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This topic has been moved to Please Introduce Yourself Here.

https://www.cptsd.org/forum/index.php?topic=15971.0

This shot is from a presentation by one of two professors I will be working with on a project this summer to develop a resource for medical and mental health institutions, professionals and students. She is a trauma focused cognitive neuroscientist at the Univ of Victoria in Canada. She talks about us in the presentation which is cool to see. 

Her presentation if you want to watch it is here - https://youtu.be/Mt6DY0ftKuI.

The other thing I want to mention here is that recently we've had a lot more survivors sign up from Europe and so I think there must have been a conference over there and we were mentioned as a good resource.  Yay us!

This topic has been moved to Member Journals.

https://www.cptsd.org/forum/index.php?topic=15964.0

I have one area of recovery that still rises up for me and causes me to dysregulate. It's having to interact with someone who is an N. If I get caught in a situation with an N I do try and stay online, but if the person starts gaslighting and using circular logic, etc, I will often go offline, into the back brain that says stay as far away from this person as possible. It's particularly bad when I get caught off guard as in when it's a covert N and I don't realize until after a few minutes.

Up from the depths comes a deep, deep anger that knocks me off kilter for days and I know it is because I grew up with N's. In particular my B used to run me around in circles and used gaslighting and manipulation to shut me down.  I hated it then and it appears I still hate it today decades later. It infuriates me.   

I did make some progress with my NM by managing her (and moving to the other side of the country), so I'm happy about having a reasonable relationship before she died, but my NB forget it.  Ten minutes in a room with him and I'm toast.  The same goes for any N's I bump into in the course of my life that I can't immediately get away from. 

I honestly don't know if I will ever "recover" from this entirely. The thing I hate the most about trying to deal with an N is not being heard, of being dismissed, gaslit, manipulated. I am a decent, reasonable, caring person and I try to deal with others honestly and respectfully, and I ask that people treat me the same way. I can't abide those who don't do the same. All you can do really is walk away. 

This is a continuation of the thread "Spanking is Abuse" Part 1.

17th Annual Amygdala, Stress, and PTSD Conference
Brain, Behavior, and Being: Unraveling Stress
April 23, 2024 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM EDT

This virtual event will include pre-recorded presentations and two live, moderated panels with our featured speakers. It is free and open to the public.

The Amygdala Conference series is sponsored by the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress under the direction of Robert J. Ursano, MD, the USU Graduate Neuroscience Program under the direction of Kimberly Byrnes, PhD, the Department of Family Medicine under the direction of COL Dana R. Nguyen, and the USU Brain and Behavior Hub.

For more information, please visit: https://amygdalaptsdconference.org/

Here's a new series of three training sessions for parents of children from homes in which there has been domestic violence. Lovely to see this kind of early intervention for Developmental Trauma Disorder which leads to Complex PTSD if nothing is done to help children of ongoing complex trauma. 

The Foundation Trust is excited to invite community members to three free online training events on resilience and healing after domestic violence. The meetings will take place on Wednesday, May 1st , Wednesday, May 8th, and Wednesday, May 15th from 7-8pm each evening on zoom. Open to any survivors parenting elementary-aged children who have witnessed domestic violence. Registration is required. Please email info@maav.org to receive a zoom link or call 781-662-2010.

https://www.complextrauma.org/parenting-workshop-event-melrose-alliance-against-violence/

In this video podcast the Monanadnock Region Health Reporting Lab presents the first episode of season 2 which features Sabrina Leaf, a Keene resident living with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, or C-PTSD. In the episode, Sabrina shares the trauma that led to her diagnosis, her struggles to get a diagnosis and how she manages her symptoms.

https://www.sentinelsource.com/invisible-illness-season-2-episode-1-the-complexity-of-childhood-trauma/article_f8340726-bfb9-11ee-9be2-af80fb33c8fa.html

Inequality is still present. Hence, we give you a hand every day, every moment.

