The Mental Health Benefits of Bilateral Stimulation
Bilateral stimulation, including EMDR and solo activities like walking or drumming, can help reduce anxiety by integrating brain hemispheres and promoting nervous system regulation.
When Cultural Scripts Fail Survivors of Coercion and Manipulation
Survivors often struggle to name their experiences because dominant cultural scripts prioritize physical violence.
Navigating Neurodivergent Challenges with Routine Disruptions: A Compassionate Approach
For neurodivergent individuals, routine disruptions can be deeply dysregulating.
Neurodivergence and Difficulties with Small Talk
Neurodivergent individuals often connect through cognitive depth rather than intuitive small talk, leading to misunderstandings in social and romantic relationships.
Betrayal Trauma in Sexual Assault Survivors
Betrayal trauma in sexual assault survivors is compounded when therapists, loved ones, and systems minimize their pain.
Repetitive Behavior in Neurodivergent People
Repetitive behaviors in neurodivergent individuals serve as vital tools for anxiety management but can also create challenges when rigidity limits adaptability.
Grieving the Self Who Didn’t Know
Grieving the self who "didn’t know" is an act of reclaiming clarity and compassion.
Emotional Rigidity in Neurodivergent Individuals and Its Impact on Relationships
Neurodivergent individuals often process emotions through a lens of logic and facts, which can leave neurotypical partners feeling unheard.
Time Blindness and Neurodivergence
Time blindness in neurodivergent individuals can strain relationships but is manageable with strategies, understanding and collaboration.
Theory of Mind Challenges in Neurodivergent Relationships
Neurodivergent individuals may experience challenges with theory of mind, leading to misunderstandings in relationships.
Trauma Integration and the Ripple Effect
Trauma integration brings clarity and revelation, yet its ripple effect means unresolved layers may surface later, often catching us off guard.
The Impact of Memory Holes on Neurodivergent Individuals and Their Relationships
Memory lapses in neurodivergent individuals can strain relationships, often misinterpreted as gaslighting. Understanding spiky abilities and fostering empathy can help bridge these gaps.
The Fawn Response in Survivors
The fawn response in sexual assault survivors is a survival strategy, not a choice. Understanding it helps remove shame and opens the door to healing.
The Friendship Cycle and Neurodivergent Relationships
Neurodivergent friendship cycles often involve periods of hopeful connection followed by burnout.
Emotional Back-draft: Navigating Self-Compassion and Healing
Emotional backdraft is the surge of old pain that arises when we first practice self-compassion, signaling not danger but deep healing.
Understanding Autistic Shutdowns
Autistic shutdowns are a protective neurological response to overwhelm and are often misunderstood as disengagement.
Autistic Burnout and Co-dependence in Relationships
Autistic burnout and co-dependence often intertwine, creating a cycle of exhaustion and relational strain.
Autistic Burnout and Relationships: Some Helpful Exercises
Autistic burnout can strain relationships, but somatic and mindful exercises like synchronized breathing or vocal toning can foster connection and co-regulation between partners.
Loosely and Tightly Coupled Systems in Relationship Dynamics
Exploring loosely and tightly coupled systems can reveal how relationship dynamics live in the body.
Avoidance: From Adaptive Disengagement to Maladaptive Withdrawal
Avoidance can be a temporary refuge or a prolonged prison. Understanding its impact on the body is the first step toward transforming it into a tool for healing rather than a barrier to growth.