Category Archives: domestic violence

What is Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy?

November 16, 2018abuse, domestic violence, IntimatePartnerViolence, PTSD, SpirituallyIntegratedTherapy, survivor, traumahighheelsandheartache

Missy Stancil joins me to chat about spiritually integrated psychotherapy. We define spirituality and religion and chat about how trained therapists can use both to help survivors of trauma. Missy discusses how she weaves spirituality into her therapy sessions for those who are interested in including it. We also chat why spiritually integrated therapy can be highly beneficial for survivors of trauma.

Missy Stancil is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Mental Health Counseling from Campbell University and a Bachelor’s degree in Human Geography from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also completed a three-year postgraduate residency in spiritually integrated psychotherapy from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, as well as the FaithHealth Fellowship. She furthered her training through the Addressing Health Disparities Leadership Program through the National Council for Behavioral Health and the LGBTQ Academy Certificate from the American Counseling Association.

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How Does Trauma Affect Your Body?

October 22, 2018abuse, adjunctivetherapy, domestic violence, DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth, IntimatePartnerViolence, mindfulnessmeditation, PTSD, relationshipadvice, survivor, traumahighheelsandheartache

Dr. Amelia Kelley sits down to chat about how trauma affects the body and strategies that you can use to reduce that trauma. Dr. Kelley is an expert in using adjunctive therapies along with cognitive therapy to help those who have experienced trauma. Dr. Kelley defines trauma and explains how trauma is stored in the body. She describes how practices like reiki, therapeutic touch, qigong, yoga, therapeutic massage, and meditation (which are all offered at her practice, Kelley Counseling and Wellness) in conjunction with traditional therapy help to reduce trauma’s impact on the body. Dr. Kelley even walks us through a mindfulness meditation!

Dr. Amelia Kelley, PhD, MS, LPC, ATR-P, RYT is licensed therapist with 15 years of experience. She is trained in Art Therapy, Hypnotherapy, Yoga Therapy and other adjunctive treatments for trauma such as EMDR, Prolonged Exposure, Imagery Rehearsal Therapy and Trauma Sensitive Yoga. She is the owner and supervisor of Kelley Counseling and Wellness in Cary, NC. Her practice is part of the Trauma Consortium at the Kinsey Institute at Indiana State University. Dr. Kelley has studied the effect of HIIT exercise on adults with ADHD as well as the effect of music on childhood creativity. She is a trained Level I and II Vinyasa Yoga teacher, a Yin Yoga certified teacher and a trained Restorative Yoga teacher. Dr. Kelley provides yoga therapy to individuals facing physical and mental health challenges to help reduce symptoms, address trauma in the body, help reduce addiction, restore balance and increase vitality. Her art therapy group work with the substance abuse population has been featured in the media as well as her advocacy for the licensure of Art Therapy in the state of NC. Dr. Kelley has been featured in the news as an expert discussing addiction to technology. She has also offered blog contributions in the areas of coping with ADHD in marriage as well as podcasts about Art Therapy in mental health. Additionally, she is a trained meditation teacher with a library of her teachings found on insight timer. Dr. Kelley is currently working on her first book examining healthy coping for an overactive nervous system in an overactive society.

For more information on Kelley Counseling and Wellness CLICK HERE

To access Dr. Kelley’s Insight Timer Meditation Page CLICK HERE

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Is There a Link Between Trauma and Addiction?

October 5, 2018abuse, Addiction, domestic violence, DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth, IntimatePartnerViolence, PTSD, relationshipadvice, survivor, traumahighheelsandheartache

I interview Jessika Sands about the link between trauma and addiction. We discuss brain development, where trauma is stored in the brain, and why survivors of trauma are sometimes more likely to develop an addiction.

Jessika Sands, MA, LPC, LAC is a licensed therapist, licensed addiction therapist and EMDR consultant. She provides EMDR, Brainspotting, and substance use therapy at AspenRidge Recovery and in private practice. She recently started a Neurofeedback business. She specializes in complex trauma, dissociative disorders, and chemical addiction.

Jessika is a trauma survivor that sought her own therapy at many different points in her life. She’s found the continued work on her own self-growth has given her the ability to truly help other trauma survivors. She believes each person’s journey is unique and has admiration for the clients she has had the opportunity to work with and looks forward to each new possibility of contributing to healing.

Click for Jessika’s webpage!

To learn more about…..
EMDR: Click Here
Brainspotting: Click Here
Neurofeedback: Click Here and Here

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How is the Alliance for Hope International Helping Survivors of Domestic Violence?

September 7, 2018abuse, allianceforhopeinternational, domestic violence, familyjusticecenter, PTSD, survivor, traumahighheelsandheartache

On this episode I speak with William Ackerman, Natalia Aquirre, and Casey Gwinn, from the Alliance for Hope International. We discuss the valuable resources available for survivors and their families through the Family Justice Center Alliance and Camp Hope America. We chat about how Casey was able to establish the first revolutionary Family Justice Center in San Diego and grow to over 130 centers worldwide. Casey and Natalia describe how resources are trauma informed and how a “challenge by choice” model has helped children work through trauma they’ve experienced.

Casey gives us a preview of his book Hope Rising: How the Science of Hope Can Change Your Life and discusses how important hope is to survivors of domestic violence.

To find a Family Justice Center near you click here.
If you are interested in learning more about sending your child to Camp Hope, click here.
To pre-order Casey Gwinn’s book, click here.

