Category: Theory

  • Using Ostranenie to Reframe Life Experiences

    Sometimes, my days feel like they’re on autopilot. My depression asserts that nothing changes; my CFS/ME makes it hard to change much even if I want to. Post-traumatic stress has made certain familiar sights sound alarms in my body. In social work we speak of recovery, resilience, and reframing. Lately, I’ve been learning about another…

  • Understanding the Fawn Trauma Response: Signs, Triggers & Healing

    The four primary trauma responses are often described as fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. Of these, the fawn response is the least discussed and only in recent years has it begun receiving wider acknowledgment. Fawning is typically characterized by people-pleasing, overaccommodating, and appeasing others—especially the person causing harm. Those who fawn often struggle with setting…