Informational Article: Hyperarousal & Hypoarousal

Hyper and hypoarousal are the two dysregulated states of the autonomic nervous system. These states are connected to the Fight-Flight-Freeze-Fawn/Fold response. "Fight & Flight" are states of hyperarousal, "Freeze" is a split response and "Fawn/Fold" is a state of hypoarousal. Arousal refers to the level of stress and type of activity our central nervous system … Continue reading Informational Article: Hyperarousal & Hypoarousal

A 3d rendering and see-through of a human brain in purple on a black background. Blue outlined text on top reads: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

December 30, 2019January 18, 2022 Advocate

Diagnosis Primer: Borderline Personality Disorder

Criterion, aetiology, relations to other conditions, connections to trauma and neurology. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Also known as Emotional Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD) is a personality disorder that affects identity, impulse control, relational issues and emotional understanding. In the general population, there is a diagnosis rate of 1.6-2.7%. (Lenzenweger, Lane, Loranger, & Kessler 2007; Tomoko, … Continue reading Diagnosis Primer: Borderline Personality Disorder

December 22, 2019February 6, 2020 Advocate

Informational & Opinion Article: The Cycle of Abuse

The cycle of abuse needs to be understood as it really is, not as a fate for all victims, an excuse for perpetrators or catch-all explanations of the culture of abuse we live in.

November 8, 2019April 29, 2020 Advocate

Informational Article: Why Survivors Miss Abuse

Survivors of abuse and IPV may miss it after it ends or crave acts of sexual violence. Those of us who may miss aspects of our abuse often feel like we wanted the abuse, deserved it or will only ever be abused. But we never deserved to be abused, we never wanted it, there are … Continue reading Informational Article: Why Survivors Miss Abuse

A sepia-toned image of a mother holding her baby. Their foreheads are touching and they both smile. Two lines of red outlined black text overlay it. Topline reads: "attachment theory" second line reads: "the ties that form us"

September 5, 2019August 26, 2021 Advocate

Informational Article: Attachment Theory (Pt 2)

Understanding attachment can help people understand why they are dealing with what they are and to make sense of specific experiences with our caregivers and abusers (for many of us these are the same person) Attachment theory can help people know what is making relationships so hard and begin to address what it is and form better relationships going forward. Knowing it's a piece of other mental health struggles can also help be a piece in recovering from DID, BPD, or C-PTSD. It gives us words to explain our struggles and find others dealing with similar.

An image of two hands forming a heart around baby feet. The image is a sepia tone. Black Text online in red on the image is in two lines. The first row reads "Attachment Theory" a second row reads: " The Bonds That Form Us"

September 2, 2019February 6, 2020 Advocate

Informational Article: Attachment Theory (Pt 1)

Attachment theory is a bedrock of our current understanding of child development in their ability to form relationships, have a stable affect, understand emotions and self-sooth. It is one of the earliest and most important stages of development when talking about emotions and relationships.

A rectangular white background with the outline of the brain covered in what looks like rainbow splatter paint. Two the left there is black text that reads: Being our whole selves brain & Body

August 4, 2019March 12, 2025 Advocate

Informational Article: Being Our Whole Selves Brain & Body

Our culture has a huge problem with separating and atomizing us. This has a huge effect on the general world and an outsized effect on the recovery trauma, I also see a huge impact of eating disorder recovery (there is a high overlap in trauma survivors and disordered eating). We are told that our body … Continue reading Informational Article: Being Our Whole Selves Brain & Body

July 21, 2019January 15, 2022 Advocate

Question: Does having intrusive thoughts about children make me an abuser?

Intrusive thoughts are not things we actually want to do. If you do not actively want to sexually act on children and don’t experience sexual attraction to children. Intrusive thoughts are a mental health issue that are upsetting, other thoughts like murder, driving the car off the road, or other forms of sexual violence happen … Continue reading Question: Does having intrusive thoughts about children make me an abuser?

May 30, 2019February 6, 2020 Advocate

Informational Article: What is Gaslighting

What is Gaslighting? Gaslighting is a common form of emotional/psychological abuse and can be used as a tactic in grooming children for abuse. The term comes from Gaslight (1944) a movie where the technique is used by the characters. Gaslighting is sometimes also called "crazy making". Gaslighting is used to make the victim feel as … Continue reading Informational Article: What is Gaslighting

April 30, 2019February 6, 2020 Advocate

Informational Article: Grooming, What is it?

Grooming is when someone builds a connection with someone to gain their trust for the purposes of sexual abuse, child porn production or sex trafficking. Grooming can be done in person and online.