African americans across the country can make use of database that lists grants and financial assistance programs in all 50 states and DC. Our website offers details on programs that help blacks with finding help with groceries, utility bills, rent, college, medications, childcare, medical bills, housing, and more.

https://helpforafricanamericans.org/

[NeuroAffective Relational Model for Healing Attachment, Relational & Developmental Trauma]

There's a free Zoom webinar about NARM Fri if you're interested.  I'm signed up because it sounds like what relational trauma survivors need. It's here if you're interested - https://narmtraining.com/. Here's what it's about:

Join us on February 9th from 10:00 – 11:30 am Pacific Time for a free on the NeuroAffective Relational Model for Healing Attachment, Relational & Developmental Trauma.

What you will learn in this Webinar:

An overview of NARM's theoretical and clinical approach to complex trauma

NARM's roots in the fields of somatic psychology, relational psychodynamic psychology, and interpersonal neurobiology

The distinction between shock and developmental trauma

The NARM clinical approach as applied through a clinical demonstration

Further learning and training opportunities

Plus much more

In her recent memoire "The Wrong Calamity" Marsha Jacobson recounts a life of trauma and grief set in motion by childhood abuse. Her story moves through the trauma she suffered in childhood and adulthood to hope and a rebirth of sorts when she takes back control of her life and devotes herself to her writing. Marsha's book portrays a poignant picture of both trauma and recovery that survivors, the public, and professionals alike will benefit from reading.

See Marsha's article here: https://www.outofthestorm.website/guest-bloggers/2024/1/16/me-traumatized-by 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-it-s-dangerously-cold-outside-1.7080077

[2]

Thanks everyone, we have 20 questionnaires now.  Much appreciated!!  Kizzie 

As you may know, a group of OOTS members (Armee, NarcKiddo, Bermuda, Papa Coco, Cactus Flower, Spring Butterfly & Kizzie), are writing a book about relational trauma and Complex PTSD. The purpose of the questionnaire is to identify common themes among survivors of complex relational trauma and to use excerpts in the book to flesh out the issues we deal with and the stories many of you have written.

We have questionnaires from a number of you but are looking for an additional 2. We would really appreciate if you would help us and all survivors out by completing a questionnaire. Please email me at l.herod@yahoo.ca and I will send the form to you. We would like it returned by Feb 16th if possible. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at the same address.

Thanks!

Kizzie

Canadian Consortium on Child and Youth Trauma - brings together researchers, practitioners, clinicians, and policy makers in Canada to unify and enhance social responses to child and youth trauma. https://www.traumaconsortium.com/en/

The national professional association of psychologists and counts students, researchers and health care providers among its membership of over 7,000.  Offers The Day 1-4 program attracts 30 CE hours* (or 42 CE hours* with the optional 1-4 case studies). Core online training for mental health professionals working with traumatized populations. Includes highly practical, evidenced-based continuing education workshop to underpin clinical practice.

Canadian Consortium on Child and Youth Trauma - brings together researchers, practitioners, clinicians, and policy makers in Canada to unify and enhance social responses to child and youth trauma. https://www.traumaconsortium.com/en/

Complex Trauma Resources provides essential trauma-informed resources, training, and support for anyone who cares for children. Has a clinical team of psychologists, counsellors, behavioral therapists, intervention coaches, and social workers, all whom work collaboratively to train and equip teachers, caregivers, and other professionals the knowledge and skills to identify these behaviors and respond effectively to these signs. https://www.complextrauma.ca/

Q.  How many N's does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

A1. One who stands still while the whole world revolves around them.

A2.  Zero. They just use gaslighting.



Years ago my then T said one day I might find some of the behaviour by N's to be funny and I thought she was crazy.  Turns out she was right.  It helps to see the humour in things, mediates the pain I find.

One of the things survivors and even professionals may not understand about emotional abuse in relational trauma is that it does not necessarily have to involve horrific, negative abuse, but can often be more covert or as I like to say mine was, death by a thousand cuts. There's a good article here I found today that explains why this is so, how those of us who cannot describe our abuse as horrific and in some cases as abuse itself end up with Complex PTSD.
https://www.complextrauma.org/complex-trauma/death-by-a-thousand-cuts/

It's why the current definition of Complex PTSD in the WHO ICD-11 needs to be edited (IMO) to capture this more subtle emotional abuse. With my NM it was being made invisible by her constant need for praise and attention, but also that nasty part of her that would rise up when she suffered an N injury, when she became critical, angry and just plain mean.

This thread is for books members have found and want to share with the community.