Originally, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was recognized and diagnosed in returning war veterans. Now, it is recognized as an outcome from a traumatic situation. In fact, new research postulates that PTSD can result from events that may not seem too severe. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association V5, has refined the diagnostic …
Weekend Writer: Tips for Staying on The Writing Beam
I originally started this blog to talk about writing and the world of publishing. As we’ve moved into more information about families and the outcomes for children from a type of family, the writing piece seems to have been misplaced. <vbg> But I love the twice weekly format these posts have settled into. So I’ve …
How Deep are the Scars of Abuse?
A number of people have contacted me over the past few months, wanting to talk about their victimization. These emails describe a wide range of feelings, reactions and heartbreak. For adults who were abused as children, the emotional outcome is as varied as people are. There are no hard and fast outcomes – there is …
4 Stages of Healing from Childhood Abuse
Over the years, I have worked with many victims of abuse, women or men who were abused in childhood (I do not work with children). Sometimes the abuse consisted of neglect; often it was physical, and emotional. For many, it was sexual. I find it interesting that in my practice, the men who were sexually …
8 Steps to an Emotionally Rich Family
We’ve talked alot about families and how early childhood experiences can shape adulthood. And I’ve had a number of requests to share some thoughts about healthy families. It’s an interesting dilemma – people don’t come to therapy because their life is wonderful. But when I look at people I see and know, I realized there …