The Ghost of Christmas Past What’s always coming at the same time every year? Christmas! And if you grew up in a dysfunctional family, navigating the Christmas season can feel complicated. The build-up creates expectations of a warm, joyful, and loving time with family. An idealized version of the holiday that seems to be a...
The Pain of Parentification As a child, you were growing up too soon if you experienced: Being the peacekeeper and mediating conflict with adults around you Raising siblings Keeping the entire house clean, doing the washing, cooking, ironing, shopping “Stepping up” to take the place of an absent parent Keeping dangerous secrets for a loved...
Three main effects Did you grow up in a dysfunctional family? If you never really talk about growing up. It can feel like a sticky subject. You describe your family as difficult, tricky, or complicated. You may have likely lived with caregivers or parents who experienced generational trauma and may have exhibited chemical dependence, mental...
What is trauma exactly? Trauma often conjures up the image of a terrible accident or incident, or a ‘traumatic experience’. Understanding trauma is paramount for our mental and emotional well-being. It has a profound impact on the brain and body, and produces telltale symptoms. It can be considered as a single event, chronic, and...
The Trauma Response You hear about being ‘triggered’ all the time. It comes explicitly as a warning on a social media post or TV show. ‘Snowflakes’ are mocked for perceived lack of resilience and told they are ‘triggered by everything’. It describes emotional responses to different situations and the feelings this brings up – but...