X CLOSE
TherapeiaEudaimoniaPoiesis
AboutContact
Search
Menu
Psyche
DonateNewsletter
SIGN IN
Ideas

Trauma and PTSD

Disorders and difficultiesTherapies and practical advicePerspectives and controversies
Self-knowledge and personal growthRelationships, work and leisureValues and ethical living
Creativity and the artsSpirituality and transcendence
AddictionAngerAnxietyAttachment and parentingAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)AutismBipolar disorderBody dysmorphic disorderBrain injury and dementiaChildren’s difficultiesDepressionDifficult emotionsDissociation and detachmentEating disordersFear and phobiaGender incongruenceGriefHallucinations and delusionsLearning difficultiesLonelinessMental healthOCDPersonality disordersPsychosis and schizophreniaSadness and sorrowSelf-harm and suicideSexual problemsShame and guiltSleep problemsTrauma and PTSDViolence and aggressionWorry and rumination
LatestPopular
Photo of a woman’s face reflected in a glass window with soft, abstract focus and greenish tones.

Therapeutic relationships

idea

Psychodynamic therapy helped me overcome trauma when CBT couldn’t

The toxic memories of trauma governed my life for years. But psychodynamic therapy made me feel seen and set me free

by Lucia Osborne-Crowley

Black and white photo of a snowy landscape with bare trees and a view through branches.

Nature and the environment

idea

Trees don’t rush to heal from trauma and neither should we

Trees teach us that healing from trauma involves balancing short-term protection with the slower process of adaptation

by Beronda Montgomery

Photo of three people in winter coats standing on a snowy path with bare trees in the background.

Resilience and flexibility

idea

What the distinctive brains of resilient people can teach us

Resilient people have brains that are distinct in their structure and function, providing clues for how to build resilience

by Laura Moreno-López

Kim Kardashian in a sparkling dress walks down an aisle, waving, as people on either side clap and cheer.

Trauma and PTSD

idea

Maladaptive daydreaming made me feel trapped in my own mind

Extended daydreams were a much-needed escape, but turned into a compulsion that crowded out my waking activities

by Zainab Al-Hassani

Photo of an elderly hand resting on a wrist, tattooed with the number 58288, on a dark fabric background.

Trauma and PTSD

idea

Trauma unmakes the world of the self. Can stories repair it?

Trauma needn’t be medicalised or replaced with reckless optimism. It can be a catalyst for better stories about ourselves

by Anna Gotlib

Photo of a person with a bun sitting by a window smoking. Sunlight streams in highlighting smoke tendrils and a plant.

Trauma and PTSD

idea

A broad definition of trauma is useful; an open-ended one isn’t

Trauma encompasses a variety of experiences and manifests in many ways. But there are risks to stretching the concept too far

by Ahona Guha

A photo of a woman in historical attire watching over a sleeping child by candlelight, with a mural of ships in the background.

Rituals and celebrations

idea

In the cinema, my father’s unspeakable childhood finally surfaced

Not too distant and not to close: how rituals help us process trauma, and why watching Anna Karenina helped heal my father

by Christiana Spens

Photo of a child peeking over a pink slide against a blue sky, partially obscured by play equipment and tree branches.

Trauma and PTSD

idea

The shadows cast by childhood abuse and neglect are not the same

Unravelling the pathways from different forms of childhood maltreatment to mental illness could lead to better treatments

by Anne Alkema & Marco Boks

Abstract painting featuring bold black lines, geometric shapes, and colourful forms in red, blue, and earth tones.

Psychosis and schizophrenia

idea

Psychosis can be a personal hell. It can also inspire growth

From a new sense of purpose to improved relationships, there are hopeful signs of post-traumatic growth after psychosis

by Gerald Jordan, Robyn Thomas & Veenu Gupta

Photo of a woman in a kitchen spreading jam on toast with a spoon.

Eating disorders

idea

The important link between eating disorders and past trauma

For someone who’s endured trauma, an eating disorder might be one of the aftereffects. That should inform their recovery

by Giulia Suro

Photo of an arm reaching into a dimly lit cupboard filled with shelves and various items.

Violence and aggression

idea

Why psychological research on child sex offenders is important

‘I am not one of those guys.’ The cognitive distortions of child sex offenders need to be better understood and treated

by Meetali Devgun

A large crowd wearing masks and sashes, holding a sign reading “Hommage à Samuel Paty” against an evening sky.

Trauma and PTSD

idea

History teachers are no longer just educators but trauma specialists

History teachers practise on the frontlines of trauma and memory, always at risk of triggering violence and pain

by Nena Močnik