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The Brain and Trauma
Swollen Amygdala A child living under traumatic conditions will develop a brain that is very biased to danger. This will last into adulthood. This is done through the amygdala which is the ‘smoke alarm’ and emotional centre of the brain. Brain

Healing From Narcissistic Abuse
Those with Narcissistic Personality Disordered parents have a lot of healing to do, but it can be done. The defences that were built in childhood need to be carefully dismantled and replaced with the characteristics of assertiveness and confidence. Many people

Treating Complex Trauma
Complex PTSD develops in response to chronic traumatisation over the course of months or years. The trauma can include emotional, physical or sexual abuse. There are exceptional circumstances in which adults can develop Complex PTSD, but it is mostly seen in

Chronic Shame
Children from difficult backgrounds will often have lots of feelings of guilt and shame. Sources of shame can be parents, siblings, school or wider society and this will be carried into adulthood and will often manifest as feelings of the self

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy uses psychoeducation to educate the client about trauma and the physical effects it has had on the body and brain and on how we think, feel and behave. It works on developing self-awareness of our bodily responses. Understanding ourselves

The International Trauma Questionnaire
The International Trauma Questionnaire focuses on defining whether a person has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which consists of: Re-experiencing in the here and now Avoidance Sense of current threat or Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which also includes: Affective dysregulation Negative

Healthy Narcissism Vs. Unhealthy Narcissism
Narcissism originally begins as a response in childhood to developmental issues. Both nature and nurture are influential in the early years in setting up the personality. Elements of narcissism are needed in the development of a healthy personality. Narcissism forms the

Clues That You May Have Complex PTSD
Some people who have Complex PTSD often do not know that they have it because so much of their emotional life and bodily sensations have been suppressed. Here are some subtle clues that might point to CPTSD: Body You may find

What is Narcissistic Abuse?
Narcissistic abuse describes the way narcissists behave toward intimate others and the effects it has on them. NPD is a set of defence mechanisms that shape the way people with NPD look at, and relate to, the world. This leads to