Tag: trauma
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Christian Trauma In The Face Of Rising Christian Fascism
Of all the decisions handed down by the Supreme Court in June, the one that gave me the worst panic attacks was Kennedy vs Bremerton School District. Surprised? I’ve certainly written a lot more about the overturning of Roe vs Wade in light of my own adoption trauma. But high school football coach Joseph Kennedy…
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How Sharing Trauma Can Make A Difference
Heartbreaking Stories of “Late Term Abortions” Helped Me See The Lies I’d Been Told By the “Pro-Life” Movement I was raised to believe abortion was murder. That as an adoptee, it was only because I was born before Roe v Wade that I was born at all. My mother told me often, when I complained…
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No, Love Doesn’t Win
It’s been a rough few days. A good friend of mine, venting rage and frustration about the general loss of bodily autonomy and civil rights we’re witnessing said something along the lines of, “I know love wins and all that, but right now I’m angry.” They were posting on social media to an audience that…
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It’s All Just Too Much
Two years ago I wrote about the Collective Trauma of George Floyd’s Murder. Since then, over a million Americans have died from Covid. We watched a violent insurrection take place at our Capitol. Police killings haven’t even slowed down, much less stopped. An insidious attack on books in libraries and classrooms has blossomed into an…
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Why I Hate Mother’s Day. Also, Please Don’t Say This To Me
Mother’s Day is really painful for people with abusive childhoods. We try to avoid the day on social media, but it’s nearly impossible. Obviously lots of people have mother’s worth celebrating or that they miss, and they deserve to have a day. But there needs to be a way for those of us with trauma…
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The Mórrígan as Mother and More: My Appearance on Personal Pans
I had the honor of appearing this week on the Personal Pans podcast with Vanessa Walilko. We had so much fun, I feel like I’ve gained a new friend. Here’s how she described the episode: What happens when your mother is not a mother? Where do you find a maternal figure? When you find yourself…
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Do Abusive Ancestors Grow On The Other Side?
More thoughts spurred by Tyler Henry’s new Netflix series, Life After Death. In one episode, Tyler gives a message where a departed mother apologizes for how she treated her child in life. “I see it now,” Tyler quotes her as saying to him. “I couldn’t before but I do now.” (May not be exact, I’m…
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Tyler Henry’s Adoption Trauma
Last night I binged the whole season of Life After Death With Tyler Henry. Concurrent with the various readings Henry gives to strangers, the season details the emotional drama surrounding his Mom’s newly-discovered adoption. Obviously, I had a lot of feelings, and there was a lot that I related to as the season progressed. Theresa…
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Spring in Appalachia: Starting a Farm With Trauma
It’s an absolutely beautiful day here in western North Carolina. We’re having a run of unseasonably warm weather which has me itching to get the garden going. I have dreams. Big dreams. Lush flowerbeds, a full-on witch’s garden with all my favorite poison plants, and of course enough veggies to feed a small army (or…
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Britney Spears: Trauma Is Messy Cut Her Some Slack
For 13 years, Britney Spears wasn’t allowed to stand up for herself. She was not allowed to speak publicly without a filter. Her every move was controlled, to the point of being forced to take medication and even have an IUD implanted against her will. The fact that it was her own family who put…
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Mourning Dexter
I am not ok today, and the reasons why are really throwing me for a loop. It just doesn’t make sense except as a trauma response. Apologies if this article is messy and disjointed, but I’m trying to sort this out. I’m grieving y’all. Spoiler alert: I’m going to discuss the end of Dexter: New…
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The Goddess Áine and Sexual Trauma
CW: Sexual Assault Áine (pronounced awn-ya) is a powerful Sovereignty Goddess centered in Co. Limerick, Ireland. She’s celebrated at the summer solstice, when farmers would (and sometimes still do) light torches from the sacred fire atop her hill – Knockainey – and patrol the borders of their fields with her fire. She’s a Goddess of…
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Can People With Family Trauma Do Ancestor Work?
So apparently there are some occult-types who think Ancestor veneration is required for all of us. But for those of us with trauma, family is often a tricky subject. If you don’t know what it’s like to be disowned or rejected by family, you really don’t have a clue how painful the idea of setting…