Latest
What Image Brings You Calm?
Years later, when I was in EMDR therapy, my therapist asked me to imagine a place that brought me joy, called a "calm place." This scene came to mind immediately.
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Part 1
A Pain that Never Goes Away
Mom was one of the first parents to school her children at home. The action affected the six of us in ways hard to describe. This is part of that account.
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Part 2
A Pain that Never Goes Away (Part 2)
A different social worker ushered us into her car, heading in the opposite direction from my younger siblings. The story continues.
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Essay
When it's Hard to Be Present
When you've been through events that overwhelmed you, emotions can be dangerous. A reflection on numbing, dissociation, and healing on the Alaska Highway.
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Essay
Speaking Up
Trauma taught me to expect less. I didn't realize I should expect more. A reflection on learning to believe in myself and require respect.
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Essay
When Forgiving Is Not Good
I thought forgiving quickly was a good thing. I didn't realize I was handing an abuser a get-out-of-jail-free card every time I said it's okay.
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Essay
The Dreams that Wouldn't Go Away
My nightmares started when I was young in the monastery. I would dream I was running frantically through a pine forest, my superior in hot pursuit.
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Essay
When Leaving Is Not Enough
I lived in a high-control religious community for twenty-nine years. When I finally left, I thought I would simply thrive. I was wrong. The habits formed there don't die. They come along with you.
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