7 Key Symptoms of CPTSD (Complex PTSD Signs You Should Know) I recently wrote about the difference between CPTSD and PTSD, how CPTSD often includes the symptoms of PTSD plus additional layers tied to long-term, repeated trauma. It’s not just the flashbacks and fear. It’s the ripple effects that bleed into your sense of self, […]
The Questions That Never Got Answers
I’ve generally been a curious person. I just like learning things. Researching, asking questions, seeing how things work. There’s a satisfaction to be found in pulling apart the mess and trying to put it back together in a way that makes sense, even if it only makes sense to me. But trauma doesn’t always come […]
Things I’ve Said In Therapy Sessions
– Because I have an opinionated inner child, apparently. I think we can all agree therapy can be a sacred space for healing, growth, and finally clearing out some of that mental clutter. But also? It’s a place where I’ve casually dropped lifelong trauma in the same tone you’d use to order a bagel. I’ve […]
Healing from Abuse: Why I Kept My Name
Let me start by saying something that might sound strange, I was named after the man who sexually abused me as a kid. And honestly? I never hated the name. That’s a hell of a sentence I never thought I’d be sharing at this point in my life, but here I am. That part always […]
The Departure Theory and CPTSD
(a.k.a., why “being left” hits like a freight train when you’ve got trauma on board) Let’s get this out of the way upfront: The Departure Theory isn’t something you’ll find in a psychology textbook. No citations, no DSM entry. But in trauma circles, especially among those of us navigating life with CPTSD, it comes up […]
Things I Thought Were Normal Until Therapy
I used to think I was just a guy with “quirks.” You know, overly cautious, emotionally avoidant, allergic to rest, suspicious of compliments, and constantly rehearsing conversations in my head like I was preparing for a deposition instead of a lunch date. Totally normal stuff… right? Turns out, no. Not really. Therapy has this sneaky […]