Category Archives: Uncategorized
Symbols as Mirrors: Building Coherence Through Tarot
I pulled three cards from a tarot deck without looking: the Knight of Swords, the Six of Swords, and the Five of Wands. At first glance, they are just symbols: energetic, chaotic, transitional. But when I looked at them together, … Continue reading
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Tagged archetypes, cohesive narrative, Nervous System, story, survival, symbolic, tarot
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The 20 Worst Things to Say to Anyone in Distress
Here’s a list of common sayings that can be weaponized against Complex PTSD survivors and others in distress, often invalidating their experiences or reinforcing harmful narratives: 1. “Everything happens for a reason.” Implies suffering has a predetermined purpose, disregarding systemic … Continue reading
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The 20 Best Things You Can Say to a Person in Distress
Supportive language prioritizes validation, respect, and presence rather than minimizing, fixing, or forcing someone into a specific healing path. 1. “I believe you.” Validates their experience and counters disbelief. 2. “What happened to you was not your fault.” Removes blame … Continue reading
Top 10 Bad Things Therapists Say to Trauma Survivors
Having fired 13 mental illness industry workers in 6.5 years, I experienced a lot of indifference and harm. These are not isolated events; they are endemic in an industry that denies the reality of trauma. Dismissing or Minimizing the … Continue reading
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Tagged bad therapist, bad therapy, therapist, trauma recovery
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Artist Talk, “Afternoon With the Artist,” February 8, 2026
As part of my first solo art exhibition, I was asked to present a talk of about 10 minutes. I used my lived experience to illustrate how hierarchical systems and structures are key drivers of human distress. Here are the … Continue reading
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Engineered for Fake Relief: Why You Crave Junk Food in a Junk Culture
The junk food industry is not in the business of feeding people, but extracting money from stressed nervous systems. Instead of nourishment, it sells stimulation, sedation, and distraction in edible form. Human bodies evolved in environments where taste and texture … Continue reading
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Tagged craving, diet, eating, food, food industry, junk food, junk food industry
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I Can’t Trust a Doctor Who Doesn’t Trust Me
Over the past eight years, the biggest barrier to my health has been my practitioner’s refusal to trust me. They don’t believe what I say about my body, my experience, my reality. They can’t take in what I need, what … Continue reading
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The Real Zone of Growth is Not Outside the Comfort Zone But Inside the Window of Tolerance
A whiteboard at a local gym promotes the idea that “growth only happens outside the comfort zone,” which is popular in our “push through” culture. Stagnation can happen when there’s no challenge and no novelty. But if pushed too far, … Continue reading
Posted in Neurobiology, Uncategorized
Tagged comfort zone, growth, gym, IPNB, learning, mindset, neurobiology, progress, pushing through, Regulation, sweet discomfort, zone of growth
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The Seductive Trap of Success Hacks: The Vital Factors Tony Robbins, Tim Ferriss, and John Assaraf Bypass
It’s not surprising that almost all the “success” influencers dominating social media and podcasts are men. Tony Robbins, Brendon Burchard, Tim Ferriss, Gary Vaynerchuk, Robin Sharma, Lewis Howes, John Assaraf, and Scott D. Clary have built massive followings telling people … Continue reading