Stay Well Be Well

28/10/2025

28/10/2025

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19/10/2025

Did you know that trauma can leave people with chronic pain? Many people associate trauma with PTSD and war veterans, however many people have trauma "trapped " in their body. In his book The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma explains how trauma can leave scars just like a physical injury. Treating these wounds and recovering from them involves being aware of them, accepting they are there and processing them. Van Der Kolk employs a therapeutic method called EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) to process traumatic memories with very positive results. If you would like to learn more about how EMDR could help you contact staywell@staywellbewell.com

ℹ️🌿 A CHILD LOST IN TIME: TRAUMA AND CHRONIC PAIN |

Before I was diagnosed with CPTSD, I didn’t understand how mental illness can affect a body so deeply, even as it was happening to me. In 2005, an orthopedic surgeon and several physical therapists grew frustrated because I couldn’t relax my leg. One flat-out yelled at me after knee surgery because I couldn’t bend the way I was instructed to.

My muscles have been so tense for so long that I don’t know how to relax. Now in my 50s, the muscle pain is a persistent bother. It was during a therapy session that the connection was made: a lost child frozen in time.

Read the Full Article: https://cptsdfoundation.org/2022/03/17/a-child-lost-in-time-trauma-and-chronic-pain/

19/10/2025

What's a movie or a series that you can watch over and over? Research shows that watching a familiar film or series can provide a sense of safety and security because we know what is going to happen. When we are feeling overwhelmed turning to favourite shows or music can be a way to feel comforted and safe.

17/10/2025

Have you experienced a natural disaster? Natural disasters are becoming more common place due to a changing climate and weather patterns. Exposure to a major disaster can be traumatic and trigger mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and stress, some may develop other conditions such as PTSD. If you think that you might need immediate support contact Sane Australia 1800 18 7263, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636or Lifeline 131114. If you are in immediate crisis and thinking of harming yourself or others, reach out to 000

Officials say one of the “most significant” airlifts in Alaskan history is underway following a devastating typhoon

17/10/2025

Domestic Violence relies on silence. Abusers isolate and manipulate their victims to keep quiet. Sharing what is going on with others shines the light on abuse and helps break the cycle. If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic violence please call 1800RESPECT on
1800 737732

17/10/2025

Experiencing and surviving abuse can have such a profound impact on a person’s mind, body, and soul. It’s never selfish to take time for yourself!

Remember, you are worthy of love.

15/10/2025

We often expect healing to be a straight line toward relief. But in reality it often begins with a breaking.

When your trauma first happened, your body did what it had to do to keep you alive. It shut down, numbed out, stored the pain away. It didn't have the capacity to feel it all back then.

In healing, that capacity starts to grow. And suddenly, the grief, rage, and longing that were locked away start to move through you. This can feel like falling apart but it's actually your nervous system doing what it couldn't do before: processing what's authentic without collapsing.

Messy doesn't mean wrong. Overwhelming doesn't mean you're going backwards.
It often means your body has now more capacity to hold what was once unholdable.

If you're in this part of your healing right now, where the old patterns are cracking and the feelings are raw, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Join our trauma-informed Peer Support Chat Group today and connect with others who truly understand the journey of trauma recovery.

Facilitated by trained peer support specialists with lived experience, this supportive and compassionate space offers recovering survivors understanding, encouragement, and hope, all day, every day.

To learn more and register, visit https://cptsdfoundation.org/peer-support-chat-group/

11/05/2025

As one of the countless Australians who’ve slipped through the cracks, I'd hoped for bold mental health action in the 2025 federal budget.

09/05/2025

Good morning everyone, remember this weekend to spare some time to think of the loving memories of our mothers or those who took up that role for us. Parenthood is the most important role many of us will play in our lives and the lives of others. Sometimes we fill that role for children who were born to others, and sometimes we fill that role for ourselves if our own parents were not coping as well as they wanted to.
Because Mother's Day is more than a chance to give gifts, it's a day to celebrate love, care and nurturing of the young, elders, and ourselves

21/04/2025

The Benefits of Vipassana meditation for increased focus and reduction of intrusive thoughts

Vipassana meditation, a practice focusing on observing the mind and body without judgment, is associated with increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, particularly the dorsolateral and medial regions, and decreased activity in the default mode network. This suggests that Vipassana meditation enhances attention, executive functions like decision-making, and reduces rumination and worry.
Elaboration:
Prefrontal Cortex Activation:
Studies have shown that Vipassana meditation leads to heightened activity in the prefrontal cortex, especially the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex. This area is involved in executive functions, attention, and self-regulation.
Default Mode Network Deactivation:
Vipassana meditation is also associated with decreased activity in the default mode network (DMN), which is involved in self-referential thoughts, rumination, and worry. This suggests that Vipassana meditation helps to reduce these negative thought patterns.
Enhanced Attention and Executive Functions:
The increased prefrontal activity and DMN deactivation are linked to improved attention, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, as well as enhanced ability to regulate emotions and impulses.
Structural Changes:
Some studies suggest that long-term Vipassana meditation may be associated with structural changes in the prefrontal cortex, including increased gray matter thickness.
Benefits for Mental Health:
The effects of Vipassana meditation on the prefrontal cortex and DMN may contribute to its potential benefits for mental health, including stress reduction, anxiety relief, and improved emotional regulation.