english

Gauge your inner Life

by Theresa on July 31, 2017 in basics, DBT Skills, english, Self-regulation

The three main concepts we need for self-regulation are gauges, regulators and containers. As staying within the window of tolerance is one of our main goals (the other two are „being in the present“ and „being connected“) we need something that helps us to figure out where we are at. We need some kind of […]

SkillKit to go

by Theresa on July 28, 2017 in basics, DBT Skills, english, Self-regulation

We have talked about the window of tolerance, how you can use Skills to stop dissociation and self-harm using both body and mind, how to use Skills to stay within your window of tolerance through relational regulation, distraction, containment, imagery and mindfulness. We also explained how to chain Skills to make them the most effective. […]

Rhythm and Routines

by Theresa on July 26, 2017 in english, self-care & life-skills

Nature moves at the sound of a silent melody. It is full of rhythm. Day and night. The moon, ever increasing and decreasing. The tides that come and go. Autumn following summer, every year. Blossoms, fruit and new seeds for blossoms. Humans are part of nature and we carry our own rhythm with us. Breathing […]

Managing Menstruation (Life Skills)

by Theresa on July 24, 2017 in english, self-care & life-skills

If you are male-bodied this will not be of any use for you. Feel free to keep reading though, if you are interested in PTSD-related struggles with female menstruation. If you have a female body and this is concerning you, please make sure that you are properly grounded before reading. This post contains mention of […]

Shopping Queen – on a budget (Life Skills)

by Theresa on July 21, 2017 in english, self-care & life-skills

The place where you can cut costs the most is food. But you don’t want to compromise with your health! The best way to save money on food is to learn how to cook. Fastfood is expensive and/or seriously unhealthy. Make eating out special by not doing it. Pick a few meals you want to […]

Living on a Budget (Life Skills)

by Theresa on July 20, 2017 in english, self-care & life-skills

PTSD and DID often means not being able to work full-time, if at all. It comes with financial struggles. Learning how to live with less money becomes an important life skill. To live within your means you need to know what you have and what you are spending it on. Start with a list where […]

A scientific method to find more unicorns

by Theresa on July 17, 2017 in basics, english

Trauma changes the brain. It gets wired to pay greater attention to danger, pain and possible threats. You could say that our brain is constantly watching out for Nazgul. No wonder we are often absorbed in our pain and despair! The time of the Nazgul is over, but we need to teach our brain […]

DID Myths and Misconceptions (guest post)

by Theresa on July 14, 2017 in DID, english, for helpers

I have spent quite a lot of time in my life in denial about having DID. One of the reasons for that was that I had seen things on the media, I had heard things about DID, and those things were very different from my experience. It took me years to understand that everyone else […]

Anchor in the Here and Now (Grounding)

by Theresa on July 13, 2017 in basics, english

Living with PTSD (and especially dissociation up to DID) means living in a constant battle between the „here and now“ and the „then and there“. Memories are stored differently and a trigger can make you re-experience the past like it is happening now. Add dissociation and parts of you stuck in trauma time and you […]

Going to the doctor/dentist like a pro

by Theresa on July 12, 2017 in english, self-care & life-skills

Going to the doctor is part of basic self-care. It can save your life. Regular medical check-ups help notice a problem before it gets so big, that it will be serious. It saves you money but also protects you from more intense procedures and possibly death. For many trauma survivors doctors appointments are difficult and […]

You can’t find Unicorns in Mordor

by Theresa on July 10, 2017 in basics, english, Self-regulation

I keep seeing this picture on social media. I guess it could be an inspiration for people to try new things? It looks good, right? Truth is, it is dangerous nonsense that can cause your symptoms to explode. If we tried to get it scientifically right the picture needs to look something like this. Magic […]

Happen! (core values)

by Theresa on July 6, 2017 in english, mindset & thoughts

Are you sick and tired of feeling helpless and having things happen to you? Many trauma survivors find themselves in this position over and over again. They feel trapped in a cycle of falling for new abusive people, experiencing personal disasters and being knocked down by life over and over again. It’s enough to make […]