This section holds an archive of links to chats held in 2021.
For many, the holiday season triggers Grief. We can forget that we need to grieve for ourselves, for what was taken from us, for what will never be. It's a painful but important part of healing.
12/7/2021: Coping with the Holidays
What are the challenges of the Holiday Season for survivors? Do we endure, embrace or ignore the holidays?
11/30/2021: Trauma's Impacts on Others
How does our trauma affect the people in our lives? What is the collateral damage?
Last week #SurvivorTough Chat discussed sleep. Once we fall asleep many of us are plagued by Dreams and/or Nightmares. How do we process them?
11/2/2021: Experiencing Flashbacks
During a Flashback we are reliving an event. How do we get out of it and back into the present moment? Do Flashbacks ever stop?
10/26/2021: Experiencing Recall
#SurvivorTough chat will be doing a 2 part series on Flashbacks and Recall. Recall is remembering an event. Flashbacks are reliving an event.
Everyone has an Inner Child. How do we learn to embrace and validate our Inner Child?
Peer Support can play an important role in a survivor's journey. What are the benefits and drawbacks of seeking, receiving and giving Peer Support?
Sometimes we actively prevent ourselves from getting the things we want and need. How and why do we Self Sabotage? Are we even aware when we do?
9/28.2021: Social Media and Survivorship
Social Media has become a part of our everyday lives. How does SM help or hinder survivors?
9/21/2021: What does Healing look like?
We know that Healing can be a long and painful process that isn't linear. What does Healing mean? How do we define it?
When something no longer serves us or we grow away from things we once needed, it may be time to Move On. People may outgrow us. How do we handle Moving On whether it's us or someone else?
What happens when someone tries to reenter our lives after No Contact? How do we handle it? Do we stand firm or give someone another chance?
8/31/2021: Statutes of Limitations
Last week #SurvivorTough chat discussed boundaries. When our boundaries are not respected, we must then set the ultimate boundary: going No Contact.
8/17/2021: Managing Boundaries
Boundaries are essential for our well being. How do we learn to not only recognize when Boundaries are needed but to set and enforce them?
Sharing our truth helps us and other Survivors. Sometimes we have no choice in Disclosing. How do we determine whether or not to Disclose to someone when we have a choice?
How can fellow survivors Support each other? Do you have trouble asking for Support? What does Support look like to you?
Trauma can be evidenced by our eating habits. Taste, texture, color can be triggering. We may over or under eat. How has trauma affected our relationship with food?
7/13/21 Survivors and the Summer
For many, Summer is a time of anxiety, vulnerability and depression, not joy. What are the challenges Survivors face during Summer?
What does Justice look like and mean to you? As Survivors, how do we feel when Justice is denied? If you have experienced Justice, did it help?
Change is the one constant in life. Whether Change is positive or negative, our choice or not, Change can be challenging. How can we effectively deal with Change?
Survivors often have Body Image issues. Trauma affects how we perceive ourselves physically. What are some of the Body Image issues we face and how do we deal with them?
6/15/2021: Gender Stereotyping
Have Gender Stereotypes impacted you as a survivor? Did other people's gender expectations play a role in your trauma? Your recovery? How do our own perceptions about gender matter in our healing journeys?
Survivors are familiar with negative Triggers that send us spiraling. What we often forget is that Positive Triggers exist. What can we do to Trigger ourselves into feeling good?
Trust does not come easily to survivors. Last week #SurvivorTough chat discussed trusting ourselves. This week we will talk about learning to Trust Others.
How do we learn to Trust? Ourselves, our intuition, others. #SurvivorTough chat will explore Trust over the next couple of weeks. Part 1 we will discuss learning to Trust ourselves.
5/18/2021: Preparing for a Trigger
Sometimes we can't avoid a known Trigger. It can feel like we are going into battle. How do we prepare for an environment or situation that we know will be Triggering?
5/11/2021: Making Room for Self Care
Self-Care is essential for our well being. It's not always easy to do. It's a learned skill. What does Self-Care mean to you? How do we practice Self-Care?
5/4/2021: no chat this week
4/27/2021: Informal chat: What is your most inspiring quote?
Time for a check-in. How is everyone doing? What is a favorite quote that has helped, comforted or inspired you?
4/20/2021: Self-Invalidation and Self-Affirmation
Last week #SurvivorTough discussed invalidation. What about Self Invalidation? How do we handle those internal voices that condemn and criticize? How do we learn and practice Self Forgiveness?
4/13/2021: Handling Invalidation of Trauma
Trauma has many causes and effects. ALL Trauma is real and valid. Trauma is not a competition. Have you ever downplayed your Trauma or been invalidated by someone because it's not "as bad"?
4/6/2021: The Creative Arts and Surviving
Part of a survivor's healing toolbox may include creative works by, for and about survivors such as art, writing, music. Do you find them Affirming? Scary? Empowering? Helpful?
3/30/2021: Survivorship and Loved Ones
Those closest to us, (friend, partner) whether in the past or present, are an important part of a survivor's support system. How do we make our needs known so they can support us in the best way?
3/23/2021: Managing Disagreements #2
How do we handle Disagreement/Conflict within the survivor community? Can we disagree and still feel safe and supported?
3/16/2021: Having and Managing disagreements
Disagreements are a part of life. As survivors, how do we recognize and separate rational debate from trauma response?
3/9/2021: Surviving Alienation
Alienated, different, lonely in a crowd, feeling like an outsider even as we seek the comfort of shared experiences. How understood and accepted do we feel even among other trauma survivors?
3/2/2021: Physical Effects of Trauma
Illness, aches and pain are some of the ways that Trauma manifests physically. How do we recognize and cope with the physical symptoms of trauma?
CBT, Talk, EMDR, IFS, DBT are some of the different types of Therapy. What has or hasn't worked for you? Please share your experiences.
2/16/2021: Finding Good Therapy
There are many types of Therapy. What works for one may not work for another. We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences.
2/9/2021: The Window of Tolerance
Being within the Window of Tolerance indicates that we're in an ideal state of emotional response. Trauma puts us outside of the Window. How do we get to and stay in the Window?
Justice....how do we define it? It means something different to each of us. Does true Justice exist for survivors?
1/19/2021: Time and Impatience
Waiting for something whether it is good, bad or unknown, is a challenge of life. How do we practice patience? Do we use diversions, numb ourselves or over think?
1/12/2021: Coping with Uncertainty
We are living in uncertain times. Uncertainty has many components. How do we manage the complexities of uncertainty?
1/5/2021: The Role of Gratitude
What does it mean to each of us? How do we live a life of gratitude?
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