For more information on any of the organizations discussed, please click on the logo!

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Is My Partner a Narcissist?

August 15, 2018abuse, domestic violence, narcissism, narcissist, narcissistic behavior, relationship advice, survivor, traumahighheelsandheartache

On this episode I chat with Dr. Elinor Greenberg about narcissism. We discuss the difference between healthy narcissism and having the personality adaptation. We answer the burning questions: Does a narcissist love you? And what causes the Narcissistic Personality Adaptation? We also outline the predictable stages of a romantic relationship with a narcissist.

Dr. Elinor Greenberg is an internationally renowned Gestalt therapist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of Borderline. Narcissistic, and Schizoid Personality Adaptations. Dr. Greenberg is the author of the book: Borderline, Narcissistic, and Schizoid Adaptations: The Pursuit of Love, Admiration, and Safety. She also has a free online blog called “Understanding Narcissism” on psychologytoday.com and has over 1000 posts on these topics on Quora.com. Dr. Greenberg travels the globe teaching other therapists about these topics.

You can access Dr. Greenberg’s book by clicking here.
Her blog can be found here.
Her posts on Quora can be found here.

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What is Gaslighting?

July 18, 2018abuse, domestic violence, gaslighting, PTSD, red flags, relationship advice, relationshipadvice, survivorhighheelsandheartache

In this episode I chat with Dr. Stephanie Moulton Sarkis about gaslighting. Dr.Sarkis defines gaslighting, explains its effects, describes why it is such a powerful tool for those looking to manipulate others, and discusses how you can protect yourself against it.

Stephanie Moulton Sarkis, Ph.D., NCC, LMHC, DCMHS is a bestselling author and psychotherapist. She has been in private practice for 20 years. She is an American Mental Health Counseling Association Diplomate (one of 100 in the U.S.) and an AMHCA Clinical Mental Health Specialist in Child and Adolescent Counseling (one of 20 in the U.S.). Dr. Sarkis received her degrees and training from the University of Florida. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a National Certified Counselor. She also is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator and Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator. She maintains a private practice in Tampa, Florida, where she specializes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anxiety.

To preorder Dr. Sarkis’s seventh book, Gaslighting: Recognize Manipulative and Emotionally Abusive People -and Break Free, click here.

To read Dr. Sarkis’s article, “11 Warning Signs of Gaslighting” click here.

Click here for more information on Dr. Sarkis.

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PTSD and Survivors Of Domestic Violence

June 19, 2018abuse, domestic violence, PTSD, PTSDAwarenessMonth, relationship advice, survivorhighheelsandheartache

In this bonus episode of High Heels and Heartache, I sit down with Crystal Yarborough to discuss how Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, can affect survivors of domestic violence and abuse. We chat about what PTSD is, the symptoms of PTSD, what recovery sometimes entails, and life after PTSD.

Crystal Yarborough is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist. She has worked with people who have experienced trauma and addiction in many settings, including in a state psychiatric hospital, residential substance abuse therapeutic community, military settings, and outpatient clinics.

Please visit The National Institute of Mental Health’s website for more information on PTSD.

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Art Therapy and Trauma

June 7, 2018abuse, art therapy, domestic violence, survivorabuse, art therapy, domestic violencehighheelsandheartache

In this episode, Gretchen Miller explains why art therapy can be a valuable resource in the recovery of survivors of domestic violence.

Gretchen M. Miller, MA, ATR-BC, ACTP is a Registered and Board Certified Art Therapist, Advanced Certified Trauma Practitioner, Adjunct Faculty Member, Speaker, and Author.

For almost twenty years, Gretchen has been working as an art therapist primarily serving children and adolescents in Cleveland/Akron, Ohio. Her work in trauma intervention has included providing art therapy services to youth and women from homes of domestic violence, grieving children and adolescents, families and adults transitioning out of homelessness, survivors of human trafficking, and with youth managing mental health challenges in Northeast Ohio settings such as residential treatment programs, shelters, bereavement centers, community-based outreach, and outpatient adolescent mental health.

Gretchen presents regionally and nationally on the application of art therapy, is a guest lecturer, and writes blogs, and has been published about the use of art therapy with survivors of trauma. She also is an Adjunct Professor for Ursuline College’s Master of Arts in Counseling and Art Therapy Program, the only graduate program to study art therapy in the state of Ohio. She currently teaches for The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children as an online instructor about group interventions and strategies for traumatized children and adolescents.

She also currently serves on the American Art Therapy Association Board of Directors.

Check out these links for more information on art therapy!
Gretchen Miller:
The Value of Art Expression in Trauma Intervention
Art Therapy in Action: Trauma (VIDEO)
American Art Therapy Association Art Therapist Locator

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Relationship Red Flags

April 15, 2018abuse, domestic violence, red flags, relationship advicehighheelsandheartache

In my first episode of High Heels and Heartache, I sit down with Dr. Candice Creasman to discuss red flags in relationships that might be indicators of toxic, unhealthy, or abusive behaviors. We also have a fantastic chat about boundary setting in relationships.

Dr. Creasman is a therapist, author, and meditation teacher with over 10 years of experience treating clients with mood disorders, personality disorders, chronic pain, and addiction. She is in private practice in Raleigh North Carolina where she works primarily with women who have survived domestic violence and sexual assault. She is a contributor to the meditation app Insight Timer, a foundational teacher for Aura Health, and expert contributor for marriage.com.