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.)
@soulseedz “Love your imperfections.
That’s how the light gets in.”
Six Standalone Tweets to Ponder
@ChelseaWalshMFT “Time does not heal all wounds. Healing comes by reflection, acceptance, validation and catharsis.”
@CarePathways “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face.”
@rcinstitute “ThoughtfulThursday: self-awareness must always be associated with self-acceptance if you want personal growth.”
@Tamavista “Every time you don’t follow your inner guidance, you feel a loss of energy, loss of power, a sense of spiritual deadness.” ~ S. Gawain
@LillyAnn “Make small changes, see where they take you, repeat.”
@karenkmmonroy “Would it be okay with you if Life had some ease and grace to it?”
Linked Tweets
@APAHelpCenter Concerned about a family member or friend’s mental health? What really happens when you call 9-1-1?
[SEO: If you or a loved one are a trauma survivor with suicidal tendencies, please print this article out, and keep it handy if needed later. It clearly explains what will (should) happen if you or a loved one call 911 for possible suicide, as well as your rights as a mental health patient. We have all, of course, heard horror stories of people receiving incompetent (at best) treatment in this situation. Being proactive, for yourself or your loved one, and knowing in advance what you have a right to expect, will go a long way toward preventing a bad outcome.]
@NAMIMass Dept of Defense launches interactive simulation to provide information on PTSD
[SEO: This is fascinating. It’s for veterans, their families, and friends. (Something like this geared toward civilians with PTSD would be extremely valuable.) It requires you to sign up for a free basic Second Life account to join their virtual environment. “‘We created an environment that lets people learn by doing, rather than reading text and watching videos on two-dimensional websites,’ said Kevin Holloway, the psychologist who led T2’s virtual world development. ‘They can learn something new each time they visit.'” You can view its full description and benefits at T2 Virtual PTSD Experience, which also walks you through the steps to joining Second Life.]
@psychcentral Top 5 Metaphors for Mindfulness: Interview with Arnie Kozak Ph.D
[SEO: “[W]hat we call mind is an abstract thing. … So, we have to turn to metaphorical images to get a sense of what it might be and what it does. When we use the term mindfulness that suggests the mind can be full — or empty — of something we consider to be mind. Therefore we understand mind by analogy to a container — something that can hold something. Or we tend to think of the mind as a thing but it’s really a dynamic, unfolding, and ever-changing process.”]
@MichelePTSD Need a quick idea as to whether or not you’re in the #PTSD ballpark?
[SEO: An encore Best Tweet: besides linking to a “PTSD Test” to ascertain whether you might have PTSD, the page also includes a wealth of links to find help, types of PTSD treatment, and other resources.]
@MentalHelpNet Mindfulness in Daily Life
[SEO: “The point of this exercise is to remember that you don’t have to do hours of meditation to bring mindfulness into your life. Simply taking a moment to breathe, calm and center yourself in the midst of hectic and busy days can allow you to be more mindful. You might find that the it also results in greater productivity and less frenzied days.”]
@psychcentral The Bravest People In The World
[SEO: “Every day, ordinary people like you and me overcome extraordinary travails. Despite our fears, our hardships, our pain we keep embracing life. In fact, sometimes the most ordinary people are the bravest people in the world.” How the author defines courage. … I found out that when you avoid the thing you fear, your fears grow until they begin to control various aspects of your life. And as your fears increase, you miss out on the opportunity to live a full life.”]
@patriciasinglet Conversations Magazine: Patricia Singleton, Incest Survivor: Using The Past to Brighten the Future
[SEO: An interview with Patricia Singleton, who blogs at Spiritual Journey of a Lightworker. Patricia discusses why she decided to begin speaking about her past as an incest survivor, and why it is important to see oneself as a survivor, rather than a victim. “I have always known that one day I would write about my experiences as an incest survivor. Why? Because writing about my experiences, sharing with other survivors was the only way that I could think of to make something good come out of the darkness that was my childhood which was created by the abuse.” That was my motivation, as well.]
@Jennifer Manlowe, PhD 11 Ways to Use Writing for Healing in 2011 (via @HealingToolKit)
[SEO: Always a topic near and dear to me. This post refers to writing memoirs for healing; you write what you know and remember. (While the blog focuses on “women’s memoirs”, c’mon guys, you can write, too! :)) The blogger here isn’t necessarily talking about healing from trauma, but much of her examples of healing through writing apply nevertheless, or may provide inspiration for you to take it another step.]
@SarahEOlson2009 Have You Lost a Part of Yourself?
[SEO: Excellent post! Defines four essential steps to rediscovering what you have lost: (1) recognize the missing parts; (2) identify the losses; (3) explore how you got off track; and (4) reclaim your lost self. Each step provides thought-provoking questions or exercises to help determine the answers. It acknowledges that trauma survivors need to go about this at their own pace, with help, if necessary. “New and effective treatment approaches for healing trauma have emerged. These include the use of techniques like breath and heart rate regulation, meditation, imagery, biofeedback, energy release work, hypnosis, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Information Processing Techniques (EMDR, EFT, TFT, TAT), cognitive behavioral therapy, and others. You are not stuck with the impact of trauma. Trauma can be healed.”]
