This section holds an archive of links to chats held in 2022.
12/13/2022: Surviving the Holidays
The holiday season is upon us. It's a difficult time for many Survivors. What are some skills, tools, tips, you have for getting through the season?
12/6/2022: Expectations and Reality
Expectations, if non-existent or set too high, can do a lot of damage. How do we set realistic Expectations of ourselves and others?
Triggers, we all have them, especially this time of year. They can be sneaky, hitting us out of nowhere. Known Triggers we can manage. What are your experiences in dealing with Triggers?
This week's #SurvivorTough Chat will focus on the uncertainty of this platform. Are you making backup plans? Where? The uncertainty can be very triggering.
Boundaries are necessary but tricky to navigate. How do we recognize our need for Boundaries and how do we set them? What if our Boundaries are ignored?
11/8/2022: No chat this week, just a checkin
This week's #SurvivorTough Chat will focus on the recently released IICSA Report as well as laws in general relative to CSA/SA.
Flashbacks can hit at any time. We know when we're in a Visual Flashback. During a Somatic or Emotional Flashback we may not connect it to Trauma. How do we recognize and deal with Flashbacks?
Change can be positive or negative. Change is not always easy for Survivors who depend on stability and routine. Yet Change is necessary for growth. How do we handle Change?
Healing from trauma is a one step up, two steps back process with many twists and turns. How do we learn Patience as we go through this seemingly endless process? How can we be more gentle with ourselves?
Even when our conscious minds aren't processing something, our bodies are. Our bodies don't forget. They constantly give us clues. How do we learn to Listen to our Bodies?
9/27/2022: Therapy Experiences
There are many types of Therapy for Survivors. What has or hasn't worked for you? What are the challenges we face in trying to get the Therapy we may need?
For many Survivors, sometimes Hope is all we have to keep us going. How do we keep Hope alive? What happens when we lose Hope? What does it mean to have Hope?
Touch is a basic human need. Touch raises many issues for Survivors. We can be triggered by a pat on the back, a hug. How do we deal with Non Sexual Touch?
9/6/2022 - no chat this week
Survivors have major trust issues. Trusting others is one thing. We need to Trust ourselves. Our memories, feelings, instincts. How do we learn to Trust the one person that matters the most?
We all are guilty of Self Sabotage, especially survivors. Why can't we accept good things? Why are we sometimes our own worst enemy?
8/16/2022: no chat this week
8/9/2022: Facts and Myths about CSA and Trauma
There's a lot of stigma, lies and Myths about #CSA and Trauma. Let's shed light and counter them with truth. What are the ones that really set you off?
When the stress of life and trauma get to be too much, we often turn to Nature for respite. What are your experiences with Healing in Nature?
7/26/2022: No chat this week
As we peel off the layers of winter, Body Image Issues may resurface. We may not like what we see in the mirror. How do we learn to love and accept our bodies?
Survivors face many challenges. Stereotypes and stigmas persist about all Survivors, especially Male Survivors. How can we best support each other?
7/5/2022: no chat this week (July 4 holiday)
This week's #SurvivorTough Chat will deal with the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade. It has been triggering, especially for Survivors.
Warm weather, sunshine. Summer isn't a panacea for everyone. What are some of the challenges Survivors face during Summer?
#Anxiety is part of the human condition. For many of us it can be debilitating. How do we cope with Anxiety? What helps us when we are paralyzed by Anxiety?
#SurvivorTough Chat recently talked about Numbness. As the numbness recedes, we know we are feeling something but can't accurately describe it. How do we learn to Identify Emotions?
"I have become Comfortably Numb." (Pink Floyd) The dark bliss of Numbness helps us through trauma. It then becomes an unbearable weight which prevents us from living. How do we learn to feel again?
We get so drained and weary that finding Motivation is challenging. What can we do to Motivate ourselves to keep healing, growing and simply get things done? What Motivates you?
5/10/2022: No chat this week
When we practice Mindfulness, we are fully present in the moment. Mindfulness encompasses many techniques. What are the ways in which we can practice Mindfulness?
Most of us have had at least one #Narcissist in our lives at some point. Abusers are classic Narcs. How do we deal with them? How do we heal the damage they caused? How do we escape them?
Toxic Shame is one of the biggest issues for Survivors. It affects every area of our lives. We view ourselves through the lens of Toxic Shame. How do we learn to heal our Toxic Shame?
Survivors often have trouble with Decision Making which is a vital life skill. What are some tools we can use in order to make healthy decisions?
Asking for Help and Support can be hard. Many of us have reached out in the past with bad results. So we learn to deal with things alone. How do we overcome our fears to get the Support we need?
Dissociation can be one of the ways our mind copes with trauma. It's usually an involuntary response but can be voluntary. What skills do we need in order to cope with Dissociation?
3/22/22: How Trauma affects Memory
Trauma affects Memory. Memory loss can be a defense/survival mechanism which helps protect us from what we aren't ready to process. How can we find the missing pieces?
Projection is displacing one's emotions and/or traits onto another. It can be abusive and toxic. Self awareness helps us to not project. How do we deal with people who Project onto us?
Parenting is hard under the best of circumstances. What are the challenges Survivor Parents (or aunts / uncles etc) face?
When we are in our Window of Tolerance we are able to function effectively. How do we stay within that window? How do we cope when we are on either side of it?
Depression is very common in Survivors. How do we recognize the signs of Depression in ourselves? What are the ways in which we cope and treat this insidious illness?
Abusers are experts at Grooming. Looking back, the signs can seem obvious. What are some of the ways we were Groomed?
Many of us are familiar with trying to function in chaos. Implementing and maintaining Routines gives us safety and continuity. Can Routines harm us?
PTSD and CPTSD are common diagnoses for Survivors. What is the difference? What are the symptoms? Is it something we simply learn to live with?
Survivors are known for their Resilience. It hasn't been a choice but a matter of survival. How do we consciously build Resilience? Do we really get more Resilient as we get older?
Conflict is a part of life. As Survivors, how do we handle conflict? Do we stand our ground or avoid it at all cost? How do we learn to handle conflict in a healthy way?
1/11/2022: Resolutions and Goals
Resolutions are common at the beginning of the year. It puts a ton of pressure on us which isn't always healthy. So how do we set realistic Goals?
1/4/2022: Reflecting on Trauma
It's good to take stock of our lives every so often to reevaluate, see where we need to go and how far we have come. What does Reflection teach us? How do we sift through the good and bad?
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