Childhood Trauma Linked to Mental Illness

By Bobby Shriver Is mental illness caused by childhood trauma? It turns out that the early traumatic experiences you dealt with as a child can actually have a lasting impact on your life as you come of age. But these experiences can manifest themselves in adulthood as more than… Read More

Childhood Abuse is More Prevalent Than You Think

Childhood abuse and neglect have a genuine impact on mental and physical health. Whether the abuse was a one-time incident of inappropriate sexual interaction or a situation involving ongoing belittling, neglect, or violence by a parent, the toll abuse takes on a child is significant. Read More

Adult Children: Why We Need to Heal Past Trauma

The dysfunction that adult children learn when they are young can make them more likely to experience further trauma or turn to addiction. Read More

The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Adult Sexuality

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has the potential to transform the trajectory of your life in a multitude of ways. While the effects of childhood sexual abuse are largely individualized and can manifest at different points throughout your lifespan, commonly reported symptoms and long-term effects include dissociation, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, relationship difficulties, and addictive or compulsive patterns of behavior. Read More

PTSD in Children of Alcoholics

By Bobby Shriver In addition to the basics of food and shelter, children also need stability, consistency, and emotional care in order to thrive. Typically, at a young age, children form an emotional attachment with their caregivers, and this has an influence on their development. The most important emotional attachment… Read More

How the Media Portrays Black Trauma

In 2020, the death of George Floyd ignited protests across America over race relations and the treatment of Black people, especially by law enforcement. The Black Lives Matter movement gained prominence, and Black trauma became a critical point of conversation within both corporate and civil spheres. More recently, the death of Tyre Nichols has incited more outrage and protests and renewed a push for racial justice and police reform. Read More

An Intro to Dr. Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model

What is Dr. Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model? Different from a treatment technique, the Neurosequential Model is a method for organizing a child’s history of trauma, neglect, or abuse, and assessing how they are currently functioning. Using this method, a clinician can identify key problems, strengths, and therapeutic interventions so that the child’s network — family, educators, therapists, and other treatment professionals — can work together to meet the child’s needs. Read More

What Is Religious Trauma Syndrome?

What is religious trauma syndrome (RTS)? This is a term for the trauma disorder that develops as a result of suffering mental or physical abuse in religious environments or under the guise of religion. Because religion is often very personal and has a strong structure for authority, it has been used by certain individuals and communities as a means by which to wield power over others. Like toxic political or cultural systems, toxic religious systems can cause a great deal of personal and social harm. However, those who have survived this toxicity can recover, even to the point of rediscovering and thriving in healthy spiritual beliefs.  Read More

Failed Adoptions: Mental Health Aftermath

All of us know someone who has navigated the adoption process. In fact, according to a study published by the Children’s Bureau at the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF), nearly 59,000 children were adopted in 2020. Consequently, the number of children waiting to be adopted also fell in 2020 to 117,000. By all accounts, the system appears to be working. What you don’t hear about, however, is the number of failed adoptions every year. American Adoptions, one of the country’s leading domestic adoption agencies estimates the failed adoption rate to be anywhere from 15-20% for domestic placements. This disruption can be devastating not only for the adoptive family, but for the adoptee, proving traumatic for all involved. Read More

Breaking Down The Model: Part IV -Relational Problems and Recovery

In this last installment of Breaking Down The Model, we will explore Relational problems that have been caused by trauma, immaturity and secondary symptoms. Relational problems can stem from any extreme in any of The Core Issues, as well as from the secondary symptoms. In other words, due to trauma, immaturity and the secondary symptoms, we can develop relational problems. Let's explore each of the relational problems. Read More