Asking for help
I grew up in a culture that taught fierce independence, never asking for help, and pushing through, even when hurting. I have been working to learn something different for a long time, and I’m still working at it. Like many people, I have countless stories about how...
Spiritual Connections: A Sacred Gender Review
“Many trans folks feel cut off from the Divine because we are taught not to see ourselves in it.” What is your relationship like to spirituality or religion? How do you see your gender connected or not connected to your spirituality? Have you felt belonging in...
How do we assess risk? How do we know safety?
It’s hot outside. We’ve seen many days of record heat across the globe this year, and there are more to come. It’s also metaphorically hot. People are angry – some righteously so at injustice, genocide, oppression – and some because people they don’t like are seeking...
What does it mean if someone is “trauma-informed?”
Trauma-informed is a phrase that somehow gets used a lot and not often enough at the same time! Many therapists, healthcare professionals, massage practitioners, and others who provide healing or caring services may describe themselves as trauma-informed. Anyone can...
Coping with Online Hate
A few hours after making a post on Facebook, the negative comments and “laugh” reacts start rolling in. Each of FORGE’s posts gets negative attention. When posting videos on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, especially videos that include the faces of FORGE staff,...
Impacts of Trauma on Relationships
In addition to changing our brains and bodies, trauma can impact our relationships with other people. This can be especially difficult to navigate, as one of the ways that we can heal from trauma is through connections with others. But trauma can make safe, supportive...