In honor of National PTSD Awareness Day, set aside a few minutes to join Friends Fight Back as we fight for awareness, education, and understanding of this brutal disorder. PTSD doesn't have to be a life sentence.
Pre-event jitters
I’m always on the hunt for something that might make a difference in the way you see your own battle with PTSD or that will help someone else understand a little bit of what it’s like to live with this disorder. Every once in a while, the perfect situation drops into place and - *boom*... Continue Reading →
Friends fight back
June is National PTSD Awareness Month! Today's post isn't actually a normal posts. Instead, it's an announcement - cue the trumpets! Dr. Lisa Campbell and I have embarked on a new joint adventure. We had so much fun together during our mini-publicity tour that we decided it needed to be a regular gig. We have... Continue Reading →
Mental injury
Years ago, I choked on a bite of food. I’m not using the word choked lightly here, people. There was a moment when I believed I was about to die right in front of my child. I wasn’t coughing and sputtering – I couldn’t – because I wasn’t able to breathe – like, at all.... Continue Reading →
Time bomb
May. Almost overnight, trees naked since before Halloween sprout bright green leaves, flowers pop, and the sun’s rays are warm enough to pink exposed cheeks and noses. School-aged children smell the freedom that lurks just out of reach, but it’s not yet hotter than an August day in hell. Nor are there insects buzzing around... Continue Reading →
Radio waves
Dr. Lisa Campbell and I did a radio interview about PTSD and you can listen to it here!
A broken heart
I am not French. I am not Catholic. I'm not even religious. But centuries-old places of worship intrigue me. It doesn't matter where they are or which religion they were built to serve, when I visit I can feel the stories of those who have celebrated, mourned, or simply survived within their walls. I touch... Continue Reading →
Triggers 101: boom, bang, pizza
In my first post after our big Italian adventure, I promised to write about triggering while traveling. For those of you who have been waiting with bated breath for that post to drop, today’s your lucky day! Let’s dig in. First, I want you to understand what a trigger is. To do that, I’m going... Continue Reading →
The cat in the backpack
Once upon a time, a mom embarked on an adventure with her son, their two corgis, and Jasper - the cat in the backpack. They traveled by car from Upstate New York to Western Washington over the course of three weeks. They visited amazing places, slept in random motels, ate whatever they could forage along... Continue Reading →
Shake, shiver, swirl
If the weather prediction is right, the snow falling outside my window right this minute is only the beginning of – ♬ dun-dun-duuuun ♬ – Snowmageddon 2019. Seriously, that’s what they’re calling it, folks, except when they’re calling it Snowpocalypse 2019. I find this so amusing that I’ve been texting my friends and family in... Continue Reading →
To sleep or not to sleep?
Even before my life went all topsy-turvy, sleeping through the night was not one of my gifts. I come by insomnia naturally. My grandpa used to joke that my grandma got up in the middle of the night because it was the only way she could get any time to herself. My mom and various... Continue Reading →
In the moment
I love to travel. I get that this is not breaking news to any of you who have followed my blog from day one. You’ve probably even clued into this passion of mine if you’re a more recent convert. It’s not a secret. From the beginning of time as I know it, I have yearned... Continue Reading →
As we wrap up 2018, I've been thinking about the progress I've made and the challenges I hope to conquer in the coming year. I'm feeling good. I hope you are too. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself is to escape the day-to-day grind and get away. And let me tell you,... Continue Reading →
I see you
For weeks, I’ve been picking my way through a post that I can’t seem to pin down. It’s an important one so I’ve been whittling away at it a little bit at a time. Well, maybe not whittling – more like taking an axe to the dang thing every few days and then starting over.... Continue Reading →
A haircut and a movie
Yesterday morning, I settled into my comfy chair with a cup of coffee steaming nearby. My dogs positioned themselves at my feet and a cat settled on my lap between me and my computer. Dvořák’s New World Symphony offered just the right amount of background blur to encourage my creativity to hum along. I have... Continue Reading →
Get up and go
“Maybe you don’t feel like it, but you need to do it anyway.” That’s what the little voice inside my head kept repeating this morning. It’s Sunday. I was still in my pajamas with a cat on my lap as the clock ticked ever closer to 10 am. I’m not going to lie, there are... Continue Reading →
A square on the calendar
After a major trauma, an ever-expanding collection of discarded calendar pages can sometimes feel like a small achievement to savor. It allows you to quantify how far you’ve come since your life disintegrated before your very eyes. It provides an opportunity to look at the progress you’ve made and set a plan of attack for... Continue Reading →
Let’s celebrate!
Today is publishing day! When I was very young, my mom would fetch our ancient typewriter out of the closet every single time I asked. It was heavy and I was small. She would position it carefully on the kitchen table. Then, I would climb up onto the orange, bar-height, vinyl, revolving chair and prepare... Continue Reading →
Keep going
I have a lot of magnets on my fridge. Most are photos of places and people I like to look at every time I’m in the kitchen. My fridge is a giant collage frame, but with yummy things to eat and drink stashed just behind the memories. There are a few other magnets too, like... Continue Reading →
Behavioral Activation for PTSD
It's official, folks! I have co-authored a book with my good friend and PTSD specialist, Dr. Lisa Campbell. Behavioral Activation for PTSD: A Workbook for Men applies the principles of the proactive behavioral activation approach to trauma-related symptoms. It offers exercises to help survivors overcome their triggers and avoidance behaviors by reintroducing positive, mood-boosting activities.... Continue Reading →
Blame, shame, and silence
I am not going to sugarcoat this, today’s been rough. I’ve been humming along, cheerful and almost-whole for a while now. So this morning I didn’t recognize what was happening at first. Then it hit me, I was triggering and it was because Christine Blasey Ford was testifying in front of the whole dang country.... Continue Reading →
