Here’s a clear, evidence-based overview of what research shows about non-fatal strangulation — including how common it is, how it affects survivors physically and psychologically, and what we know about how it impacts the person doing the strangulation (to the extent research addresses that). This is grounded in scientific literature and public health data. 📊 Statistics & Prevalence Non-fatal strangulation (NFS) is recognised… Read More Statistics & Prevalence
Talking about strangulation in therapy is not just “talking about a memory.”For many survivors, describing the sensations, fear, and loss of control can reactivate the trauma itself. This is not resistance.It is how the nervous system remembers danger. Why Describing It Feels Overwhelming Strangulation is a primal threat to survival. When it happened, the brain and body… Read More Talking About Strangulation in Therapy: Why It’s So Hard — and How EMDR Can Help
Therapy is for truth.Law is for proof.Public statements are for boundaries. You do not owe full truth to every arena. 1. What to keep THERAPEUTIC ONLY These are essential for healing but usually not necessary or wise to share publicly or legally. Keep in therapy: Your emotional reactions (panic, shame, confusion) How messages triggered PTSD symptoms Inner dialogue (“I felt crazy”, “I doubted myself”) Childhood… Read More The core principle
At its core, trauma‑informed care (TIC) means understanding how trauma affects a person’s brain, body, behaviour, and relationships — and using that understanding to shape how support is offered. Instead of asking: “What’s wrong with you?”A trauma‑informed approach asks:“What happened to you, and how can we help you feel safe?” This shift changes how people are seen,… Read More What Is Trauma‑Informed Care?
Step 1: Abuse Types: Emotional, psychological, financial, or physical harm. Chronic stress → sustained activation of amygdala and HPA axis → elevated cortisol. Hypervigilance: constant scanning for threats. Memory fragmentation: trauma memories stored in implicit memory. Dysregulated vagus nerve: affecting social engagement and calming capacity. Legal Effects: Initial reports may be ignored or minimized; protective measures may be requested. Step 2:… Read More Abuse → Denial → Escalation → Collapse: Conceptual Map
Yes, if ALL of the following are true: The disclosure arrived unsolicited It concerns your ex It may have legal relevance (financial, safety, coercive control, credibility) You do not want to engage with or assess it yourself Your lawyer’s role is precisely to hold information so you don’t have to. Why this is protective (neuroscience & psychology) 🧠 1. Cognitive offloading Stress… Read More Should you pass the information to your lawyer?
Definition:Repetition compulsion is a concept introduced by Sigmund Freud in psychoanalytic theory. It refers to the tendency of individuals to repeat behaviors, situations, or relationships that mirror unresolved conflicts or traumatic experiences from the past, often unconsciously. How It Manifests Returning to relationships or scenarios that feel familiar, even if they are harmful. Recreating patterns of abuse, neglect, or emotional… Read More Repetition Compulsion in Psychodynamic Therapy
I am safe. I have spoken out. My healing is progressing. Now it’s time to focus on my life, my growth, and my well-being. Step 1: Maintain Trauma-Informed Support Continue regular sessions with a psychologist or trauma-informed therapist. Explore unresolved feelings and suppressed memories. Consider peer support or survivor groups for validation and connection. Step 2:… Read More Next Chapter: A Step-by-Step Guide
When a trained psychologist is visibly shocked, it tells you something important about the severity and objectivity of what you endured. This is not about validation through emotion. It’s about clinical reality breaking through professional neutrality. 🧠 Why a Psychologist’s Shock Is Neurologically Significant Psychologists are trained to: Regulate facial expression Stay emotionally neutral Hear extreme material without visible reaction… Read More 🧠 Why a Psychologist’s Shock Is Neurologically Significant
IntroductionSurvivors of long-term abuse often experience a profound psychological weight. Decades of emotional, physical, or relational trauma can shape not only beliefs and behaviors but also neural architecture. Emerging from such a context into a space of autonomy—symbolized here by “having no ring on your finger”—can trigger complex emotional, cognitive, and neurobiological responses. Psychological Perspective… Read More Freedom After Decades of Abuse: The Neuroscience of Choice and Self-Determination
