Author: jessicawoodville
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Anxious Is the New Hysterical

Jessica Woodville reflects on the historical context of women’s emotions, equating past “hysteria” with today’s labeling of anxiety. She argues that these diagnoses often dismiss deeper issues, particularly when trauma is involved. Women are urged to be believed and listened to, advocating for acknowledgment beyond superficial labels of anxiety.
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When Athens Calls

The post reflects a deep connection to Greece, blending personal and mythological elements. The speaker recalls the enduring presence of Greece in their life, from childhood tales to moments of pain and healing. Ultimately, it emphasizes the call to return, confront grief, and find joy in the ruins and resilience of Athens.
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I’m Not Failing at Healing: What It Really Takes to Rewire a Trauma-Wired Body

They say healing takes time.But no one talks about what else it takes. It takes energy you don’t have. Support you no longer do. Money that doesn’t exist.It takes silence when you live with chaos, rest when you’re a mother, and trust when your body is still waiting for the next blow. And when talk…
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They Called It Stress, I Called It Survival

The speaker describes a medical examination with wires attached, reflecting on the emotional trauma they’ve experienced. They reveal the diagnosis of Takotsubo syndrome symbolizes deep sorrow and an overwhelmed heart. The simplicity of suggested remedies contrasts sharply with the complex history of pain and unresolved feelings, emphasizing the struggle for safety and healing.
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The Cult of Anne Boleyn (And Why I’m Over It)

Let me start with a confession: I am so tired of hearing about Anne Boleyn. There. I said it. Okay actually two confessions, the second being this maaay have been written during a drug induced exhaustion during a recent hospital stay due to a pretty sever health flare up BUT it happened, so here it…
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Finding Healing After Family Turmoil: A Journey to Self-Recovery

It’s a strange thing, being on the “other side” of survival (other side in quotes because honestly, I am still mostly surviving, not quite thriving) Life often gives you a brief moment of quiet, only to hand you the daunting task of healing. Recently, I received a comment from a reader that resonated deeply with…
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We’re Not Broken – The System Is

“Healing isn’t just about surviving the past—it’s about building the future. And I refuse to let my past be the thing that steals my future away.” I am a trauma survivor, a mother, and an advocate. And like so many others carrying the weight of early adversity, I have spent years trying to heal in…
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The Morning Everything Changed

One night, she drifted off — a child spun from stardust and backyard laughter, dreaming of bigger bikes, summer rains, and birthday candles burning too fast. One night, the world was still simple. And then — somewhere between one breath and the next — the earth shifted. She woke up and the world was heavier,…
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This Is What It Cost Me: Five Years, One Body, and a System That Still Won’t Listen

I’ve written about this before—maybe two, three times now. Chronic illness. Storms. Parenting through it. The trauma it leaves behind. But the truth is, every time I write, I hold a piece back. Because reliving it costs energy I barely have. Because writing about being dismissed starts to feel like shouting into a void. But…
