Mental Health Education: Trauma Insights & Resources

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The somatic wound of being unwanted

Photo by Adrian Swancar on Unsplash Some people grow up with a bone-deep knowing that their existence was never welcomed. Not planned. Not hoped for. A presence marked by burden rather than celebration. This knowing is felt in the nervous system, informing how someone perceives themselves, navigates relationships, and finds meaning in life. Clinicians might […]

#DID and social media: What happens when a diagnosis goes viral

If you scroll through TikTok or Instagram and you might encounter a creator introducing their "system," listing out alters with names, ages, and personality traits. Some wear different clothes to represent different parts. Others use filters or voice changes to depict internal switches. Hashtags include #DID, #MultiplePersonalities, or #PluralGang, reaching billions of views. As a […]

The Trauma of Forced Life Support

In Georgia, a woman named Adriana Smith has been declared brain dead for more than three months. At nine weeks pregnant she suffered a catastrophic medical event involving a series of undiagnosed blood clots. Despite being declared brain dead, her body remains on life support. This is because Georgia law mandates the continuation of life-sustaining […]

Rethinking the bystander effect through the murder of George Floyd: What if everything we thought we knew about bystander behavior was wrong?

For decades, the "bystander effect" has painted a chilling picture: when emergencies unfold, the presence of others correlates with inaction. Psychologists have taught this principle in classrooms, cited it in publications, and invoked it in public discourse. But a new study analyzing the murder of George Floyd dismantles that narrative in the most painful, visible […]

Understanding Shame-Induced Dissociation in Trauma Survivors

Photo by Vinicius "amnx" Amano on Unsplash POV: You're looking in the bathroom mirror when an old shameful memory suddenly surfaces. A sense of detachment creeps in and you feel like you're staring at a stranger. Your reflection stares back at you, unfamiliar. This is what shame-induced dissociation can feel like—a sudden rupture between the […]

What Happens When Your Abuser Dies?

Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash “How do I grieve someone who caused me so much pain?” This question is asked in therapy offices across the world by survivors who find themselves dealing with the death of their abuser. For many, the perpetrator's death doesn’t bring the immediate closure or relief they may have […]

Domestic violence jokes aren't funny—they're dangerous

Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made a dangerous quip at a recent Trump rally when he compared a popular NFL player to a notorious figure linked to domestic violence and murder. “I don’t know about you guys, but I think Travis Kelce might be the next O.J. Simpson,” he said. In one breath, he injected brutal images […]

Ghosts in the Nursery: how trauma haunts parent-child relationships

Picture this: A mother soothes her crying infant in the middle of the night. She rocks her baby gently, but as the minutes lengthen she feels a sting of something uncomfortable. The baby’s cries are grating — not because they are loud — but because they stir a horrific tension within her. She withdraws as […]

The impact of childhood trauma on pregnancy and childbirth: understanding and preventing traumatic reenactment in maternity care

When you think of childbirth you might imagine personal transformation, joy, and even empowerment. For many parents, this is true. But for individuals with a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), pregnancy and childbirth can kick up unwelcome reminders of past trauma. And because trauma healing is not linear, the journey to bring new life […]

Understanding masking through Taylor Swift’s “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”

Taylor Swift’s sparkly ballad “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” highlights a harsh reality for many individuals struggling with their mental health: the need to hide their pain behind a mask of resilience. As a clinical psychologist, I see this behavior often—individuals who, due to societal expectations or internalized shame, feel compelled to […]

Where did you just go? An overview of dissociation

The British television series, Fleabag, offers a clever depiction of dissociation through its heroine's frequent asides to the camera. These moments extend beyond a dramatic device; they serve as a mechanism for the character to disconnect from her surroundings and shelter from the internal storm of her traumatic grief. This disconnection is further highlighted in […]

Childhood Trauma: a hidden link to adult headache disorders

I recently came across a research paper that found a link between childhood trauma and adult headache disorders. A comprehensive meta-analysis detailed in the October 2023 issue of Neurology suggested that people who have experienced childhood trauma are significantly more likely to experience various types of headaches as adults (Sikorski et al., 2023). This was […]

Understanding the red flags of narcissistic abuse through Taylor Swift's “The Tortured Poets Department”

In Taylor Swift's moody synth-pop track “The Tortured Poets Department,” one particular lyric stands out for its raw portrayal of manipulation and control: “You told Lucy you’d kill yourself if I ever leave.” This line sheds light on a troubling dynamic often found in abusive relationships, where threats of self-harm or suicide are used as […]

