Healing From Sexual Violence
When it comes to “frequently asked questions” about the Beyond Brave Community, “What tools will I learn?” is one of the most important. You don’t want to hear the same old things you’ve tried before that haven’t worked. You don’t want complex, time-consuming tools that are hard to learn and …
What does guilt feel like in the body? Guilt is a reaction to something we have done, an action we have taken. We did something harmful or bad. So we pull back as if we just touched a hot stove, or run away from situations and relationships so we don’t …
There are two reasons people can’t find the time to meditate: 1. They lead stressed out chaotic lives, and 2. They have a false belief that meditating requires magical peace and silent alone-ness BEFORE sitting down. If your life is chaotic, you will need to prioritize those 20 minutes with …
What does shame feel like in the body? It might feel like stooped shoulders, or hanging your head until your neck is permanently crooked. It might feel like all your muscles are weak, as if the very air is too heavy and it’s all your fault, anyway. When we carry …
Survivors often have a love/hate relationship with their bodies, and may turn their focus toward a random body part (like feet or a mole) or may focus on the body parts that were involved in the abuse (like internal organs or lips). This hatred of the body is triggered by …
Scientists are always trying to understand the human body, and recently researchers studying stress hormones have linked one to chronic trauma. Long after the traumatic event, they measured it at significantly elevated levels in the study group. This hormone is known to regulate appetite and excess weight. Acyl-ghrelin hormone, abbreviated …
Why are some people angry and destructive right now, and some people stubbornly happy and actually thriving? We are all going through the same social unrest, political chaos, and global pandemic, even if our individual circumstances are different from each other. I believe our responses to this traumatic time are …
Have you ever sat down on your break at work and felt like you were vibrating because everything today is going too fast? Have you ever lost your temper because you couldn’t handle one more demand from one more person? Have you ever wanted to escape from your life? If …
When we talk about how harm affects us in violence survivor communities, it’s almost always about how other people’s harmful actions have affected victims. The many symptoms of PTSD. The lingering anxiety and depression. Unregulated emotions. There is definitely a cause-and-effect between traumatic experiences and the continued and often uncontrollable …
More thoughts on emotional bad habits, and how those bad habits are actually trauma reactions that get stuck. Emotional bad habits are harmful and sometimes compulsive overreactions to life circumstances and relationships. Your kid leaves the cap off the toothpaste AGAIN even though you’ve told him 50,000 times, so your …
