Third of a Lifetime

Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.

Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.

Please Share My Stuff!: You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.)

Photo Credit

@Tamavista “When a man does not know
what harbor he is making for,
no wind is the right wind.” ~ Seneca

Six Standalone Tweets to Ponder

@Quotes4Writers “I write to find out what I didn’t know I knew, to find out what I didn’t know I felt.” ~ Robert Anderson

@EmbraceSelfLove “Amidst the worldly comings and goings, observe how endings become beginnings.” ~ Tao Te Ching

@DrJennifer “Being present in the now allows the embracing of all potentials and possibilities.”

@visityourself “Self-abandonment: Numbing your feelings with overdoing (work, online, food, alcohol). Antidote: Self-compassion.”

@nourishthesoul “The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.” ~ Maya Angelou

@CarePathways “Instead of practicing perfectionism, practice ‘striving for excellence.’”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I’ve asked you to open your hearts and donate funds for relief efforts in Haiti, New Zealand, and Japan. Now the Southern States in the U.S. are reeling from the impact of devastating tornadoes. At this writing, nearly 300 are dead, 1 million without power, amid widespread destruction. So I ask again, please donate either online at the American Red Cross, or give $10 to Red Cross disaster relief by texting REDCROSS to 90999.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Linked Tweets

@psychcentral How to Help Someone Who is Suicidal
[SEO: It never gets easier, but knowing what to do -- and not do -- in advance can improve the odds of changing the outcome. I consider this information to be in the same category as CPR. Everyone should know the basics.]

@APAPsychiatric National Children’s Mental Health Day THIS Tuesday May3! Celebrations include art, music, dance, and more
[SEO: Numerous links to programs, activities, and resources, including tip sheets on how to organize a local event.]

@VA_PTSD_Info PTSD Coach App on iTunes: Free app helps you manage stress following trauma
[SEO: "The PTSD Coach app can help you learn about and manage symptoms that commonly occur after trauma. Features include:

* Reliable information on PTSD and treatments that work
* Tools for screening and tracking your symptoms
* Convenient, easy-to-use skills to help you handle stress symptoms
* Direct links to support and help
* Always with you when you need it"

It's free, and it's for everyone, not just vets, even though it's offered by the Veterans Administration. Check it out!]

@SarahEOlson2009 From Tracie: Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse ~ April 2011 ~ Speaking Out Edition
[SEO: Every year, April is Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month. Earlier in April, Tracie also posted an excellent resource outlining programs and what you can do to get involved, and why you should, whether you have this history or not. In addition to the usual Carnival categories, this edition contains several posts dedicated to the theme of 'speaking out'.

There is an insidious code of silence about child abuse, both in terms of how most people really don't want to dwell on it, and in terms of the silence enforced upon the child by his/her abuser. Speaking out is therapeutic. It is empowering. Don't be silent.]

@Mindful_Living Have You Tried the Freedom Practice?
[SEO: "The reality is we’re always practicing something and reinforcing the neural connections in our brains whether we know it or not. When we give in to the automaticity of catastrophic thinking, eating that bowl of ice cream or making a racist remark, we are reinforcing its automaticity. So why not practice freedom?" Simple (but admittedly not easy) steps to practice freedom in your life. Try it.]

@gretchenrubin Need an emergency energy boost — right now? Try one of these strategies
[SEO: "When your energy level is low, everything feels like a chore -- even things would ordinarily make you happy." Originally written to deal with holiday stress, everything thispost offers is just as relevant on any other day. (Gretchen Rubin obviously thinks so, too, because she tweeted it this week!)]

@akvet An excellent diagram and explanation of PTSD’s effect on trip wire anger
[SEO: "Many people with PTSD struggle to understand why they fly off the handle at such little things, i.e., the toilet roll is around the wrong way, someone walked in front of you, that stranger looked at you, etc etc. The reason is actually quite simple, and easier to show than often explain, why those with PTSD tend to get angry quicker, more easily, and faster than others at little stupid things."]

