Among the common emotional responses we have to our trauma are our feelings of guilt and shame. We feel ashamed of ourselves and guilty about the trauma we’ve experienced. We blame ourselves for the bad things that have happened to us. Why do we feel guilty after we’ve been traumatized? Our post-trauma guilt is oneRead More
Our breathing is something we do mostly unconsciously, and as such it is considered an involuntary physical action. We can become more conscious of our breathing, though, and apply mindfulness to it in order to help ourselves heal from our various mental, emotional and physical afflictions. When we practice conscious breathing, we connect our minds,Read More
The many traumas we experience are as varied and unique as we are and can range along a broad spectrum, including but not limited to abuse, loss, separation, violence and abandonment. How we respond to our trauma can also vary greatly, relative to who we are as individuals and how we relate to our pain.Read More
When we are in recovery, we realize that there are many ways in which we’ve been self-identifying that have been holding us back and working against us. We’ve been subconsciously self-destructive, and one of the ways this is most apparent is in how we think about ourselves. We don’t believe in ourselves. We lose faithRead More
Our addictions can have multiple causes and contributing factors, among them the traumatic experiences we go through, often during our formative, childhood years. Many people who have experienced trauma do not go on to become addicts. Trauma, therefore, does not always have a clear causal relationship with our addictions. It can, however, contribute greatly toRead More
When it comes to our addictions and mental illnesses, we rarely experience them in isolation, meaning that our loved ones, particularly our family members, are also often experiencing them alongside us, either because they are suffering themselves or because our relationships are so intertwined that they can’t help but be seriously impacted by our challenges.Read More
When struggling with addiction, the thought of finding our purpose can feel scary, daunting, overwhelming, impossible even. We don’t feel as though we know who we are. We feel totally disconnected from ourselves, our gifts and strengths, our passions and interests. We often haven’t given thought to discovering our purpose because we’ve been so consumedRead More
When living with addiction and mental illness, asking for help and allowing ourselves to receive that help can feel next to impossible. We can feel overwhelmed, afraid and daunted at the mere thought. What causes this fear? Sometimes we’re afraid to look at our mistakes, wrongdoings, shame and regrets honestly and openly. Sometimes we’re embarrassedRead More
Loneliness is one of the emotions we commonly experience but are most afraid of feeling. We’re afraid of being alone with our painful thoughts and feelings. We’re afraid of having to face ourselves without any form of distraction. We find ourselves easily distracted by the issues and conflicts of a relationship, as well as byRead More
Somewhere along the way we learned that the harder we work and the less we rest, the more successful we’ll be. We feel we’re in competition with other people, and if we stop to rest, we somehow fall behind our competitors. We think resting makes us inadequate or inferior. The truth is, rest is justRead More