Blog posts, news articles, and other resources from The Center • A Place of HOPE
This article defines and explains the concept of 'trauma dumping' - the act of unloading one's traumatic experiences onto others without consent or awareness. It also provides advice on how to handle situations where someone is trauma dumping, both as the sharer and the listener, while maintaining healthy boundaries. What...
The impact of traumatic experiences in life can be far-reaching. Unresolved traumatic experiences can manifest in our most intimate relationships, leading to trust issues, sexual dysfunction, or aversion. These can then be further complicated by online infidelity or addiction to online pornography - often a result of the earlier trauma....
Do you feel lonely? Do you wish you had more deep social connections in your life? If your answer is yes, you’re not alone. Loneliness and social isolation rates have steadily been increasing for decades, and we’re now experiencing what experts have termed a social isolation epidemic. Despite being constantly...
Have you ever felt like your brain is “different”? Perhaps you process information differently than those around you, or you don’t learn the way others do. You might be neurodivergent, which can be a superpower in today’s world. The term “neurodivergence” describes when people’s brains work differently than what is...
Have you ever thought about what type of people are the most successful in life? Initially, you might think it’s someone who’s intelligent. We tend to think of intelligence as being knowledgeable or educated; someone who’s able to think on their feet and solve problems with ease. Someone who is...
When it comes to relationships, understanding how your partner gives and receives love is paramount for fostering deeper connections and nurturing emotional well-being. In his 1992 book, The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate[1], Gary Chapman, renowned marriage counselor and author, introduced the concept of...
Have you ever felt like you don't belong in your family? Maybe you don't have anything in common with them, or you feel like you can't relate to them. Maybe you've been rejected by your family. Maybe your family doesn't accept you for who you are. This is sometimes called...
We get married believing we will be with our partner “until death do us part.” But for so many of us (nearly 50% of married couples, according to research), this isn’t how the story always goes[1]. There are many valid reasons to decide to end a marriage. But whether you...
Some people are fortunate to have a positive relationship with their siblings. Your siblings might be the people you turn to whenever you’re in trouble or need support. For some people, though, the sibling relationship isn’t as agreeable. Toxic siblings manipulate and gaslight you. They take a normal level of...
‘Toxic’ is becoming an increasingly used word when discussing dysfunctional behaviors. As with its more traditional definition, toxic behavior describes actions or attitudes that are harmful, destructive, or negative to others, oneself, or the environment. Toxic behavior can have serious consequences for individuals, relationships, and communities, leading to stress, conflict,...
From time to time, we all find ourselves in relationships with other people that ‘don’t quite feel right.’ It could be a friendship, a romantic relationship, or even a dynamic within our family with a parent, sibling, child, or a member of your wider family or community network. Realizing you...
This article is about a form of psychological manipulation called gaslighting. It explores what gaslighting is, how and why it happens, and what to do if you suspect someone is gaslighting you. What is gaslighting? According to the American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology, the definition of ‘to gaslight’...
In recent years, the concept of narcissism has become increasingly well known. It’s not unusual to hear characters in popular culture such as movies, novels, and TV shows described as narcissists. While narcissism is actually a normal personality trait, for some people it can become exaggerated which then can become...
Many people who’ve been in a romantic relationship have experienced feeling distrustful of their partners. It could be because your partner has shown themselves to be untrustworthy. But it could also be because you’ve experienced things in your past that have led you to have a hard time trusting other...
Possible causes and solutions for feeling irritable and short-tempered. Do you get annoyed by everything? Do feelings of frustration arise often? Perhaps other people notice that you are irritable, impatient, and snappy. There could be many reasons you are short-tempered, and plenty of ways to stop it. Find out why...
Attachment theory highlights the importance of a strong, healthy attachment in childhood. This important attachment comes at the earliest stages of life to a parent or primary caregiver, usually a mother. This first, fundamental attachment, or relationship, sets the stage for all relationships going forward.
We are living in very stressful times, living in the time of this Coronavirus outbreak. The situation seems out of our control and our new way of living – either or lockdown or social distancing from loved ones –is uncomfortable and different. Here are 10 things you can do to...
Part Two of a Six-part Series on Relationship Communication The darkness of the sky felt as if it might swallow the whole of her as she stared out the window that cold winter’s night. Tears streamed down Jena’s face as she replayed the evening’s events in her mind. The same...
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The whole person approach to treatment integrates all aspects of a person’s life: