Tag: Trauma Counselling

  • What Are Some of the Side Effects of EMDR?

    EMDR can be a powerful therapy to process your trauma and help you get more out of your life. Unfortunately, there are side effects that can happen. Fortunately, these side effects are usually mild and temporary. Working with a skilled EMDR therapist can help reduce their impact on your life. What is EMDR? Eye Movement…

  • What is Self-Compassion

    Self-compassion can be a powerful tool that can help you cope with trauma, chronic pain and other conditions. Although it can be helpful, it can be a struggle for some people, like those with childhood emotional neglect and other types of trauma. Self-compassion is compassion pointed inward instead of at someone else. Self-compassion practices can…

  • The Damaging Consequences of Emotional Abuse

    Emotional abuse can have devastating consequences for the victim. Unfortunately, the damage continues after the emotional abuse is over. There are ways to counteract and heal the damage done by emotional abuse. What is Emotional Abuse? Emotional abuse is generally defined by behaviours or tactics that control, manipulate, isolate, or harm another person. It involves…

  • How You Survived: Innate Stress Responses

    We have innate stress responses to protect ourselves. They come automatically with no conscious control by us. Unfortunately, with trauma and chronic stressful situations, these once adaptive things can become maladaptive and interfere with our lives. However, there are ways to treat your trauma and reduce the effect that your trauma has on your life…

  • How Abusive Parents Use “Honour Your Parents” Against You

    I have strived to write this blog post from a biblical perspective as part of a series on Spiritual Abuse supporting my Christian Therapy practice. Unfortunately, people with abusive parents often face additional spiritual abuse by being told to “honour and obey your parents” in specific ways. It can shame people into staying in toxic…

  • Why CBT Can Trigger Complex PTSD or Emotional Neglect

    People with complex PTSD and histories of emotional neglect often find Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) triggering. When they are trying to heal, they are faced with something that is supposed to be healing that is triggering for them. Some reasons for this go back to the deficiencies of your upbringing and how CBT is used…

  • What is Emotional Abuse

    Emotional abuse (also called psychological abuse) is a pattern of using emotions, words, and behaviours to control, manipulate, and hurt another person. It can leave long-term devastating consequences on a person’s mental well-being. However, there are ways to heal the damage left by emotional abuse and rebuild your life. What is Emotional Abuse? Emotional abuse…

  • What is Dissociation

    Dissociation is a state of being disconnected from yourself or the world around you. Everyone has experienced milder types of dissociation, such as daydreaming, zoning out, or going into automatic mode when driving or performing other tasks. More severe types of dissociation can be highly distressing and significantly impact a person’s life. Some treatments can…

  • What is Complex PTSD?

    Complex PTSD is a disorder that may develop after prolonged relational trauma. It is complex in its symptomology and treatment. Some treatments work for people with Complex PTSD. What is Complex PTSD? Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Complex PTSD) is a disorder that may develop following ongoing, inescapable, relational trauma. It usually involves being hurt by…

  • What is PTSD?

    Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can bring much distress and significantly interferes with a person’s daily life. It can be associated with several comorbid disorders. There are several treatments for PTSD. What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that can develop in people who have experienced a traumatic event. You…