Category Archives: Emotional pain

A Pastor’s Battle with Childhood Trauma

[This week we have “Overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences” (ACEs), a guest blog by Pastor Dave Lockridge of northern California (left). What a story, and what a persistent heart! – Kathy] From the Merced Sun Star, Merced County, CA: When I … Continue reading

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Posted in Attachment Disorder, Attachment Theory, Brain Science, Emotional pain, Grief | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) (Pt.2 of 2): Mary Main’s Scary Parent Study

Scary Parents Part 1 of this blog Jan. 23 concluded that by 1978, Dr. Mary Ainsworth’s estimate for U.S. babies was that (A) 23% were Avoidant insecure (avoid parents); (B) only 69-70% were Securely Attached; and (C) 8% were Ambivalent … Continue reading

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Posted in Attachment, Attachment Disorder, Attachment Theory, Brain Science, Dissociation, Emotional pain | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) (Pt.1 of 2): Mary Ainsworth’s Strange Situation

Only 55% of us had “secure attachment” as infants, according to research on 6,281 infant-parent pairs done during 1970-1999. [FN1, 2]  This would worry us all if we knew what it meant, because the other 45% of us suffer “insecure … Continue reading

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Posted in Attachment, Attachment Disorder, Attachment Theory, Brain Science, Dissociation, Emotional pain | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Readers Defend Van der Kolk

I had the most comments ever last week, as readers spoke up to defend Dr. Bessel van der Kolk (left) and his ideas about somatic (body) healing for trauma, after the sideswipes against science by the New York Times May … Continue reading

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Posted in Attachment Theory, Brain Science, Dissociation, Emotional pain | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In Defense of Van der Kolk

The New York Times May 22 spotlighted Dr. Bessel van der Kolk MD’s idea that to change the way we heal a traumatized mind, start with the body (as noted last week). (Van der Kolk portrait by Matthew Woodson for … Continue reading

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Posted in Attachment Disorder, Attachment Theory, Brain Science, Emotional pain | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

“Heal trauma? Start with the body”

“Bessel van der Kolk wants to change the way we heal a traumatized mind — by starting with the body,” reports Jeneen Interlandi in the New York Times Magazine May 22. (Dr. van der Kolk in session drawn by Matthew … Continue reading

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Posted in Brain Science, Emotional pain, Trauma | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What Trauma-Informed Care Means to Me

“Rider for Change” James Encinas arrived by mountain bike at San Diego’s Cherokee Point Elementary May 2 to the delight of some hundred students, and visitors from around southern California. James, a career LA school teacher, is riding 3,000 miles … Continue reading

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Posted in Attachment, Attachment Theory, Brain Science, Emotional pain, Fight-Flight | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Hole in Half of Us

The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) study since 1994 shows that  50% of Americans have some degree of failed attachment in childhood.  These are rigorous psychiatric studies of the general public which have nothing to do with “addicts.”  It’s not just … Continue reading

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Posted in Attachment, Attachment Disorder, Attachment Theory, Brain Science, Emotional pain, Stress chemicals | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dr. Vincent Felitti: “The Origins of Addiction”

After I heard Russell Brand say that what compels addicts is the “hole in me,” I wrote Feb. 14 that this means:  “parts of my brain are dark.”  And it’s so painful, we just medicate.  Ten % of us use … Continue reading

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Posted in Attachment Disorder, Attachment Theory, Emotional pain, Trauma | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Hole in Me

“Philip Seymour Hoffman is another victim of extremely stupid drug laws,” writes Russell Brand in The Guardian on Feb. 6 at www.theguardian.com/ commentisfree/2014/feb/06/russell-brand-philip-seymour-hoffman-drug-laws   I posted this Feb. 7 in the comments of his article: What causes that “pain” which … Continue reading

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Posted in Attachment, Attachment Disorder, Attachment Theory, Brain Science, Emotional pain | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments