Tag Archives: Judith Herman

Shame and Self-Blame After Trauma

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Dr. Kathleen Young

Abuse begets shame, the felt sense that one is innately bad. It can take the form of believing that you are defective, broken, unlovable, unworthy, stupid, ugly, worthless. In the case of trauma survivors it can also be expressed as blaming yourself for the abuse. In reality it is exactly the reverse! Abuse creates this sense of being bad. Continue reading →

Posted in Abuse, Childhood Abuse, Dissociation, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Emotional Abuse, Health, Physical Abuse, Psychologist, Severe Trauma, Sexual Abuse, Trauma | Tagged Abuse, Child Abuse, Childhood Abuse, DID, Dissociation, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Emotional Abuse, Health, Judith Herman, Mental Health, Physical Abuse, Self-blame, Self-esteem, Self-hate, Sexual Abuse, Shame, Trauma, Trauma Survivors, Victim Blaming | 57 Comments

Staying Present During Trauma Therapy: Grounding Techniques

Posted on September 8, 2009 by Dr. Kathleen Young

Trauma therapy does not only consist of telling your story or focusing on traumatic memories, though of course that is a crucial part of the work. Bringing trauma memories to mind, talking about them in a trusting relationship, and developing the capacities for managing them while staying present in the moment are all crucial parts of the healing process. A premature emphasis on traumatic material can in fact do more harm than good. Many trauma survivors may first need to learn and practice a variety of self-care skills that you can then employ during the memory work phase of therapy. Continue reading →