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I do a lot of imagination work, but my therapist and I don't leap into the trauma. There's a lot of work on imagining safe environments, safe supporting people, etc. Eventually, I have been able to go back and not so much as reimagine the trauma as much as imagine a different world. For...

I find that the exhaustion is emotional and not physical, so resting with sleep or naps never seems to work. Walks outside are good for me. Soft music & self care. Books & tea.

"I would like to talk about X, but I find the subject overwhelming and would like to dip into this really slow." "I'm worried that as I learn to trust you, sexual feelings will come up, and I don't understand how we can have a safe relationship." It's important to go very slow and to...

A good therapist will have such rock-solid boundaries that any transference or fantasies that you have will not get in the way of your safety with them. Awkward? Yes. Safe? Absolutely.

I actually did this work in two phases. I used to have a CBT-trained therapist. She didn't have a trauma or sex-therapy background, but she was a great fit for me. What I did with her was buy a textbook on human sexuality, I would read a chapter by myself, and then I would come in and talk...

I'm in the middle of this. Personally, I'm not ready for a sex therapist--I'm guessing what they would see as baby steps I would see as immensely huge, impossible, & triggering steps. I bought one of the standard "sex for those recovering from trauma" books, but the first ten pages were so...

I hear the same thing from my daughter about dating apps and how frustrating it can be. She's given up and has met her close friends through a Unitarian Universalist spirituality group. Speaking for myself, it's on my list to try Meetup to meet some new people and see if anyone really...

Maybe it's a rational fear? It's harder to read people over the phone/computer.

Grounding exercises. This was very important early in my treatment. Taking walks & being outdoors. This is the biggest one of all. Journaling, but not to excess. Because I have strong parts, checking in and figuring out who is upset. Making a to-do list. I think this is a form of...

This is EXACTLY what my therapist does. She's advanced enough in EMDR that she's a consultant and helps with EMDR training events. So your research is spot on. Personally, it took me a lot of gentleness so I didn't associate EMDR with being hit (the tap-tap-tap triggered me a lot). And even...

I like this book a lot. Right at the beginning in the Introduction, I recognized myself and didn't feel as alone in the world. The exercises are a mixed bag for me. I think that says more about the variety of CPTSD than the book! I learned grounding methods for the first time, and that was...

Yes, it has worked for me. Although I miss meeting in person and think therapy would have gone a bit faster in person, I've found that teletherapy does work. My therapist can see me well enough to read my non-verbal communication. I have felt safe enough that I have been able to be vulnerable.

Hi, Becky. Welcome to the site. I'm sorry about your struggles and what brings you here, and I wish you healing. There are a lot of different pieces of the site. What you find useful will depend on what you want! -social posts: sharing art or photos, or just chatting -trauma diaries...

In the early days of trauma therapy, I would sometimes feel agitated and have flashbacks that I would need to calm. Nowadays, that doesn't happen so often. If we open a new trauma door, my most common reaction is intense exhaustion.

Vegetarian tacos from the local pupuseria (a pupusa is a stuffed tortilla, from Central American cuisine). Homemade tortillas, with smashed red beans, cheese, and avocado. Added a little Tabasco sauce for a zip. Wendell-made green salad on the side, with our home-brew vinaigrette (red wine...

Sunset on the Potomac River, near one of the locks on the old Chesapeake & Ohio Canal.

Congratulations on finishing such a big project!

Comfort food: bran flakes, granola, and raisins, with milk and yogurt.

Your therapist can tell you exactly what they are required to tell others (which is only a very few things), and what things they won't share. You can tell your therapist that there's something important that you would like to share, but are afraid of consequences if your parents find out.

Lots of us here have had those experiences of denial and numbness. I know exactly what you mean that you can only feel when you see one of your friends in trouble. And lots of us struggle with admitting how we feel to our therapists. You're not alone. You can print out your post and give it...

That sure sounds like porn is hurting your relationship, in a very clear way.

I grew up in an environment that had lots of sex, but no affection, and asking for any closeness was dangerous. Starting when I was around 11, I discovered porn and got hooked. For me, it's an addiction. Independent of its morality, I can't indulge in it without it taking over my life and...

Hugs, hugs, & hugs, @Defaultxlove , and for the dog's family, too.

We can imagine why that is frightening, and we wish you healing from that. We have some hallucination-like symptoms that are a little bit similar. Our arm has hurt in the past when some frightened parts came up. We called it a hallucination instead of psychosis because we know what's real...

When I was in elementary school, I was told that as a young child I was at a party with my parents. I reached for some peanuts, my father whacked me, the peanut stuck in my throat, and I got pneumonia. Hearing the story, I always had the impression that I was around 4 or so. But there in my...