Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. Traumatic events that can lead to PTSD include but are not limited to, serious accidents, physical or sexual assault, natural disasters, combat, or life-threatening situations. PTSD is characterized by a range of symptoms that can significantly impact a person’s daily life and well-being.
The introduction to the first chapter in Miller’s first book, The Drama of the Gifted Child, first published in 1979, contains a line that summarises her core view. In it, she writes: Experience has taught us that we have only one enduring weapon in our struggle against mental illness: the emotional discovery and emotional acceptance of… Read More Alice Miller
the two concepts are often confused or used interchangeably, but they actually come from slightly different origins and describe different (though overlapping) dynamics. Let me walk you through the difference step by step: 1. Origins First coined in the 1970s after a hostage situation in Stockholm, Sweden. Observers noticed that some hostages developed emotional attachment… Read More Trauma Bonding or Stockholm Syndrome?
1. Emotional Regulation and Stress Relief Oxytocin Release: Interaction with animals—petting, hugging, or even eye contact—triggers the release of oxytocin, the “bonding hormone.” Oxytocin reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and calms the nervous system, which is often hypervigilant after trauma. Cortisol Reduction: Spending time with pets decreases cortisol levels, the body’s main stress hormone. This helps counter… Read More How Animals Support Healing After Abuse
That discovery is like having the ground pulled out from under you twice over: not only the betrayal of living with someone who has hidden a fundamental truth for decades, but also the cruelty of having endured abuse—emotional and physical—throughout that time. It is important to say right away: none of this is your fault. You did… Read More None of this is your fault
Sadly, after thirty-two years together, it is very difficult to call up any good memories that are not clouded by his shadow. What should have been joyful moments—a meal out, a holiday, a family gathering—were often spoiled by an abusive comment, a cutting put-down, or simmering aggression. Even small pleasures were tainted by his constant… Read More When Memories Are Shadowed: The Legacy of Emotional Abuse
You can live with someone for more than thirty years believing they are genuine—only to discover they lied, cheated, hid finances, avoided work, and slowly clipped your wings until you were no longer free to live the life you wanted. That kind of betrayal and neglect is not only emotional; it rewires your nervous system.… Read More The Healing Power of Genuine Love After Years of Abuse and Neglect
Trauma = uncertainty overloadDuring abuse or neglect, you were forced to live in confusion: What mood will they be in? What’s the truth? Am I safe? Your brain learned to hyper-scan for clarity.When someone dodges a straight question, it re-activates that old uncertainty, which your nervous system reads as danger. The amygdala (alarm system) becomes overactive in trauma. An evasive… Read More 1. Why Evasiveness Feels So Triggering in Trauma
Leaving behind abuse and stepping into a new life with a new partner, in a new place, can feel both exhilarating and terrifying. Survivors often describe it as carrying two suitcases: one packed with hope, and the other with echoes of the past. Psychology and neuroscience help us understand why this transition can feel so… Read More 🌍 Starting Over: The Neuroscience of Building a New Life After Abuse
Emotional trauma can leave deep imprints—not only on the heart, but on the brain and body as well. When we’ve been through prolonged stress, loss, or abuse, the nervous system can become stuck in survival mode. Thoughts spiral negatively, emotions feel overwhelming, and a constant state of tension can make peace seem out of reach.… Read More Healing Emotional Trauma: Rewire Your Brain at Our Retreat in Spain
Living with a chronic liar for decades is more than “just” living with dishonesty — it’s living in a reality that was systematically distorted, where your nervous system was trained to doubt itself. That kind of betrayal rewires both the brain and the body. The good news is: recovery is possible. The therapies that are… Read More Trauma-Focused Therapies