@patriciasinglet Being Nice to Yourself: Why is this so hard for many survivors?
[SEO: While the focus here is child abuse survivors, the issue applies equally to many survivors of domestic violence, rape, or any trauma which instilled a sense of shame. The post's author writes, "We view ourselves through our abusers’ eyes and believe that we are unworthy of any sort of kindness. I am a big fan of the singer Pink. She has a song out called F*ckin’ Perfect that addresses this issue nicely:

'You’re so mean, when you talk, about yourself you were wrong.
Change the voices, in your head, make them like you instead.' ~ Pink "]

@Mindful_Living What is the Investment that Never Fails?
[SEO: "Henry David Thoreau said: 'Goodness is the only investment that never fails.' I tend to believe this, but each of us may have a different idea of what constitutes, 'the good.' ... Some felt good when connected to friends, others felt good when they finally forgave, yet others felt good when they actually gave or experienced compassion. ... Ask yourself, 'What would it be like if I woke up each morning and thought of 5 things I am grateful for in my life each day?'" I know this is hard for some trauma survivors, but keep in mind that cynicism has a price.]

@SarahEOlson2009 Some People Wait Their Entire Lives to Ask this Question
[SEO: "Ask yourself, when’s the last time I actually intentionally paid attention to the seeds I plant day to day or moment to moment? Are you planting seeds of negative thinking, self-judgment, catastrophic thinking, or isolation? Or are you planting seeds of gratitude, laughter, giving, and compassion?"]

What a day! A royal wedding, a space shuttle launch, my own wedding anniversary… Well, we got two out of three! (The shuttle launch has been scrubbed for at least 72 hours.) Meanwhile, nothing stops my Favorite TweetStuff!

@trissatismal “A surefire way to be forced to live as a prisoner of your past is not to complete things.” ~ Jeff Olson

@heykim AWESOME ~ Sunshine over England From Space on the eve of the Royal Wedding (via @Astro_Ron)
[SEO: If you wonder ... of course I watched it! I love the history and tradition, the pageantry, the precision that moves 1900 people (plus all the security) around like clockwork. I also was up all night in 1981 watching Charles and Diana's wedding. Oh, and who knew Westminster Abbey -- founded in 960 A.D. -- is on Twitter?! @wabbey <-- Seriously!]

@Bob_Mayer “Always listen to experts. They’ll tell you what can’t be done, and why. Then do it.” ~ Robert Heinlen

@goodthingz Bookshelves That Fill Up the Room (I have bookshelf envy now.)

@Quotes4Writers “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn’t.” ~ Mark Twain

@BPGulfLeak This video should make every female’s heart dance with pride. Watch the players response (well worth 38 seconds!)

@natasha_tracy “I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world.” ~ Thomas A. Edison

@heykim Duck vs. Pup
[SEO: I think the poor duckling just wants to be friends. Or the dog reminds him of mom. ]

@Quotes4Writers “Writing well means never having to say, ‘I guess you had to be there.’” ~ Jef Mallett

@AmazingPics 40+ Stunning Bridges Photography For Your Inspiration

@FamousWomen “Do what you feel in your heart to be right — for you’ll be criticized anyway.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.

Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.

Please share my stuff!: You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.)

Photo Credit

@soulseedz “If your compassion doesn’t include yourself,
it is incomplete.”

Six Standalone Tweets to Ponder

@LillyAnn “We rarely take a breath without making a judgment. Don’t mistake naming for knowing.” ~ Ezra Bayda

@karenkmmonroy “Spirit moves you to action, ego wants to find the reasons why to act. Spirit is enough to act, you don’t need ego’s reasons why.”

@Tamavista “We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.” ~ Jung

@malcolmjackson “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

@LillyAnn “One of the biggest steps you’ll ever take, however small its length, is to turn toward your fear.”

@rcinstitute “SoulfulSunday: be compassionate; it’s necessary for your soul.”

Linked Tweets

@SarahEOlson2009 15 Ways To Support a Loved One with Serious Mental Illness
[SEO: This is practical, actionable information about how to support a loved one with a serious mental illness. While it stresses that blame is not a part of that support, it also discusses how over-involvement by family members can actually be detrimental to recovery. This is a great guide to give to people in your life who want to support you in meaningful, healthy ways. It's also a primer in how you can be proactive in helping them to help you.]

@Mary_Jaksch How to Be Your Own Best Friend (via @LillyAnn)
[SEO: An insightful post discusses old patterns of perfectionism leading to beating yourself up when you eventually falter. Offers a "realistic expectation" of what to do when perfectionism falls apart, and how to put it into practice.]

@psychcentral Feeling Anxious? Here Are 3 iPhone Apps to Help You Relax
[SEO: "Technology can scatter our attention into about a million directions at once. A million, anxiety-inducing directions. But not all technology is bad for our collective stress level."]

