Blog

Writing about childhood trauma in March has inspired me to bring back this blog I wrote about disconnection and longing. Trauma causes us to disconnect from ourselves, other people and the earth as a whole. This leads to us living in fear and deeply distrusting other people. In my opinion the most painful disconnection is the internal one. Where a person is disconnected from themselves, their bodily sensations and emotions. The brain is wired to protect us from trauma. So, it automatically...

It is common for movies to end the story with, "They lived happily ever after." In real life, we only hear about toxic and hurtful romantic relationships. However, it all begs the question, can we have passion beyond the 'honeymoon' stage of a relationship? The answer is yes. However, it is fair to note that passion is not the only measure of a healthy relationship. It is only the starting point. Other things that matter are: shared values relatable beliefs compatible communication patterns...

"I do not ask for much." It is a common phrase. I have heard it in multiple movies, tv-series, and chats with friends. I definitely know it is said and embodied as a form of self-protection. I mean, why ask for much when it can all be taken away in a blink? "You know how you feel that you need more of something, but you dare not ask for more? Usually, you are afraid that if you ask for more, even what you are being offered will be taken away." Read the full blog here . However, now that I am...

This is one of the most common questions to be asked. Dysfunction is so common nowadays you would think it's the norm. But it should not be. The truth is that humans are social beings. More than that, we deserve healing, safe and dignified relations. This would also mean that we can finally do our most profound healing in safe relationships. Last week I wrote about intergenerational trauma and how it impacts our relationships. The bottom line is that it did not begin with us. We all come...

February is the month of love. It's only fitting to talk about relationships built on trauma. For a long time, I have read about how many people feel hurt by toxic relationships. However, I wonder what exactly was unhealthy about the said relationships. If we were to have candid discussions around these things we would mention codependency, manipulation, gaslighting, savior mentality, and a lot more. The way we approach relationships, in general, has to shift. We deserve healthy, safe, and...

Restoring Well-being is about contributing to communities, and our purpose is to restore relationships. Restoring relationships is central to our purpose because we realize that there are many ways you can help others in your community and beyond. The more often you choose to immerse yourself in community, the better chance you have of developing meaningful friendships, personal challenges, and a sense of connection with people around you. This can also include strengthening bonds with...

The answer to fatigue is rest. It's so simple, but it's not always easy to implement. We've all been there: we're working hard and want to keep going… until we hit the wall and can't think straight anymore. We deal with this fatigue by pushing ourselves harder and harder, until eventually—boom! We're done. Or maybe we don't even realize how much time has passed while we are busy working. When we give our bodies time to recover and repair themselves, they can't keep up with all the damage...

Trauma makes us feel like we’re not capable of taking care of ourselves. It makes us think that people will take advantage of us or hurt us if they have power over us. This leads to an environment where we don’t feel safe or comfortable anywhere, even when we’re with people who love us. People who are raised in a culture based on trauma end up being disconnected from themselves and the world around them. What we can do is shift the culture of isolation and fear back into our communities. We...

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget he is someone today.” — Stacia Tauscher, dancer and artist Kenyan schools have been closed from November till late January. This means more parents will be spending time with their children. Luckily for us, it's time to highlight the beauty of children being individuals. We touched on the perils of lacking parental love, care, and nurturing. It affects a child's self-concept. It is important to note that children are not born...

How many women face gender-based violence each year? Globally , approximately one in three women experience rape or physical abuse at some point in their lifetime. The numbers are even more shocking when we look at children—nearly one in two girls and one in five boys worldwide experience sexual abuse before the age of 18. This global violence epidemic has lasting effects; survivors of gender-based violence are at an increased risk of long-term mental health problems including depression,...

Stress awareness week ended today. I have been thinking about the children given they often get forgotten. My main focus is on how the impact of the pandemic is still affecting them. Children get forgotten when the adults are busy surviving. When caregivers and parents are unavailable, children miss out on nurturing, which affects their development. They end up struggling with a sense of who they are It is fair to note that children are not born with a sense of self-concept. Self-concept...

As we close Mental Health month we would like to revisit this account of child abuse. Simply because this sensitive topic does not mean I will shy away from sharing it. In African society, child abuse is spoken of in hushed tones and outrightly ignored. Many have branded it as "disciplining ". This is further reinforced by that Bible verse that each parent seems to know. However, this is an account of how child abuse is seen in Sweden regarding the hypocrisy of imagining that it is not a...