What Is Resilience, Really? Sometimes, the word resilience can feel like a trigger — as if someone is saying, focus on the character you’re building. But let’s be honest: hard times are hard. They can be profoundly discouraging and disorienting, especially when you’re still trying to make sense of what happened. Resilience and trauma recovery are not about pretending things are okay or “bouncing back” as if nothing changed. Resilience is about adapting — finding ways to keep going through profound difficulty. Sometimes, that means things may feel worse before they feel better, as you begin to pick up the pieces and help your brain and body understand that you’re no longer in danger. There are many ways a person can “bounce back” after a profoundly stressful or traumatic experience — and they’re all valid. The goal is to return to a sense of stability: where you’re no longer triggered, dissociative, or constantly scanning for danger. But not being there yet doesn’t mean you lac...

Trauma changes the brain — but not in the way some people think. In this post from the Resolve to Rise series, we’ll explore how trauma reshapes the brain for survival, what neuroscience reveals about those changes, and how healing can help you rewire your brain for calm, safety, and connection. Why Does Trauma Impact the Brain? When trauma happens, your brain doesn’t fail you — it protects you. It rewires itself for survival, even if that means staying on high alert long after the danger has passed. Just as a fever helps fight infection, your brain and body activate certain regions and quiet others in response to threat. Stress hormones surge, heart rate increases, and attention narrows — all designed to keep you safe. This is wisdom at work. Your body knows how to protect you. But when the danger is repeated or prolonged, the brain learns to stay on alert — even when the threat is gone. That’s why emotional regulation, focus, and memory can feel harder. We struggle because we are a...

  Healing from trauma isn’t linear. It doesn’t happen in a neat, step-by-step checklist or through one sudden breakthrough. Trauma recovery is about being intentional — taking small, compassionate steps that calm your nervous system, rebuild resilience, and open the path forward. The Resolve to Rise Roadmap was created to honor this truth. It’s not about erasing the past, but about walking through it with intention — a rhythm you can return to again and again as your capacity grows. The Truth About Healing “Healing doesn’t have to involve reliving the memories.” For many trauma survivors, the thought of revisiting memories feels overwhelming. So instead, they work around the impacts — numbing, pretending things are better than they are, or pushing the pain away. This response is natural. It’s your brain and body trying to protect you. But trauma healing doesn’t always mean diving into the past. The real work begins by finding rest for your nervous system. Your body adapted to pro...

  When we hear the word trauma , many of us think of extreme events — combat, natural disasters, or violence. But the truth is, trauma touches far more lives than we realize, and its impact can take many forms. This week’s Resolve to Rise series explored the question: What is trauma, and how does it affect us? Here’s a deeper look at what you need to know. Who Experiences Trauma? Trauma doesn’t discriminate — it touches almost all of us. Globally, about 70% of people will experience a traumatic event during their lifetime ( Benjet et al., 2016 ). In the U.S., it’s closer to 9 out of 10   of clients in public behavioral health  ( SAMHSA , 2014 )  Traumatic experiences know no limits — not gender, age, culture, or income. And it’s not only about military service . Trauma can touch anyone, anywhere. If you think you've been impacted by a traumatic experience , you’re not alone.   Continue Reading

  When people ask me why the symbol of Resolve to Rise is a bowl, my answer comes from an ancient Japanese art form called kintsugi . In kintsugi, broken pottery is repaired with gold. The cracks aren’t hidden — they’re highlighted. The belief is simple and profound: when something has been broken, it can be put back together in a way that celebrates its story and as a result is stronger, more beautiful, and even more valuable than before. That, to me, is what healing from trauma looks like. We don’t erase the past. We honor it. And when we do, we don’t just survive — we rise. Continue Reading

In the wake of a devastating event—whether it’s a flood, hurricane, tornado, wildfire, or earthquake—the impact doesn’t end when the skies clear. The physical damage may be visible, but the emotional and psychological reverberations often continue for weeks, months, or even years. The recent Central Texas flooding brought this truth into sharp focus. Beyond the destruction of homes and landscapes, there’s a deeper, more invisible toll: the emotional weight carried by survivors, responders, and entire communities. The Layered Impact of Natural Disasters Disasters create a multi-dimensional aftermath: Physical destruction and displacement Loss of life, safety, and normalcy Increased vulnerability and trauma Environmental shifts and health risks And still—those are just the visible layers. What often goes unseen is the grief, shock, confusion, and personal disorientation experienced by those living through it. No “Right” Way to Respond In the aftermath, people process tragedy in differ...