A leaked letter shows how OBGYNs disregard emotional health in childbirth. Here is how this traumatizes birthing people

As a clinical psychologist specializing in birth trauma, I’m all-too-familiar with the many ways the medical experience of childbirth – which 33-45% of birthing people report as being a traumatic experience – can lead to poor mental health outcomes. My clients say, and research confirms, that the most profound components of birth trauma are the […]

Prince Harry swears by EMDR. Here's what it is

When Prince Harry recently started speaking out about the harmful ways that both his family and the media treated his wife, Meghan -- and how it re-triggered his trauma around his mom’s reminiscent experience and premature demise -- he mentioned what has helped him heal: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, or EMDR. He told […]

We need to address colorism in the therapy room if we hope to start healing as a nation

When I was in second grade, a classmate approached my desk. “You’re brown,” he declared, his face contorted with repugnance. I turned and we locked eyes. He was brown like me, maybe a shade lighter. I was shocked. In cursing my brown skin, he was proclaiming his hatred of his own, the complete opposite of […]

Millions of pregnant parents have past sexual trauma. We need to support them better

When Nicole* came to see me, she was pregnant with her second child. Nicole, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, was terrified about giving birth again. And she felt completely alone with her fears and feelings. Twenty percent of women are sexual assault survivors. Another 20% are survivors of childhood sexual abuse. More than 80% […]

We need to start talking about birth trauma

Imagine this: there are two people in labor at the same time at a hospital. Both of them planned vaginal childbirths. But their labors didn’t go smoothly, and the well-being of their babies dictated that both undergo emergency caesarean sections. Both ultimately delivered healthy babies, but that’s where the similarity of experience ended. Their postpartum […]

How today’s trauma can affect future generations – and how to stop it

We are currently living through a confluence of mass trauma events: a global pandemic; oppressive forces of white supremacy; a dangerously partisan political environment; an escalating climate crisis. Mounting evidence suggests that once some of these disasters ebb, the trauma they have inflicted can have lingering effects, even on future generations. In other words, the […]

Moral injury and COVID: how to protect our front-line healthcare workers

COVID-19 rates are soaring nationwide, setting new records nearly every day. Recent reports show that doctors have learned a lot about how COVID operates in the past eight months – leading to briefer hospitalizations and fewer deaths. But as hospitals reach and then exceed capacity, doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers are again facing situations […]

5 things moms can do postpartum to support their mental health

(This post was originally published to AfterThird) The perinatal period – which lasts from pregnancy until a year after childbirth – is a time of great psychological vulnerability, which has only been heightened due to COVID-19. Approximately one in seven perinatal women will experience depression, anxiety or another significant mood concern. Postpartum depression and anxiety can […]

How the just world hypothesis worsens the trauma of sexual assault survivors

People tend to mistake their own perceptions for universal reality. When it comes to politics, that tendency leads to our current hyper-partisan political environment, where people tapping into different media ecosystems may as well be living on different planets. When it comes to race, we see a cohort that cannot recognize the way white supremacy […]

Trending Now

Where did you just go? An overview of dissociation

Childhood Trauma: a hidden link to adult headache disorders

Prince Harry swears by EMDR. Here's what it is

5 things moms can do postpartum to support their mental health

Additional Therapy Resources

Trauma

Grief/Loss

EMDR

Somatic Therapy

Trauma Research

Resources for Trauma

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) – offers research/training in trauma and dissociation
https://www.istss.org
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) – childhood trauma resources
https://www.nctsn.org

Resources for Grief/Loss

Resources for EMDR

EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) – Info on EMDR therapy, certification, and training
https://www.emdria.org
Francine Shapiro Library (EMDR Research studies/articles & resources)
https://emdria.omeka.net

Resources for Somatic Therapy

Somatic Experiencing^® Trauma Institute
https://traumahealing.org
Hakomi Institute – info on mindfulness-based somatic therapy
https://hakomiinstitute.com

Resources for Trauma Research

National Center for PTSD – PTSD research, articles etc
https://www.ptsd.va.gov
Trauma and Resilience Research Group (Columbia University) – research on trauma’s impact on children/adolescents
https://www.childtraumaresearch.org

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At the Manhattan Center for Trauma Studies, we offer a wide range of trauma-focused courses and workshops for therapists at every stage of their career. Whether you’re new to trauma therapy or looking to enhance your existing skills, we provide the tools, knowledge, and community to support your growth.