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Out of the Fog
Refers to FOG (Fear, Obligation, Guilt) — a common theme in narcissistic abuse recovery. Mental health, disabilities, or just writing holes in the ground.
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Paths to Healing: Traditional and Non-Traditional Tools for White Middle-Class Family Trauma
Paths to Healing: Traditional and Non-Traditional Tools for White Middle-Class Family Trauma
Healing from white middle-class family trauma often requires more than reflection — it requires action, experimentation, and support. The…
Michael Phillips
Apr 26
The Heartbreak of Letting Go: When Empaths Have to Walk Away From Toxic People
The Heartbreak of Letting Go: When Empaths Have to Walk Away From Toxic People
People talk a lot about “letting go of toxic people,” like it’s some clean, decisive act. Cut the cord. Move on. Save yourself.
Michael Phillips
Apr 23
Church, Chocolate, and Coercion: How Easter Reinforces Performative Family Roles
Church, Chocolate, and Coercion: How Easter Reinforces Performative Family Roles
Easter Sunday. A pastel-colored pageant of “togetherness” — wrapped in lace, sermon slides, and store-bought chocolate bunnies.
Michael Phillips
Apr 19
Breaking the Cycle: How to Heal from White Middle-Class Family Trauma
Breaking the Cycle: How to Heal from White Middle-Class Family Trauma
If you’ve made it through this series, you’ve probably already realized something important: the dysfunction you experienced wasn’t just…
Michael Phillips
Apr 19
Not Every Fight Means Narcissism: Understanding What Is and Is Not Narcissistic Behavior
Not Every Fight Means Narcissism: Understanding What Is and Is Not Narcissistic Behavior
In the age of pop psychology and TikTok therapy, “narcissist” has become the go-to label for anyone who’s wronged us. Ghosted you…
Michael Phillips
Apr 17
Waking Up from a Narcissist: Like Coming Out of a Coma
Waking Up from a Narcissist: Like Coming Out of a Coma
…only to find out you have been erased.
Michael Phillips
Apr 6
How to Find a Competent, Affordable Counselor for Childhood Trauma That Still Affects You Today
How to Find a Competent, Affordable Counselor for Childhood Trauma That Still Affects You Today
Reader Question: “How can someone find a truly competent, affordable counselor to deal with childhood trauma impacting me into adulthood?”
Michael Phillips
Apr 2
Your Trauma Is Valid: Accepting and Self-Validating Your Pain
Your Trauma Is Valid: Accepting and Self-Validating Your Pain
For too long, many of us have minimized our pain, dismissed our wounds, and convinced ourselves that what we went through doesn’t “count.”…
Michael Phillips
Mar 28
The Lingering Signs of Trauma: Life After Narcissistic Abuse
The Lingering Signs of Trauma: Life After Narcissistic Abuse
Trauma leaves its mark in ways that are difficult to explain to those who haven’t lived through it. For survivors of long-term exposure to…
Michael Phillips
Mar 25
Bullies Work in Groups. Victims Stand Alone.
Bullies Work in Groups. Victims Stand Alone.
If you’ve ever struggled to distinguish a bully from their victim, let me share a hard truth I’ve learned through my own painful journey…
Michael Phillips
Mar 23
The White Knight Narcissist: When Good Deeds Mask Coercive Control
The White Knight Narcissist: When Good Deeds Mask Coercive Control
At first glance, a White Knight Narcissist appears to be an altruistic and selfless individual — someone who dedicates their time and…
Michael Phillips
Mar 22
Oversharing: The Silent Cry of Trauma and the Need to Be Believed
Oversharing: The Silent Cry of Trauma and the Need to Be Believed
Why Oversharing Happens
Michael Phillips
Mar 18
Why Bad Memories Stick: Understanding and Managing Emotional Triggers
Why Bad Memories Stick: Understanding and Managing Emotional Triggers
There’s something deeply unsettling about triggers. They force us into an unwanted relationship with a memory or event from the past —…
Michael Phillips
Mar 16
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