Those of us who grew up with addiction, abuse, or other forms of trauma in our childhood homes had to learn to adapt to the chaos. Over time, chaos begins to feel normal, or at least, comfortable. And we organize our lives accordingly. Some of us might find ourselves leading very busy lives. We over-schedule and have very little downtime. Running ourselves to the point of exhaustion just feels right. For others, it's not about busy-ness, but we live with constant sound. The T

We've been through a lot in the last ten years, especially in the United States. COVID, for one thing. And our politics, and culture, seem to be sinking to ever more hateful and divisive levels. Just this week, the President of the United States threatened to wipe the entire Persian Civilization off the face of the world. If you weren't terrified, you weren't paying attention. Many of us are grieving what we have lost--democratic norms and principles, civil discourse, caring

There is a lot of talk about "authenticity" in healing communities. But what does it really mean to "live authentically?" The answer is simple: Living authentically means showing the world who you really are. But this can be difficult for those of us who are healing from childhood trauma. We may have been forced into roles to meet our parents' emotional needs (such as hero, or scapegoat). We may have hidden ourselves, or become chameleons--reading the room and changing into

It's mid-November, and many of us are gearing up for our holiday celebrations--thinking about travel plans, family gatherings, special events, gift giving, and food preparation. All this activity can lead to overwhelm and exhaustion for many of us--the exact opposite of the joy and magic we hope for in this season. It is possible to find more joy in your holidays, but it may take some planning, and you will likely have to be very deliberate in your choices. Focusing on what