NOTE: When you Click the Button above to Register, you will be taken to a webpage that shows both the Tuesday registration and the Wednesday registration. Simply select the day you would like to attend and proceed to complete the registration form.
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  • Who:                   Parent survivors of childhood trauma
  • Location:             Falls Church, VA
  • Times:                 Choose Tuesdays 1-2:30 pm or Wednesdays 6:30-8 pm
  • When:                  8 weeks starting April 2nd & 3rd
  • Fee:                     $600 + $15 for workbook
  • Group Size:         Maximum 6 participants in each group.

​What to expect:
We will be looking at a collection of essays written by parent survivors and you will be given a journal prompt. You will have the opportunity to share your written response with the group.
Parenting with PTSD:
The Impact of Childhood Abuse on Parenting

​If there are moments in your trauma history that get in the way of being the kind of parent you want to be, this group is for you. Here is a list of some common triggers for parents:
  • pregnancy and labor and the feeling of being out of control of one’s body
  • physically touching your child and your child touching you
  • the inability to get away from the source of anxiety because the source is your child
  • breastfeeding
  • disciplining
  • your child turning the age you were when the abuse began or occurred
  • guilt because of the lack of attachment to your child
  • having to put your child in care of someone else
  • basic childcare activities
    • bathing
    • diaper changing
    • dressing
Objectives:
  • To build support for parent survivors and to let you know that what you are experiencing is a perfectly normal reaction
  • To help you better understand the science behind how/why your body responds to triggers
  • To better understand the experience of parenting as a survivor of childhood abuse
What is a trigger? A PTSD trigger is any experience, sound, touch, or sensation that makes a connection in your brain which causes your mind and body to feel as if you are re-living a traumatic moment in your history, or to fear that your child will experience the same trauma. Triggers usually fit into one or two categories: flashbacks or flash-forwards.
What happens when you are triggered?
  • Irrational rage
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Debilitating fear
  • Unexplainable physical ailments (GI issues, headaches, chronic pain)
  • Substance abuse to numb
  • Over or under-reactions to protect your child
  • Suicidal ideations and/or attempts
  • Body memories