Mental Prison
Narcissistic Parents, Prisoners and Dissociation
The Similarities of a Narcissistic Family and a Prison System Growing up in a narcissistic family system can be likened to being imprisoned - because the family dynamics mirror the…
Hand with pen over application form
The International Trauma Questionnaire
Symptoms of PTSD and Complex PTSD The International Trauma Questionnaire focuses on defining whether a person has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which consists of:Re-experiencing in the here and nowAvoidanceSense of…
Addictions
What is an Addiction?An addiction is a repetitive or compulsive behaviour that people use to regulate and manage their emotions. These can be emotions we are aware of or they…
Symptoms of Trauma
Trauma survivors have symptoms of the trauma in their behaviours and thoughts, these are not their personality or character but are echoes of trauma. Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is…
3D rendered medical illustration of male anatomy - amygdala. plain black background. lateral view
The Brain and Trauma
Swollen AmygdalaA child living under traumatic conditions will develop a brain that is very biased to danger. This will last into adulthood. This is done through the amygdala which is…
Triggers and Triggering
A child who has lived in a situation of stress and abuse for a prolonged time will usually develop Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is an elaborate system of…
How We Become Our Own Abuser
Children of narcissists will often ‘internalise the narcissist’. This means to develop part of the brain/personality which mirrors/copies the narcissist’s critical voice. This defence mechanism ensures that the child can…
Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to adapt physically to new information and grow new neural pathways. It is how we learn. The brain can form new neurons (any…
Two coffee cups
Black and White Thinking
Black and white, all or nothing or dichotomous thinking is a pattern of thinking that develops in early childhood.It develops in children who have come from difficult backgrounds where there…