should I stay in my relationship? This question often haunts us when we’re feeling unclear about how well a relationship is serving our needs. Making a difficult choice can be an uncomfortable experience. We lose sleep, consult others incessantly, and list endless pros and cons to arrive at the right decision. We stress, realizing that we bear the responsibility for
You’ve taken the opportunity to say you’re sorry to your spouse after forgetting that important event of theirs, yet it almost seems to have made things worse. Having just made yourself vulnerable, you’re now also confused why trying to own your oversight has now caused an even bigger rupture. You know it’s a long life and you’re not perfect, and
Emotional intelligence is crucial for our mental and relational health. Sometimes you worry that your mood changes at the drop of a hat. A family member asks you a question that catches you off guard, and you yell. Some time afterward, you realize that their question was pretty reasonable, and that the yelling may have been an overreaction. You start
Trauma is a term loosely thrown around social media and coffee conversation to describe a variety of social interactions we encounter in our lives. We hear about experiences with trauma dumping, trauma bonding, and being triggered in everyday conversation. So, what really is trauma, and how do you know if you have it? Trauma, Like a Spiderweb, is Protective. Whether