Articles on Abuse & Trauma

Jocelyn St.Cyr, LICSW So many of us have convinced ourselves that it’s wrong to feel angry. We shouldn’t feel angry, we think, because there are healthier ways to respond when something is wrong. We see anger as something to be “dealt with” or “managed” as if its presence can only destroy. That, however, couldn’t be further from…

As a New Yorker who experienced 9/11, I often find myself feeling triggered by large-scale community tragedies. Whether it’s coverage of a terrorist attack, or a mass shooting, etc… four things tend to happen to me at different times: I sometimes feel detached, or angry and frustrated in some way, or I’m really slow in…

After the fog clears from a painful relationship, a loss, or some other traumatic experience, you’ll suddenly realize you have no idea who you are anymore. Even though it’s scary and overwhelming to realize this, I want to encourage you to rethink what this really means. Here’s what happened: That period in your life took…

Fact: You CAN heal from trauma. You can live a full and meaningful life, even with what’s happened in your past.  If you listen to the stories of other trauma survivors, you’ll hear that even though it’s hard, healing is possible.   Often though, the path through healing can feel like a maze. Where do…

One of the most important steps you can take towards your healing is to get social support. Selecting people in your life who care for you and treat you with respect can help heal emotional scars caused by others, get you through tough seasons, and lessen the feeling of being alone.  C.S. Lewis once said, “Friendship…

I am continually inspired by those who use their pain to bring healing to others. It is something I strive for myself, and encourage others to do. Below is a list of seven celebrities who have taken their pain and turned it into their passion. The argument can be made, that because these are celebrities, it…