Category: Complex PTSD

Expanding Your Life: Unearthing Negative Core Beliefs

I don’t think I’ve ever gone this long without posting.  For what it’s worth, I’m almost ready to move from the Twin Cities to the Bay Area.  This has been a daunting task requiring maximum effort.  So much good has come from the endless… Continue Reading “Expanding Your Life: Unearthing Negative Core Beliefs”

Challenging the Ex Factor

I have been winding down my life in the cold North in preparation to pack it up and move it to the Bay Area.  Adieu, snow and cold.  Hello, Karl! This is Karl: Karl the Fog has his own Twitter (@KarltheFog) and Instagram (karlthefog)… Continue Reading “Challenging the Ex Factor”

Generalized Anxiety vs. PTSD Anxiety

I have devoted a lot of space on this blog to writing about PTSD, C+PTSD, and healing from trauma.  I’ve been honest about my own journey towards wholeness.  What I share here is an attempt to elucidate the emotional experience behind C+PTSD in specific… Continue Reading “Generalized Anxiety vs. PTSD Anxiety”

Pushing Back against Malignant Core Beliefs

I want to talk about negative core beliefs and dissonance–and perhaps a way to challenge them effectively.  Bear with me as I get there.  I have written a lot about my last two years in therapy with a neuroscientist.  I didn’t know initially that… Continue Reading “Pushing Back against Malignant Core Beliefs”

Easing into The Season

For my non-American readers, Thursday was Thanksgiving here in the States.  It is a big deal.  It marks the beginning of The Holidays–a season of high stress, joy, high consumerism on display, dread, meaningful religious observations, turmoil, GERD, Mariah Carey on loop, and so… Continue Reading “Easing into The Season”

The Neuroscience behind Feeling Stuck

I have recently been reading a lot of material on the endocrine system and neurology.  Why? Anatomy and Physiology II.  Brain, brain, brain, brain.  What I’ve learned, aside from more than I ever expected to know about hormones, is that distress of all kinds… Continue Reading “The Neuroscience behind Feeling Stuck”

How to Grow Up Again

I walked into my therapist’s office in March 2015 with a mind to figure out what was wrong with my marriage and, thereby, me.  I told him that I knew something was happening to me that was probably not good, but, seeing that I… Continue Reading “How to Grow Up Again”

Claude and Me

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like people knowing about my deeper, darker trauma history.  I don’t like people knowing that I ultimately ended my marriage because of domestic violence.  It goes without saying that I don’t like people knowing that I… Continue Reading “Claude and Me”

The Essence of Healing

I wanted to write something germane to your life and process.  Something that might speak to you.  To anyone.  To everyone.  Perhaps this might. I go to therapy every Tuesday.  I like to think that I’m ‘getting it done’ whatever ‘it’ is, but, as… Continue Reading “The Essence of Healing”

The Power of What If

This idea came to mind yesterday as I was beginning to dread my next EMDR session.  EMDR itself is fine.  It’s the time in between sessions that I truly dislike.  My brain has gone into hyperdrive, and traumatic memory after traumatic memory is pouring… Continue Reading “The Power of What If”