@drchuckelliott Don’t Worry, Be Unhappy
[SEO: It's rare to find anyone with a rational response to all the 'happiness' gurus out there, as well as to the societal norms that expect us to be always nice, often to a fault. This post, based on research, describes the author's personal take on 'mild negativity'. "For people who lean towards pessimism, pretending to be optimistic (imagining successful outcomes) before starting a task can actually work against them; the same with optimists approaching a task pessimistically (by imagining all the things that can go wrong). Both optimists and pessimists found that fighting their nature interfered with their performance." As the author notes, full-blown negativity is usually counter-productive.]

@tinybuddha 10 Places to Find Hope (via @AlwaysWellWithn)
[SEO: I don't find a contradiction in championing 'mild negativity' (above), and now presenting why it's a good thing to find hope wherever it may be. Hope has kept me alive much of my life. When adversity strikes, as it does for this post's author, it's a solid basis for hope which allows you to make good -- or perhaps better -- decisions, and to carry on and cultivate what obtains from those decisions. "When something happens that threatens to leave you hopeless, remember that you are strong. You are resilient and you can take the necessary steps to protect hope and encourage change. Without hope, there is no next step. Without hope, there is no possibility of happiness. I choose hope."]

@psychcentral Problems, Puzzles or Paradoxes: How Do You Define Life’s Challenges?
[SEO: A great post! Explores with detail and examples, how choosing to call something a 'problem' may define how you attempt to solve it, and may preclude solutions based upon your past outcomes with 'problems'. How would you look at it differently if you began with the premise instead that it's a 'puzzle' or a 'paradox'? "What might those kind of thoughts unleash for you, that ‘problem-saturated’ thinking might not? And what other words might you use?"]

@grace2244 What I Didn’t Know Might Help You
[SEO: While the backdrop of this post involves the lack of availability of in-patient trauma services in the U.S. for dissociative identity disorder (DID), this post also discusses the efficacy of SSRI antidepressants, which long-term is lacking. The author also discusses the frequency of suicide attempts amongst trauma survivors triggered by the death of an abuser parent. If you are struggling with abuse issues -- regardless of your diagnosis -- these are important issues. But first and foremost keep yourself safe. You might want to just pass it on to your own therapist.]

@SarahEOlson2009 The end of therapy and the beginning of life
[SEO: Describes the natural progression of the path of good therapy, in that at some point, therapy stops being a life-line, and lessons learned in therapy begin to translate well into everyday life. The post discusses the concept of transference in depth, which in my opinion is crucial for both your therapist and you to fully understand, to create a successful outcome. In good therapy, a time will come when the attachment to your therapist will diminish, and your experience of a broader life than 'just therapy' will expand.

The author offers this wonderful metaphor about the need for the decision to end therapy to be a slow deliberative process: "For an eternity there was just my therapist and I in an enmeshed relationship in my head. Separating ourselves was like trying to untangle a basketball-sized bundle of knotted wool. Neither of us wanted to chop the ball in half and own our severed part, we had to slowly unravel section by section until I knew that all the wool was entirely mine, but it was now one long piece that could be knitted into anything I wanted it to be."]

@psychcentral Self-Directed Neuroplasticity: Mindfulness, Therapy and Sculpting the Self
[SEO: "This phenomenon is called 'experience-dependent neuroplasticity' -- and basically, it’s about how your experiences, and what you make of them, literally shape your brain at a physical level. And, in turn, how your experiences can therefore shape the kinds of thoughts you might be more likely to have next time. 'So if you’re routinely grumbling in your mind, [over time] your brain will take the shape of your low mood…,’ Hanson explains. It’ll get easier and easier to fall into the groove of it. To get used to it. To forget there’s an alternative. And maybe eventually even to associate that groove with ‘who you are.’”]

Each Friday, I rescue favorite items which crossed my Tweet stream — the odd, the beautiful, the funny, the out-of-this-world, and the inspirational. Enjoy!

@BLOOMOFLOVE “Reality is an illusion that occurs due to lack of caffeine.” ~ Fred Green

@JJIEga Decorating eggs this week? These Sharpie masterpieces will get you fired up

@LillyAnn “Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.” ~ George Lois

@heykim HILARIOUS! what happens when you tickle a penguin?

@SharonHayes “Only the mediocre are always at their best.” ~ Jean Giraudoux

@pourmecoffee Six years in the making, the prom dress made of Starburst wrappers is ready to go.

