Author: Diane Wagenhals
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The Body May Not Always Keep the Score
Over the last year or so, there have been articles, Instagram content and new books refuting the very popular book by Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score. It was required reading in our Applying Trauma Principles course and our participants consistently say it is valuable to them. Here’s some background information: Bessel…
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Have You Ever Been Betrayed? Part Two
In Part 1, I invited you to consider the definition of betrayal, why trust is so important in relationships, the psychological impact of betrayal, and how a loss of trust can impact an individual and their relationship with the one who betrayed them. I believe there is something comforting in having these reactions to betrayal…
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Another Way to Look at Mother’s Day
Many of us celebrated Mother’s Day this past Sunday. My daughter and grandchildren took me out to dinner which was lovely. I felt very loved and honored for my role in their lives. But I got to thinking about the women who are not mothers and how sad the day might be for them. Then…
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Have You Ever Been Betrayed? Part One
Have you ever been betrayed? I think most of us would answer yes to this question. Some of us have been betrayed by family members or friends. Sometimes we have been betrayed by our employer. Sometimes by our government. As usual, I did some research that I found helpful. I hope it is helpful to…
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Have You Ever Been Gaslighted?
Recently I watched the 1944 classic film Gaslight, described by Wikipedia as “the quintessential film that gave the term ‘gaslighting’ its name. Starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, it follows Paula, a young woman whose husband manipulates her into doubting her sanity to conceal his criminal activities. The film is a psychological thriller that explores…
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Thoughts on “The Stories We Tell Ourselves”
For several weeks I have been updating a workshop I wrote over 10 years ago entitled “Exploring Family Legacies.” I came across a section that invites attendees to consider the stories they are telling themselves and the power these stories can have on them. I thought you might find the information interesting and helpful. A…
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Do You Know Someone Who is Cavalier?
Recently I was discussing something with a friend about an issue I was facing, and they did the equivalent of rolling their eyes as if to say, “What’s the big deal about this?” It wasn’t meant to be a mean statement and there was no intention of discounting me or what I was saying. It…
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How We Celebrate the Holidays
This is a very special time of the year, one where we have our traditions and for many of us, celebrate our religious beliefs. For the last several weeks my colleague and friend, Cathleen, and I have been developing a workshop on The Intersection of Trauma and Spirituality and Religion. I thought I would share…
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The Antidote for Spending Too Much Energy on Dreaming
In my last blog I invited you to consider the possible problems with dwelling on your dreams based on advice Professor Dumbledore shared with Harry Potter, “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” He shared this advice after catching Harry becoming addicted to the Mirror of Erised that focused on the desires…