On right side a portrait of a woman with blond hair and on the left side the title PTSD: My Story Project and a PTSD warrior inspirational quote on Journeyofsmiley blog

The Impact of Trauma – Nothing Can Prepare You by Dawne McKay

The Impact of Trauma – Nothing Can Prepare You by Dawne McKay | PTSD: My Story Project #012 Trigger warning I have been aware of the term Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder long before my horrific motor vehicle crash. However, I never knew what it involved until it happened to me. Only then did I truly understand …

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Pink background with a rose on the right side of the image and a closed notebook with a pen next to it on the title on the notebook Journaling Heal and Grow on the Journeyofsmiley blog

Journaling: What Is It and How to Use It for Healing?

After publishing a blog post about how writing can help with our healing from trauma and pain, I was invited to join an online summit to talk on this topic. Since I have had several people contact me, wanting to know more about journaling for healing. I, therefore, decided to write more about this technique. …

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Flower on a piece of paper and on the paper is written Writing for healing on Journeyofsmiley blog

How to Use Writing as a Healing Tool for Trauma and Pain

Trauma and pain can take their toll on our health and well-being. In the aftermath of my traumatic event, I have had to deal with both physical and mental injuries. Writing has helped me enormously in my recovery and it is something I have been recommending to others since I embarked on my healing journey. …

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On the right half of the picture is a photo of a woman wearing glasses, on the left half is a title PTSD: My Story Project on Journeyofsmiley Blog and a quote about childhood trauma effects on adulthood

The Effects of Childhood Trauma on Adulthood by Wanda Lopez

The Effects of Childhood Trauma on Adulthood by Wanda Lopez | PTSD: My Story Project #011 Trigger warning I have chosen to participate in the PTSD: My Story Project to raise awareness of the effects that childhood trauma can have on trauma survivors in adulthood. We hear the word PTSD and only think of soldiers, …

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Wind is blowing away a dandelion that a person is holding in their hand and around the dandelion are in circle words, vulnerability, courage, strength on Journeyofsmiley blog

Could Vulnerability Actually Be Our Strength? – Examine This Moment Guest Blog Post

It has been a year since I started going back to the gym. Although recently, my visits have been very infrequent due to ongoing pain and illness, I was back today. I remember a year ago when I went back to the gym for the first time since my accident. It ended with tears, and …

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Roses on a pink piece of paper with the title Love yourself on Journeyofsmiley blog

5 Ways to Love Yourself on Valentine’s Day and Every Day

When was the last time you bought yourself some flowers or wrote a letter to yourself? Do you appreciate yourself as much as others? Are you talking to yourself with such softness, kindness and compassion as you talk to your loved ones? And I am not talking only about some self-love acts on Valentine’s Day, …

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How to Heal Yourself: ‘7 Keys To Self-Healing’ A Trauma Survivor’s Guide

New Year, New Me, or so I thought at the beginning of last year. It was just over a year since the accident which changed my life in a split second. It wasn’t just the accident itself causing my nightmares, suddenly all the gloomy thoughts from the past that I had swept under the carpet …

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A hand reaching to clouds on the sky and title Be transformed on Journeyofsmiley blog

Mindful of Christ’s Virtual Summit: Overcoming Negative Mindsets and Being Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind

We often think about the ‘what ifs’ in life and how our lives may have turned out differently if only certain things had not happened. And when our actions have negative consequences, we blame ourselves for them. We give the green light to the negative thoughts in our heads, and they take over. Sounds familiar? …

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A woman walking with a veil behind her and title Finding purpose through acceptance on Journeyofsmiley blog

Acceptance and Finding Purpose After a Traumatic Accident – Crash Support Network Guest Post

It is exactly two years since my accident. If you have been following me for a while then you will know that it was that accident which changed my life in a split second. My journey since hasn’t been easy and finding acceptance has been one of the hardest challenges I have had to go through in …

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