@BradAcker22 “Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.” ~ H.G. Wells

@65thCrayon The likeness is stunning! Could Darth Tater be @DarthVader’s love child with Mrs Potato Head?

@Quotes4Writers “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ~ Louis L’Amour

@Splinteredones WOW! Gorgeous galaxies celebrate Hubble’s 21st birthday (via Bad Astronomy)
[SEO: Truly extraordinary photos of the big "out there".]

@DanielKFoisy “I could’ve missed the pain, but I would’ve missed the dance.” ~ Garth Brooks

Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.

Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.

Want to share? You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.)

SPECIAL NOTE: Ah, the joys of self-hosting your own blog! I keep getting a dreaded “fatal error” trying to upload a pic for this post. Therefore, we are ‘pictureless’ today! It just feels so… black and white.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Six Standalone Tweets to Ponder

@CarePathways “There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it.”

@IyanlaVanzant “Those in your life who love you, respect, and want to be in your space will not risk losing you by crossing the boundary lines.”

@soulseedz “Your job is VP of research and self development; in charge of curiosity, growth and openness to future possibilities.”

@LynnetteBrown “The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.” ~ Peter F. Drucker

@drathenastaik “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves.”

@rcinstitute “SoulfulSunday: cynicism is a disease of the soul. Compassion is the cure.”

Linked Tweets

Japan Earthquake Relief Efforts Continue

@newspyre Now live: www.messagesforjapan.com ~ Express support in your language, see auto-translation, support relief efforts
[SEO: From the official Google blog, a project called messagesforjapan.com will take your message -- in any number of languages -- to the people of Japan and automatically translate it into Japanese. View the one minute video, and go to Google's Crisis Response Page for links to the top charities working for Japan earthquake relief. They will need donations for a very long time.]

@SarahEOlson2009 ’2:46: Aftershocks’; A Twitter-sourced book by/about people affected by Japan earthquake. Proceeds to relief.
[SEO: "In just over a week, a group of unpaid professional and citizen journalists who met on Twitter created a book to raise money for Japanese Red Cross earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. In addition to essays, artwork and photographs submitted by people around the world, including people who endured the disaster and journalists who covered it, 2:46: Aftershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake contains a piece by Yoko Ono, and work created specifically for the book by authors William Gibson, Barry Eisler and Jake Adelstein. ...

ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of the price you pay (net of VAT, sales and other taxes) goes to the Japanese Red Cross Society." The book is currently available for Kindle (which you can read on other devices by downloading the Kindle software). A paper version is in the works.]

Meditation and Mindfulness

@tlomauro Meditation Is Effective at Relieving Pain
[SEO: A recap of various recent studies showing that meditation and mindfulness can be effective at relieving pain, make you feel happier, and give you better odds at losing weight. For example, "When it came time for a midday break, 'people had a mindful lunch in silence for an hour. They enjoyed the food, didn't overeat, didn't rush, and were very aware and meditative when they sat down to start the meal.'"]

@karenkmmonroy Why Meditate? Here’s Why! (via @mindbodygreen)
[SEO: A short article includes a 3 minute animated video about the origins of meditation, and the positive benefits you can derive from practicing it.]

@SarahEOlson2009 Stop the World and See (via Always Well Within)
[SEO: "Often, we don’t see the world around us because we’re thinking too much, daydreaming, or just zoning out. It’s like we’re in another world. Other times we’re overly concentrated on the project at hand. So we only see what’s right in front of us like we’re wearing blinders. We haven’t learned to balance mindfulness with global awareness."]

The Rest of the Best

@StopItNow TAKE ACTION with us in April to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse
[SEO: April is (still) National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This newsletter from Stop It Now provides links to resources and aids to spreading awareness of the issues. Includes a links section for summer safety. Be proactive on behalf of the children you know! You may be the difference in their life.]

@SarahEOlson2009 33 Favorite Self-Help Books of Psychologists (via World of Psychology)
[SEO: A wide range of topics of self-help books chosen by mental health professionals. Definitely worth a look!]

@NAMIMass Are Your Finances a Mess? Money and Emotion
[SEO: "Do you want to change problem behaviors that leave you financially unstable?" With the tax deadline looming in the U.S., this is a timely post about how the way we view money connects to and weaves around our emotions, often in self-destructive ways. "Problematic patterns in how you think about and manage money are often related to painful emotions such as guilt, fear and anxiety."]

