Blog posts, news articles, and other resources from The Center • A Place of HOPE
avigating grief during the holidays can be overwhelming. Discover supportive strategies to honor your emotions, cherish memories, and find comfort through meaningful connections during this challenging season. You're not alone in your journey.
Learn about the freeze and fawn responses—natural reactions to stress and trauma. Understand how these survival mechanisms impact behavior and explore ways to manage them for healthier emotional well-being.
Trauma is the natural emotional response to a frightening or life-threatening event. After experiencing a trauma, many people develop symptoms like jumpiness, tension, and hypervigilance. One of the main symptoms people face after going through trauma is difficulty sleeping. Research shows a vast majority of people who live with post-traumatic...
This article aims to educate readers about vicarious trauma, which occurs from exposure to the traumatic experiences of others, often common among caregivers, healthcare professionals, and even through media consumption. It offers insights into identifying symptoms, understanding their impact, and strategies for managing and mitigating its effects. What is vicarious...
This article explores the process of healing from emotional trauma. It details how to identify emotional trauma, describes its effects on mental and physical health, and provides an overview of the effectiveness of therapeutic approaches, including cognitive-behavioral therapy and EMDR, plus self-help strategies. Guidance on when to seek professional help...
This article explores the neurological and psychological effects of trauma on the brain. It explains how trauma can alter brain function, potentially leading to changes in behavior, and discusses the latest research in the field. Finally, information on therapeutic approaches that help in the recovery and rehabilitation of trauma-impacted brain...
This article is a comprehensive guide to identifying and breaking free from trauma bonds. As well as helping individuals to recognize the signs of a trauma bond in their relationships, the article covers the psychological dynamics at play. It offers guidance on seeking professional help, establishing healthy boundaries, and nurturing...
This article defines and explains the concept of 'trauma dumping' - the act of unloading one's traumatic experiences onto others without consent or awareness. It also provides advice on how to handle situations where someone is trauma dumping, both as the sharer and the listener, while maintaining healthy boundaries. What...
This article explains what a trauma bond is, highlighting its characteristics and how it differs from healthy emotional attachments. It delves into the psychological underpinnings of trauma bonds, such as the cycle of abuse and intermittent reinforcement, and discusses why these bonds can be so powerful and hard to break....
The impact of traumatic experiences in life can be far-reaching. Unresolved traumatic experiences can manifest in our most intimate relationships, leading to trust issues, sexual dysfunction, or aversion. These can then be further complicated by online infidelity or addiction to online pornography - often a result of the earlier trauma....
The power of nature and gardening as a therapeutic practice can be transformative for those who have experienced trauma. This article will delve into the profound benefits of gardening, focusing on grounding, mindfulness, and nurturing life. It will also explore the science behind why it's such a transformative practice for...
Healing Spaces: Creating Environments That Facilitate Trauma Recovery This article explores how designing and creating a physical environment, like a calming and safe living space, can support trauma recovery. Elements such as color psychology, space optimization, and including elements of nature for a healing ambience are all discussed, as is...
This article discusses the interplay between trauma and substance abuse, exploring how one can exacerbate the other and offering guidance on holistic approaches to treatment that address both issues simultaneously. What is trauma? Trauma is a psychological and emotional response to a distressing or disturbing event or series of events...
Processing trauma is a complex and deeply personal journey, often marked by emotional distress and a range of psychological challenges. In this context, mindfulness practices offer a profound and invaluable resource for those seeking healing and recovery. In this article, we will explore why mindfulness practices can be profoundly helpful...
This article describes the profound impact of early loss or bereavement on a child's developing psyche when combined with traumatic circumstances. It also looks at the lasting repercussions of childhood traumatic grief into adulthood. Suggestions for those seeking support for managing issues around childhood traumatic grief are given at the...
This article explains the connection between prolonged trauma exposure and the onset of physical diseases, focusing on the body's stress response. What is prolonged trauma exposure? Prolonged trauma exposure refers to a situation in which an individual is subjected to traumatic events, experiences, or circumstances over an extended period rather...
This article explains the relationship between traumatic experiences and eating disorders, including binge eating, anorexia, and bulimia. Social media body image pressures can exacerbate eating disorders, and the process by which this takes place is described, alongside ways to tackle these issues for anyone suffering from difficult eating behaviors and...
Human beings come from all different walks of life. But one thing that most – if not all – of us have in common is, at some point, we will lose someone we love. This is a sad fact of life. People die. And the rest of us are left...
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The whole person approach to treatment integrates all aspects of a person’s life: