Healing Psych

Dr. Katrina Wood's psychotherapy blog

When sexual abuse shatters your world

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Hearing about the sexual abuse of a loved one delivers a powerful shock. Everyone in the family or close circle of friends will, in his or her own way, feel vulnerable or powerless. An illusion of safety has been shattered. Loss is embedded within this experience. Some family members will be moved to take immediate action; others may become disorientated or simply shut down. Some will be … [Read more...]

Trauma, shame and rage

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The negative emotional impact of untreated trauma states, and healing interventions By Katrina Wood, Ph.D Single-episodic traumatic experiences often result in symptoms of explosive outbursts of helpless shame and rage. Untreated, the inability to process and contain the magnitude of world-shattering experiences wreaks havoc in the lives of many. Cumulative emotional trauma states often are … [Read more...]

Finding healing within the meaning

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It's not unusual for people to hold on to anger over an event or behavior for years, or even decades. This can lead to great pain, sorrow and loss. Why do we cling so tenaciously to our deepest feelings? The answer can be layered and complex. A key aspect of transforming and integrating deep emotions -- necessary for our wellness and healing -- involves a subtle yet critical aspect of our … [Read more...]

In small towns across the United States

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This article introduces a specific and potentially harmful type of trauma-stress syndrome, typically experienced within family systems. To date, this syndrome -- domestic emotional distress disorder (DEDD) -- has not been submitted for consideration as a formal diagnosis by the psychiatric community. Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD delayed (symptoms of PTSD displayed beyond six months) … [Read more...]

Guilty or not guilty — how do we know?

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Guilt is a tricky little devil. We all feel guilt from time to time -- at times much more than we would like. We're also pretty good at times at "guilting" friends, loved ones and even strangers into the proverbial "guilt trip" when we want things to go our way: "How could you be so selfish when I want things to go this way?" Have a familiar ring? As with most conundrums in life, there's … [Read more...]