@thereseborchard Thanks, Della, for a great interview! Coping With Depression
[SEO: An insightful interview of Therese Borchard, who blogs about coping with depression, and is the author of Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression and Anxiety, and Making the Most of Bad Genes She approaches her own depressive tendencies from a holistic viewpoint. Discusses the role of alternative therapies and the mind-body-spirit connection; lists common symptoms of depression, and self-care measures you can take to alleviate those symptoms.]

@tinybuddha 20 Ways to Overcome Doubts
[SEO: "Maybe the point is to learn to be less afraid of leaping, knowing that the net may not always appear, but the fall will never be far enough to do any lasting damage."]

@psychcentral 21 Tips to Stop Being a People-Pleaser
[SEO: "People-pleasers yearn for outside validation. Their 'personal feeling of security and self-confidence is based on getting the approval of others.' ... They worry how others will view them when they say no. What many people-pleasers don’t realize is that people-pleasing can have serious risks. Not only does it put a lot of pressure and stress on you, Newman said, but 'essentially you can make yourself sick from doing too much.'" Includes 21 strategies to help you learn to say 'no'.]

Doesn’t it seem odd that tax returns are not due in the U.S. today? April 15th, that monolithic day every year for most of my life, just … isn’t anymore? (It’s on Monday the 18th for an obscure reason.) Anyway, distractions can be good, sometimes, and I’ve got all kinds of them plucked from my Twitter Stream this week. Enjoy! (A special shout-out to @heykim who always has great wacky — and inspiring — things to share! )

@heykim royal jelly? ~ Kate Middleton’s Likeness Appears On Jelly Bean
[SEO: Breaking News! And you get to vote on it!]

@lizstrauss “It’s hard to think of a time when chocolate ice cream isn’t a good idea.”

@newspyre Trees in full bloom are reflected in the water at Liyuan Garden

@Quotes4Writers “The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.” ~ Stephen King

@heykim Exclusive: “Star Wars the Musical,” in its entirety! (via @GuyKawasaki)
[SEO: Six sequential videos of a campy school production which is very creative and fun! The lyric subtitles are greatly appreciated!]

@Tamavista “Once you fully apprehend the vacuity of a life without struggle, you are equipped with the basic means of salvation.” ~ Tennessee William

@Gimundo Wow! How cool is this? Who even knew about the pentatonic scale?
[SEO: "A Singing Science Experiment: In this video from the World Science Festival, Bobby McFerrin of "Don't Worry, Be Happy" fame demonstrates the power of the pentatonic scale." At the end, he says it doesn't matter where he goes, the audience always "gets" the pentatonic scale. Very cool!]

@Splinteredones Today’s Sign of Spring: flower forest

@natgeosociety New “Deep Sky” Aurora
[SEO: Gorgeous colors in the Wisconsin sky.]

@MarriageMoment “Respect is love in plain clothes.” ~ Frankie Byrne

@heykim Following @NASA: Learn the moonwalk
[SEO: NASA is into Twitter in a big way. As this short video mentions, 20 astronauts have active Twitter accounts, including those on the International Space Station. You get some out of this world pics from them! NASA has also sponsored "NASA Tweetups", where its Twitter followers get to meet people directly involved in the space program.]

@AncientProverbs “There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience.” ~ French proverb

Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.

Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.

NEW and REALLY COOL: You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.

Photo Credit

@soulseedz “When you look at life with gratitude,
a room with a view becomes a window to wonder.”

Six Standalone Tweets to Ponder

@tinybuddha “It isn’t what happens to us that causes us to suffer; it’s what we say to ourselves about what happens.” ~ Pema Chodron

@karenkmmonroy “Some people are just plain ol’ mean, critical and dis-spiriting. Your job is to not attract them by being mean, critical and dis-spiriting.”

@FeelBetter2day “Live out of your imagination, not your history” ~ Stephen Covey

@OurMentalHealth “Find something this spring that you want to grow and nurture it to fruition.” ~ Cyleste

@Tamavista “Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” ~ Omar Khayyam

@thereseborchard “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eyes.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Linked Tweets

Sexual Assault Awareness Month
(with thanks to Dr. Kathleen Young)

@DrKathleenYoung What Can You Do About Sexual Violence?
[SEO: "April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This year’s theme is “It’s time … to get involved.” The message is that preventing sexual assault needs to be our collective responsibility. This month’s focus will be about combating the bystander effect." Which means everyone has a stake in this, not just victims of sexual assault.]

