The Center for Courageous Living Blog

By Katie Kroening, LCSW; CADC     I’ve worked with many clients who’ve come to counseling wondering if they’re crazy; clients have difficulty trusting in their own experience, express confusion around understanding the chaotic cycle in which they find themselves. Many clients aren’t aware that they are being mistreated, disrespected, stonewalled and controlled. Themes found in many stories are identified throughout their early childhood experiences; many of these emotionally

Written by Kelly Allen, LSW June is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, (PTSD) awareness month. According to the Research Department of Veteran Affairs National Center for PTSD, there are roughly 12 million people in the US who experience PTSD. When we think of the population that experiences PTSD, we think of veterans in the past, this was the only group recognized to have experienced PTSD. However, veterans are just one of the many groups of people that experience PTSD. Other g

Written by Paige Bandel, bachelor's in social work from Western Michigan University Understanding narcissistic behaviors is the first step in breaking free from abuse. There is so much power in knowledge. Taking the time to understand and put a name to the abuse occurring is incredibly courageous. I hope this blog can provide you with an educational and informative perspective. What is a “Narcissist?” The word “narcissist,” is a far over-used word. We see people using the ter

Tip of the Day: Signs of Power-and-Control in Relationships Problem: In relationships, sometimes couples struggle with trust and power-and-control issues. A partner’s own self-esteem issues and self-doubt-their past trauma stories-can be the influencers on current controlling and abusive behaviors. There is underlying fear of being hurt, abandoned, rejected and alone. Signs that Power-and-Control Issues may be in Your Relationship: · Physical intimidation, violence, th