Here’s me, doing my bit to participate weekly in Kelly’s Seven Quick Takes over at This Ain’t the Lyceum.

So here’s…

This Week’s Resources for Catholic Trauma Survivors

Takes. Best described as quick. Seven of them.

1. Yours Truly has a piece over at OSV Newsweekly: The poverty that breaks the cycle of abuse.
2. California has a prisons project that’s teaching inmates about how trauma leads to dangerous choices–including the choices that landed them behind bars. Read about it here.
3. Dysfunctional families tend to develop unhealthy roles and conflict between siblings. In case you haven’t noticed, Catholic Mom has been such a resource to me for teaching me how to be a healthier parent. Sheri Wohlfert has an article there on sibling rivalry.
4. I don’t know about you, but when I see justice being served in the interests of kids who have been abused at the hands of denying, deflecting, selfish adults, something inside of me heals. If that kind of thing helps you, here’s an article (no real gory details, thankfully) about two little girls standing up to their father’s abuse and bringing him to justice through their courage and persistence: Father convicted of molesting daughters.
5. On that note, do you know about Bikers Against Child Abuse? They’re an organization that helps support kids who are bringing their abusers to justice. A. Ma. Zing. I love, love, LOVE BACA! Whenever I need to have hope in humanity, I visit their site.
6. About a year ago, a recovery friend called me, and when I picked up the phone, she said, “So I know we’re not Jewish–” My response, “I don’t know what you’re going to say next, but this is the best start to a phone call I’ve ever had.” I’ve had some pretty deep encounters with Jewish culture through family & friends from earliest childhood, so it’s no surprise this article from The Jerusalem Post on sukkot as the PTSD holiday really reached somewhere deep inside of me. “Slaves who built for others now build for themselves.”
7. Ending with your weekly reminder that All Things New: Breaking the Cycle and Raising a Joyful Family is available for purchase. Already read your copy? Leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads, and don’t forget to link up with this month’s An Open Book from Carolyn Astfalk & Catholic Mom.

For this week’s media, let’s look at what Dr. Ramani says about the truthteller/scapegoat role. This one stung like good medicine.

And now go give Kelly and her 7QTs a look see!