@DrKathleenYoung 12 Ways You Can Make a Difference
[SEO: "I want to share this resource from the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault Inc. (www.wcasa.org) because it speaks to this year’s theme of promoting community (and individual) involvement."]

Self Care for You and for Those Who Care About You

@akvet This article describes secondary trauma among therapists treating PTSD. Family members experience similar responses.
[SEO: The concept of "compassion fatigue" has been widely discussed in the last 20 years. It is defined in this article as: "...state of exhaustion and dysfunction (biologically, psychologically and socially) as a result of prolonged exposure to compassion stress" (Figley, 1995). We become exhausted by the exposure to experience after experience of emotionally draining clients who look to us for help." As noted by @akvet's tweet, compassion fatigue can also apply to a trauma survivor's closest support people, whether family or friends. It's vital that people in those primary support roles give more than mere lip service to practicing self-care. While this article specifically pertains to clinicians, see the next post below for information for friends and families.]

@akvet For loved ones and family members of someone with combat induced PTSD this is an excellent summary
[SEO: Or for loved ones and family members of any type of PTSD. You can also find a great list of resources aimed at family (and friend) caretakers offered by the National Family Caregivers Association.]

@psychcentral Self-care and Survival: Getting Through the Tough Times
[SEO: "So what gets you through? And how can you connect with it in those moments when you might feel overwhelmed with challenge or sorrow? ... [What might it be like] maybe to just take a moment when the tough times are next upon you, and to listen for what’s missing? Or what’s needed? Or what could soothe or strengthen or support? What might it be like to become that ‘someone’ that cares for you?”]

The Rest of the Best

@zebraspolkadots Not all mental health providers abuse their position — but the ones that do… do so much damage. Healing from the 2nd trauma.
[SEO: An important guest post by Susan Kingsley-Smith (@zebraspolkadots) on Emerging From Broken discusses why abuse survivors may be susceptible to further abuse by incompetent and/or dysfunctional mental health clinicians. "The mental health 'professionals' had successfully stripped me of any hope when they informed me that my brain was broken. They had laid the groundwork for my lifetime dependence on them; telling me that they, and only they, knew the answers and in order for me to 'get better' I needed to submit myself to their care."

Certainly, not all clinicians operate in this manner; there are competent, caring, and humble clinicians who create a true partnership with their clients, who maintain healthy boundaries, and are skilled at not fostering unhealthy dependence upon them. Susan eventually found one of these gems. But you need to know that not all clinicians match those standards. Be informed, and be your own best advocate. The discussion continues in the many comments.]

@psychcentral 5 destructive mind habits that may be destroying your life
[SEO: "Mind traps are those habitual thinking styles we get caught in that inevitably trap us into a cascading snowball of reactivity that leads us to greater distress." Discussion about catastrophizing; exaggerating the negative and discounting the positive; mind reading; being the eternal expert; the "shoulds"; and blaming. Uses the analogy of falling into a hole, and how you might then react according to each category.]

@tinybuddha 5 Easy Ways to Get into Yoga This Spring (via @AlwaysWellWithn)
[SEO: If you're contemplating getting started with yoga, this post provides helpful ways to ease yourself into it. "Now more than ever, yoga seems the perfect escape from our increasingly complex, technology-driven, distracted modern lives. Finding peace and contentment in the present moment is one of the most challenging things to do, and yoga provides the tools we need to find that much-desired stillness."]

@goodthingz 7 Steps to Inner Simplicity
[SEO: "Just think of it, a well-organized and minimalistic home won’t bring you any satisfaction if you are troubled with negative or unhappy thoughts. A perfect schedule which has enough room for all your activities will be useless if you are reliving over and over old painful memories. External ways of simplifying life have no meaning at all if you cannot find your balance and inner simplicity." (The pop up when you first arrive is annoying, and more than a bit ironic. Just sayin'. But the post gives much to contemplate.)]

@psychcentral Is it better focus on the past, present or future in therapy? A few things to consider
[SEO: A discussion of different therapeutic philosophies related to time, and how each provides opportunities to move forward with healing. "Some people tend to focus on the past, where others are obsessed with planning for the future, but finding a balance and being more conscious of our time orientation can serve a major role in mental health and happiness. There are certain times when focusing on past, present, or future will be most nourishing."]

It’s Friday! In a week of endless tax preps and equally endless (0-6) Red Sox losses, a person needs some levity. Really. This week’s selection of my favorite tweet stuff includes the odd, the tiny and cute, the colorful, the gorgeous, and the just plain weird. Enjoy!

