Exploring Values with Trauma Survivors
Post

If a person has been a victim of abuse, neglect or other forms of relational trauma, she has been taught that she does not matter. Her value lies solely in what she can provide for someone else, and she is not free to pay … Read More

Are You a Compulsive Helper?
Post

Compulsive behavior includes thoughts, urges or behaviors that persist despite negatively affecting health, job or relationships. Normally when we think of compulsions, we imagine a person who constantly checks the locks on doors or washes their hands all day long. But any behavior that … Read More

Narcissism through a Trauma-Informed Lens
Post

Dr. Chuck DeGroat, PhD, LPC For the twenty-five years I’ve been in practice, there has been an all-too-slow awakening to the reality and ubiquity of abuse in the church. While occasional scandals highlighted instances of abuse and coverup, only in recent years with the … Read More

Determining Which Relationships Are Healthy
Post

How do we define healthy relationships, especially after trauma has occurred? In this blog post we discuss concentric circles of safety, as well as defining characteristics of people who can be trusted as part of our ‘Inner Circle.’… Read More

What Are Trauma Triggers?
Post

When someone has experienced trauma, they are very often left with residual and long-lasting effects. One of these effects is what we commonly call ‘triggers.’ A trigger is essentially an instinctual response based on external stimuli that associate with the trauma a person has … Read More