Lately, we've had a lot of storms where I live. Which means we've had a lot of cloudy days. And as we move further into fall and toward winter, I've been noticing how much my body misses something. I miss looking up and seeing the contrast of blue and green..... The blue sky against green leaves or green pine needles. (Thankfully, where I live, we have a lot of evergreen trees, so even as we move into winter, we still get some green). There's something about looking up and seeing that blue...
15 days ago • 4 min read
I've been thinking about the power of AND lately. The idea that two things that seem to contradict each other can actually both be true. And how helpful it can be, especially as we're healing from trauma, to allow ourselves to explore both perspectives instead of feeling like we have to choose one or the other. I want to invite you to try some AND perspectives with me today. And before I share these two perspectives, I'd love for you to take a moment to ground yourself and check in with your...
23 days ago • 3 min read
I saw an Instagram post today where someone was letting their audience know they were going to be gone for a bit, it said, "I'll be in the mountains, writing more content." And....they wouldn't be available to answer questions and would be missing a few posts. It made me think... You would have to think ahead of time to do that. I've missed writing three newsletters and didn't let anybody know...... Partly, because I wasn't ever planning on missing them. And the other part....because I've...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
I took a picture of the clouds on my drive today because I was struck by all the different types of clouds. And by all. those. layers. Some dark and heavy. Some white and bright. Some that were beautiful from where I was sitting. And it made me think about the layers I’ve moved through while healing trauma. I’ve gone through layers that felt so dark and black that I thought they might take over. They were scary. And when I was inside them, I didn’t know if I would ever get through them. Other...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
A few days ago, I was on a trail near my house. It's a trail I used to run when I was short on time. Easy and quick, but still with some fun ups and downs. I knew this trail. Or at least, I knew this trail at a running pace. Since I am just barely able to hike and run again, this time looked different. I ran for one minute and then walked for two or three, continuing that pattern until I was finished. It took longer. And parts of my body wanted to keep running. The trail was so familiar at a...
2 months ago • 2 min read
I often get asked some version of this question: Can I have fun while I’m healing? And the answer is absolutely yes. But I think the way I understand that answer has changed over the years. Healing can take so much energy. Mentally.Physically.Emotionally.Spiritually.Relationally. Sometimes our body is working really hard just to get through what is happening. And I have not found it helpful if the answer is to tell myself, “Come on. Go have fun. Think positively. Enjoy your life”. Sometimes...
2 months ago • 3 min read
I was reading something from Nate Postlethwait recently, and two things he said really hit home for me. He said: “cPTSD is not a result of not handling things well. It’s a result of continually experiencing things your mind and body weren’t meant to handle at all”. And: “‘Family is everything.’ No, healing is. And if the family is who caused the trauma, they don’t always get to participate in the healing”. There was a time when being able to name these kinds of truths felt like the answer....
3 months ago • 3 min read
I remember the first time I thought……with almost complete disbelief and at the same time 100% belief: "I'm not crazy." I had started remembering suppressed and repressed trauma. As some of those memories came back, other moments from my life started making sense too. I remembered times I had acted "weird." Times my reactions seemed way too big……or way too small. Times I couldn't explain why I did what I did, felt what I felt, or reacted the way I reacted. I had definitely wondered if I was...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Today, as I was going through some vagus nerve exercises, gathering some to send a client, I came across one called Superhero Pose. Before I share about this exercise, let me briefly explain vagus nerve exercises: They are movements that can awaken, support and help our vagus nerve come online so that our body can move into a new state. For instance, if we are anxious, it can help us calm down. If we are stuck, it can help us move into action. And as I looked at this particular exercise, I...
3 months ago • 5 min read