@big_picture Flower power
[SEO: Beautiful, often unexpected and poignant, photos of flowers from around the world as spring boldly announces its arrival.]

@Tamavista “Nothing is often a good thing to do and always a good thing to say.” ~ Will Durant

@SarahEOlson2009 These tiny eaglets wish Dad was more efficient at doling out the grub
[SEO: This pertains to the Internet sensations, the Decorah Eagles, a pair of bald eagles and their very recently hatched three young'uns, being viewed 24 hours a day (by at least 160,000 people during the third eaglet's hatching) on UStream. Yes, I am hooked. ]

@goodthingz Urban Knitting — the world’s most inoffensive graffiti
[SEO: This is weird and cool, and something I've never encountered before! Site offers many pics of urban knitting graffiti examples posted below the video (which is no longer available on YouTube).]

@Tamavista “Our most difficult task as a friend is to offer understanding when we don’t understand.” ~ R. Brault

@Morgaine620 hmmm lecker! The Edible Scenery (via Illusion 360)
[SEO: Takes playing with your food to a whole new level! Very creative.]

@AffirmYourLife “Failure is the path of least persistence.” ~ George M. Van Valkenburg, Jr

@pourmecoffee The showjumping cow that thinks it’s a horse
[SEO: There's video and pics to prove it!]

@religiouscritic “If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.” ~ Albert Einstein

@goodthingz Fun Alarm Clocks
[SEO: Especially of interest to Star Wars fanatics, drag racing fans, and people who need that little extra something to wake up each day....]

@askandimagine “What I like in a good author is not what he says, but what he whispers.” ~ Smith

Best Tweets for Trauma and PTSD Survivors is a weekly Friday feature. My selections are entirely subjective, and I know it will never be possible to include every great resource tweeted. But I can try! I’ve personally read all tweeted links, and believe them to be of great value.

Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for content found on any other website. Stay safe, and don’t follow links if you believe you might be triggered by them. Also, I will not be re-checking links from older Best Tweets posts, and if the site’s archived URL is different from the one I’ve provided here, you may need to do a search on their site.

NEW and REALLY COOL: You can now “like” and “share” this post everywhere with the touch of a button or two at the end of the linked tweets! Feel free to do any or all of that! (And thanks.)

Photo Credit

@LillyAnn “Today I’m noticing the quality of my silence,
which apart from anything else,
so determines the quality of my noise.”

Six Standalone Tweets to Ponder

@rcinstitute “ThoughtfulThursday: how much do you doubt your own reality, and how much do you let others impose their reality on you?”

@Tamavista “You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” ~ A. A. Milne

@lizstrauss “The more I stop being what I’m not, the more I accomplish and the more I find really incredible people around me.”

@karenkmmonroy “Change will feel out of your comfort zone, that’s why you need faith that you are more than the sum of your parts.”

@jodiblackley “Forgiving yourself can be more difficult than forgiving another… and many times, more powerful.”

@soulseedz “No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has emerged from the kingdom of night.” ~ Elie Weisel

Linked Tweets

April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

@SarahEOlson April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
[SEO: This is the US government's central resource for all it sponsors with regard to "April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month". You will find tip sheets; the 2011 Resource Guide, which you can use to educate others and effect change in your own neighborhood; and a suggested daily calendar with activities and resources by which you can reach those goals. Be sure to view the index in the left sidebar which takes you to a wealth of material regarding child abuse awareness, prevention, and how to respond if you see it, or a child looks to you for help.]

@helpspreadthis Child Abuse and Neglect: Recognizing and Preventing Child Abuse
[SEO: "The earlier abused children get help, the greater chance they have to heal from their abuse and not perpetuate the cycle. Learn the signs and symptoms of child abuse and help break the cycle, finding out where to get help for the children and their caregivers."]

@Hopefortrauma The Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse — March 2011 Edition is up!!
[SEO: Always packed with informative posts under the theme "Springtime", as well as usual categories: Advocacy and Awareness; In the News; Healing and Therapy; Survivor Stories; and Poetry.]

@rcinstitute ThoughtfulThursday ~ Suicide: When the “inner critic” becomes a killer
[SEO: An extremely important topic for many trauma survivors. This article describes the path many abused and neglected children take to grow up with self-loathing -- and an "inner critic" which drives them to self-destructive beliefs and behaviors. "The child who internalizes critical messages grows into an adult with a profound lack of entitlement to happiness or success, and a sense of despair over ever being able to be happy or fulfilled in life. The negative inner voice never lets up, continually blaming and shaming the person, filling them with self-doubt, worthlessness and ultimately, self-loathing."