  Have you ever had the sense that there was something bigger meant for you? Some unique impact you were intended to have while living this life? That quiet pull—toward meaning, contribution, and connection—can be what helps us weather the darkest seasons. It’s the sense that maybe all of this isn’t meaningless… maybe we can use it as the foundation for something deeper to emerge. That belief is what helped Viktor Frankl survive his time in concentration camps, as he describes in Man’s Search for Meaning . It’s the driving force behind ikigai , the Japanese concept of a “reason for being,” and it parallels what Buddhism calls Dharma —one’s sacred duty or righteous path. This isn’t a concept exclusive to one culture or belief system. It’s a thread that runs through many traditions, philosophies, and lived experiences. Whatever name you give it, purpose gives your life circumstances a bigger context. Rather than simply being about hardship, adversity can become part of a path to impa...

Studies show that belief is hard to come by when you’ve experienced repeated abuse and important for healing. "Adults who experienced childhood abuse are over 3 times more likely to develop negative core beliefs about themselves, including beliefs of worthlessness, helplessness, and unlovability." — Wright, Crawford, & Del Castillo, 2009; Beck Institute on Cognitive Therapy “Individuals with a strong belief in their ability to recover from trauma (self-efficacy) are up to 80% more likely to show significant improvement in PTSD symptoms during treatment.” — Benight & Bandura, 2004; Journal of Clinical Psychology There was a season when I didn’t like myself, trusted no one, and was on a path to self-destruction. Repetitive abuse had rewired my brain and convinced me I was broken. Today my nervous system is calm, my relationships are healthy, and Resolve to Rise exists to help others make the same journey—from “I’m broken” to “I’m resilient and able to heal.” The pivot...

If this sounds like you… You live with severe anxiety, severe depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or another serious mental illness (SMI). You’ve survived extreme—or even repeated—trauma. Your doctors focus on meds for mood, psychosis, or anxiety but rarely ask about your trauma If that’s your reality, this post is for you . The hidden numbers A multi-site study of community mental-health clinics discovered a staggering gap: 42% of people receiving care for SMI also met full criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) yet only 2% had PTSD written anywhere in their medical record.¹ When a diagnosis isn’t in the chart, it usually isn’t in the treatment plan. That means the trauma-driven symptoms continue on without intervention. And, yet there are so many effective treatments that can help. Continue reading... 

You’ve been doing the work. You’ve gone to therapy. You’ve read the books. You’ve made real progress. So why are you still getting triggered? It’s disheartening—maybe even disillusioning—to feel like you’ve come so far in your healing journey, only to find yourself dysregulated by something that seems small or out of nowhere. If this sounds familiar, know this: You’re not broken. You’re rewiring. And healing isn’t linear—it’s layered. Why Triggers Still Happen Even after significant healing, your nervous system may still be carrying the impacts of trauma —especially if the trauma was repeated or prolonged. This includes childhood abuse, emotional neglect, or relational trauma that disrupted your sense of safety and belonging. When life is calm, it’s easy to believe you’re “past it.” But a subtle reminder—an expression, tone of voice, a life experience, or external or internal sensation—can throw your body back into a state of defense . That’s because your brain and body learned to s...

  If you've ever felt overwhelmed in relationships—craving connection but pushing people away—you’re not alone. These experiences may not be about who you are, but rather what happened to you. For many living with Complex PTSD (CPTSD) , attachment wounds lie at the heart of the struggle. In this post, we’ll explore how CPTSD and attachment are connected, how early caregiver relationships shape adult attachment styles, and most importantly—how healing is possible. What Is Attachment and Why Does It Matter? Attachment styles are patterns of relating to others, formed during early childhood based on your interactions with caregivers. If those early relationships were safe, responsive, and consistent, you likely developed a secure attachment —the foundation for healthy relationships later in life. But when those relationships were neglectful, abusive, or unpredictable, the result can be long-term emotional dysregulation, fear of connection, and difficulties in trusting others—core fe...

When you're struggling or noticing that past events have resurfaced and are negatively impacting your life, you may find yourself searching for answers. Common questions include: What is trauma? Were my experiences truly traumatic? Am I experiencing symptoms related to childhood abuse? While we can't answer every question here, let's explore 10 critical things you should understand about trauma to guide you toward healing and growth. Continue Reading...  Trauma, PTSD, Complex PTSD, Dissociation