-
My Healing Journey
When I was entrenched in my trauma, healing little by little, the thought of leaving it behind was scary. Will healing take me to a place far away from ‘familiar’ and ‘comfortable’? Will I leave a dark place of loneliness and isolation for a different place of loneliness and isolation? Will the change make life…
-
Exploring Interoception and Exteroception for Mindfulness Practice
Let’s explore the concepts of Interoception and Exteroception and how they can be used to help individuals stay present in the moment. These can be particularly helpful for Dissociation. As we navigate through our daily lives, it can be challenging to remain grounded and mindful of our surroundings. However, by exploring these two concepts, we…
-
Happy Holidays
Wishing you joy, love, and peace this holiday season. The holidays can be tough for many people, especially if you are away from family, experiencing grief and loss, or going through a mental health challenge. Happy Holidays to those who may be feeling alone this season, as they are in the process of setting boundaries…
-
Self image issues in young women
We are currently living in a world where young girls and women are competing with a standard of beauty that is unfortunately not real. Thanks to social media filters, our definition of “beauty” has become something that actually does not exist. At the same time, we are seeing increased rates of plastic surgery, body dysmorphia,…
-
Intimate Partner Violence
*Trigger warning – Intimate Partner Violence/Domestic Violence Today is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Unfortunately, a couple days ago, a Pakistani man unalived his wife in front of their two children in the quiet suburb of Milton, Ontario in Canada. This breaks my heart. For the poor woman whose parents and…
-
Good Enough
A belief of not being good enough is often deeply rooted in Trauma. It cannot be changed cognitively alone, through reality testing. Healing occurs through long-standing relationships where the person’s goodness is reflected back to them over and over again. For how long? Long enough for the right hemisphere to truly take it in.
-
Hypervigilance – a protective part
Trauma survivors often develop protective parts that help them survive their trauma. One of these parts is called the Hypervigilant part. The Hypervigilant part in Trauma survivors prevents them from spontaneously engaging in day-to-day life without triggering the “alarm system” of the brain. If this is you, start by noticing when your Hypervigilant part becomes…
-
Misogyny
More men, particularly Pakistani men, need to be taught what it means to be a man, a feminist, an ally. Unfortunately too many are raised with toxic masculinity, misogyny, an inflated sense of entitlement, gender based double standards, even narcissism. Culturally, this is perpetuated by male members of the society but also female members –…