Don't do this to your own children, and don't stand by and watch it happen to other children with whom you are in regular contact. "It's not just abuse which damages a child's fragile, developing psyche; an attitude of disinterest is devastating to their developing sense of self-worth."]

The Rest of the Best

@psychcentral An interesting look at dance/movement therapy
[SEO: A detailed account of what dance/movement therapy is comprised of, some of its history, and techniques used. Describes the difference between being in control and being in charge, and why only the latter is empowering. While the focus is on eating disorders, many types of trauma survivors have issues with their bodies and expression of feelings. (Note: The entire article is on Page 1. Pages 2 and 3 appear to be a formatting error.)]

@goodthingz How to Transform Emotions Through Meditation
[SEO: A good introduction into what is meditation, and how you can use it, step by step, to transform your emotions. "As you develop a basic meditative practice you can begin working toward more specific outcomes, such as more positive emotions. By meditating on different emotions you can become aware of what leads to and triggers these emotions in you, and recognize how different emotions can counter and offset each other." (Note: I do not practice meditation -- (and probably should) -- so I have no way to judge whether the article's premise is reasonably attainable. I'd love to learn what you who do meditate think about this in the comments.]

@SarahEOlson2009 Are You Practicing Perfection? Or Are You A Work In Progress?
[SEO: "There’s something that’s always struck me as a little strange about perfectionism. It assumes completion – that a thing can be finished. Whole. Over. Done. So in a world where it seems that ‘the only constant is change’, perfectionism demands a static ending."]

@psychcentral If you’re not quite sure when to say goodbye to your antidepressants, read this
[SEO: If you, or your loved one, are currently on an antidepressant and thinking about stopping, you owe it to yourself, and that person, to read this important post. It is packed with the considerations one should ponder prior to stopping these drugs. First and foremost: never stop taking an antidepressant abruptly. Many of them need you to taper off slowly, or you may subject yourself to a wide range of symptoms. Read this.]

@rcinstitute ThoughtfulThursday: What is empowerment, really?
[SEO: Article describes what empowerment is, and what it isn't, in various contexts. Here is just one nugget from this post. "True empowerment is a state of self-trust and self-respect. It means that you're your own best friend at work and in relationships. You take responsibility for your choices and accept the consequences of your actions; you learn from your mistakes, so as not to repeat them."]

@tinybuddha 4 Steps to Deal with Disappointment (via @AlwaysWellWithn)
[SEO: "For me, disappointment is one of life’s most uncomfortable feelings. It’s complex, containing a subset of other emotions like anger, hurt, sadness, and probably many others too subtle to identify. Sometimes, those emotions by themselves are easier to deal with, but disappointment can leave me at a loose end."]

Yay, it’s Friday! So many good things passed through my Tweet stream I had to choose carefully — and none of them involve an April Fools’ joke. (Really.) There’s amazing, funny, weird, and gorgeous, though! Enjoy!
 

@pourmecoffee “Honey, please don’t be mad but I bought something online.”

@wisdomalacarte “At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.” ~ Jean Houston

@SarahEOlsono2009 “One Man Disney Movie” Nick Pitera: Disney Medley Music Video (YouTube)
[SEO: This is fabulous, funny, and well worth the time to watch it completely!]

@Quotes4Writers “I shall live badly if I do not write, and I shall write badly if I do not live.” ~ Francoise Sagan

@everywheretrip My 10 Favorite Buildings in the World

@Tamavista “A lot of people mistake a short memory for a clear conscience.” ~ Doug Larson

@Quotes4Writers “This writing business. Pencils and whatnot. Overrated, if you ask me.” ~ Winnie the Pooh

@goodthingz Pics ~ Dutch Tulip Fields (overhead shots…beautiful)
[SEO: I love tulips!]

@2morrowknight 100 Online Tools to Teach Yourself Any Instrument For Free
[SEO: Besides various instruments, this collection includes sections for voice, and teaching music to children.]

@Quotes4Writers “A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.” (Proverb)

@goodthingz Pop-Up Restaurant Will Sit Atop Famous Buildings and Mountains
[SEO: I don't know why, but this strikes me as an ideal location for an April Fools' prank. ]