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Co-pilot Andreas Lubitz was alone in the cockpit for 10 minutes. When the voice box was recovered, his quiet steady breathing could be heard, along with increasingly aggressive banging on the door. Transponder data shows that the autopilot on Germanwings Flight 4U9525 was reprogrammed in the cockpit to set the plane on a crash course. A search is underway for the plane’s second “black box” which could shed more light on the final minutes but complete details regarding the mental state of the co-pilot who took it down may never be found. [More]

Especially among combat veterans, the prevalence of depression, PTSD, and suicide rate is even more staggering. According to 2012 VA Suicide Data Report, rates of veteran suicide are much higher than previously thought – approximately 22 veterans commit suicide every day. It is further estimated that male veterans ages 18 to 24 are particularly susceptible as evidenced by their suicide rate still increasing. [More]

Rehoming. Disruption. Dissolution. These terms have been tossed around flippantly, often used interchangeably, in the news lately. However, they each encompass very different meanings and have different implications in the world of adoption. This month, Arkansas State Representative Justin Harris and his wife Marsha continually made headlines for rehoming their two adopted daughters to a friend they knew for years. This ‘friend’ eventually raped one of the girls (Arkansas State Representative, 2015). [More]

For most of us, meeting with misfortune and struggle is a part of life. In fact, surviving adversity is often viewed as beneficial and necessary. According to one Danish Proverb: “A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man be perfected without trials.” When a person survives life’s difficulties and demonstrates the ability to withstand all of the stress that goes along with it, he or she is described as “resilient”. The Oxford Dictionary defines resilience as “The ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape.” [More]

In the wake of trauma many people feel lost and alone. The person they were before the event occurred seems altered. Where they once felt strong and assured they now live in fear and uncertainty. While not every person will have this experience after going through a life-altering event many will. Trauma can alter how a person perceives the world but it does not change the core aspects of who you are as a person. [More]

Vicarious Trauma, also called compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, or secondary stress, is a type of trauma that sometimes occurs for people who helps others through very difficult situations and emotions. We know that this type of trauma is a risk for those in the helping professions, like counselors and first responders. But it is also possible for others who witness a traumatic event, or who are close to someone who has experienced trauma, to develop symptoms of Vicarious Trauma. [More]

Sex trafficking is one of the most complex, under-investigated, and misunderstood issues today (Estes & Wiener, 2001). Not to be confused with willful prostitution, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act defines sex trafficking as "the recruitment, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act where such an act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age" (Kerry, 2013). [More]

In the last year, the chilling actions of ISIS and Boko Haram have shocked many. Americans have questioned their barbaric practices and lack of regard for women. It is hard to imagine something like that happening in America. As stories of survivors are released, hearts sink when they hear of women and children being forced into marriage and raped by militants (Those, 2014). But what if these same injustices were happening in the United States? Perhaps they are. [More]

The possibility of developing significant chronic physical illness in adulthood increases in the presence of childhood trauma and its lasting effects. Genetic changes that come with childhood trauma lead to adults being more susceptible to stress and more likely to react negatively to stressful situations. This makes continuing stress greater than an adult’s ability to deal with it more possible. [More]

The experience of trauma can result in painful psychological symptoms for some people. Every person is unique, and what may be a traumatic experience for one person, may not result in symptoms for another. It’s important for people to understand the signs and symptoms of what is known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), so that treatment can be received as soon as possible. The symptoms of PTSD can range from mild to severe, and can be brief in nature or more long-term, depending on the individual and the type of trauma they have experienced. [More]