trauma healing

two white steps on the pavement and on the left is written the title Absent Father's Day on Journeyofsmiley blog

Father’s Day Grief: Grieving What Was Never Fully There

Father’s Day grief is not always about death. Sometimes it arrives quietly. Not as something dramatic or clearly defined – but as a feeling that settles in your body when the world begins to talk about fathers, and something inside you shifts. Maybe it’s a sadness you can’t quite explain. Maybe it’s a heaviness that […]

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Christmas tree brunch decorated with a heart hanging on it, and the title Gentle Guide for Grievers on Journeyofsmiley blog

When Christmas Feels Hard: A Gentle Guide for Grieving Hearts

Christmas can stir up a thousand emotions — gratitude, joy, nostalgia — but also deep sorrow for what has changed. If this Christmas feels quieter, heavier, or lonelier, or if you find Christmas hard when grieving, please know this: you’re not alone. I understand, I’ve been there, too. I remember my first Christmas without my

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A flower buds on the ground and next to it is the title Grief without closure on Journeyofsmiley.com

What if You’re Grieving What’s Still Here? Understanding Ambiguous Loss

“No one warned me that surviving my accident would mean grieving a life that never actually ended, rather an ambiguous loss, lingering quietly beneath the surface.” My traumaversary Today marks my fifth traumaversary – five years since the accident that changed my life in a split second. Five years ago, I was hit by a

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On the right side is a decorative picture with the sign Brian Injury Wise and on the left side is an inspirational quote about trauma, healing, and listening to our bodies with the title PTSD: My Story Project on Journeyofsmiley blog

From Survival to Healing: Living With PTSD After a Traumatic Brain Injury

From Survival to Healing: Living with PTSD After a Traumatic Brain Injury by BrainInjuryWise | PTSD: My Story Project #017 Trigger warning Living with PTSD after a traumatic brain injury wasn’t something I ever expected. Like a lot of people, I believed PTSD was something veterans dealt with coming back from seeing unseeable things in

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Orange booklet with the title Dear Caregiver, Thank you on Journeyofsmiley.com

Heartfelt Messages for Loved Ones and Caregivers from Trauma Survivors

June is PTSD Awareness Month and as someone diagnosed with PTSD after an accident over four years ago, I know how crucial a strong support network is. I’ve been fortunate. My husband has stood by me, and my psychologist was exactly who I needed at the time. But I also know that not every survivor

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On a table is a cup of coffee, a hut, flowers and a book with the title Rising Above on Journeyofsmiley blog

Rising Above: My Story of Overcoming and Getting Published

This Valentine’s Day I received one of the best presents – the hard copy of our book, ‘Rising Above: Stories of Overcoming’. I co-wrote the book with another nine women. We shared our hard stories of overcoming to let others know that they are not alone, and they too, can rise above.  Read also ‘How

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