ALCHEMY ARCHIVES — TRAUMA RSS



ALCHEMY EDITION 128

Thanks to everyone who sent comments and questions inspired by last week’s newsletter. A lot of responses focused on the nervous system, so I thought I’d spend this week illuminating how and why the nervous system is such a big deal.    The nervous system is a MOOD. I’ve spent the last 6 months doing a deep dive into the how and why of this delicate and powerful system and I’ll say this, she’s a bit of a temperamental bitch. There are many entry points to understanding how this incredible system both serves us and holds us back, but let’s start with the basics.    When I refer to the nervous system, I’m talking about the sympathetic and the parasympathetic...

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ALCHEMY EDITION 105

If you are an avid JOY listener, you know that around 2007 I suffered from PTSD accompanied by of all things, hallucinations. Ooof. It’s not what you think and certainly not what I even thought it would be. Hallucinations don't feel the way you think they do. It’s not a trip gone sideways or like walking through a dream. Hallucinations do not have to be debilitating. Mine were not. They can be odd and sometimes subtle. And also, sometimes not scary at all. (I should mention here that if you are curious to learn more about my experience with PTSD and treatment, you can listen to JOY episode 75 here).   My diagnosis came on the heels of time spent working...

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ALCHEMY EDITION 77

Trauma can convince us that small changes are big and last forever.    I had my booster shot last week and what you probably don't know about me, is that when I was 15 I spent nearly 8 months in bed.   My body had suddenly shut down and it became difficult to even lift my arms. After about 3 months of investigation, my condition was finally diagnosed as Epstein Barr Virus over a long list of other possibilities. I'm still not entirely sure what that means but I know enough to say with certainty that I would not wish the experience on anyone, especially a vibrant 15 year old girl who was finally getting to know herself.    I...

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