A Very Responsible Parenting Guide to Gaslighting

I am starting to believe gaslighting gets a bad rap. Now, hang on and hear me out. It’s generally defined as manipulating someone into questioning their own perception of reality. Obviously, doing that to another person is not great. But I’ve discovered that a little self-inflicted gaslighting can occasionally make life better. Call it self-deception.Continue reading “A Very Responsible Parenting Guide to Gaslighting”

Can Family & Friends Suffer from Secondary Trauma?

Secondary traumatic stress is a risk when we support and engage wholeheartedly with a trauma survivor. More recently, secondary traumatic stress has come to the front as an issue separate from burnout, and it should be addressed. While burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by long-term involvement in emotionally demandingContinue reading “Can Family & Friends Suffer from Secondary Trauma?”

Crash Course at the Ash House

I had every intention of starting to share some of the hilarious moments that we have had as a family since my last post.  But life had another idea.  Trauma reared its ugly head within our home in a way that has broken all of our hearts in an immense way.  We found there wasContinue reading “Crash Course at the Ash House”

Pro-Parenting: Amputee Style

Well, it is official: we are licensed professional parents!  After several grueling months of paperwork, home studies, inspections, writing ten page autobiographies, trainings, and a water test (yes, really!), we received our license in the mail that we are approved Foster/Resource parents and are on the list to receive our first placement child. For someContinue reading “Pro-Parenting: Amputee Style”