Tag Archives: Trauma

The Therapist’s Mirror: How Lack of Self-Awareness Can Dysregulate Clients

A therapist who lacks the capacity for self-awareness and attunement may, at best, provide surface-level support, but they’re also likely to cause harm, especially to trauma survivors. Without the ability to co-regulate and deeply connect with their clients’ internal states, … Continue reading

Posted in Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unhoused by Design: Trauma, Culture, and Survival

The Trump administration’s attacks on unhoused people have drawn intense controversy, and for good reason. Instead of addressing the structural causes of homelessness, like skyrocketing rents, stagnant wages, inaccessible healthcare, and systems that fail to support trauma recovery, the focus … Continue reading

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Institutional Betrayal: Protection for Predators, Harm for the Rest of Us

I learned about institutional betrayal after I reported a predatory gynecologist to the state licensing board. Instead of holding the abuser accountable, the board and the attorney general’s office stood by him. This so negatively affected my nervous system that … Continue reading

Posted in Predators | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Can Trauma Survivors Recover Without Access to Professional Help?

According to a 2021 study, “most states have fewer than 40% of the mental health professionals needed” and “more than half (51%) of counties in the United States have no practicing psychiatrists.” Even where mental illness industry practitioners exist, many … Continue reading

Posted in PTSD, Trauma | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trauma is Political. Healing is, Too. 

Most trauma is caused by power imbalances in which the powerful neglect, abuse, and exploit those who have less. Such out-of-balance relational dynamics–especially when protected by institutions–are the driver of mental health conditions, chronic illnesses, recurrent pain, and virtually all … Continue reading

Posted in IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trauma is a Symptom of Insufficient Support

We often talk about trauma like it lives in the event itself, the abuse, the violence, the accident, the betrayal. But from a relational and neurobiological perspective, trauma doesn’t come from the event alone. It comes from what was missing … Continue reading

Posted in Trauma | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Deliberate Strategy to Harm Federal Workers

“We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected,” said Russell Vought, the current administration’s director of the federal Office of Management and Budget. “When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, … Continue reading

Posted in Abuse, IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

IPNB-Informed Recovery Plan for Stress or Trauma

Unlike the mainstream mental illness industry’s standard treatments, Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) offers a compelling framework for trauma and chronic stress recovery. This model recovery plan emphasizes restoring homeostasis through relational safety, nervous system support, and practical strategies for daily life. … Continue reading

Posted in Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Our Behavior is Shaped by Experiences and Relationships

From an interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, our behavior is deeply influenced by our brain and nervous system, which are shaped by our experiences and relationships. People with mental health issues often have histories of trauma and stress that affect their … Continue reading

Posted in Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Shredding of My Safety Nets

Thanks to the effects of compound trauma on the brain, my resources for many things I used to enjoy have been quite limited for years. Most of my resources for social encounters are used for visits with my doctors. There’s … Continue reading

Posted in Mental Health, PTSD | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment