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Psychological and Physiological Trauma Research
Seize Your Journeys
_______________________ Traumatic stress is found in many competent, healthy, strong, good people. No one can completely protect themselves from traumatic experiences. Many people have long-lasting problems following exposure to trauma. Up to 8% of persons will have PTSD at some time in their lives. People who react to traumas are not going crazy. What is happening to them is part of a set of common symptoms and problems that are connected with being in a traumatic situation, and thus, is a normal reaction to abnormal events and experiences. Having symptoms after a traumatic event is NOT a sign of personal weakness. Given exposure to a trauma that is bad enough, probably all people would develop PTSD. By understanding trauma symptoms better, a person can become less fearful of them and better able to manage them. By recognizing the effects of trauma and knowing more about symptoms, a person will be better able to decide about getting treatment. _______________________
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Holistic Health
Resiliency and Adaptation
About Homer's Odyssey
Life Cycle Journeys Website Inspiration
More about The Odyssey, the inspiration for my developing this website.
My inspiration comes from the Odyssey's powerful and compelling narration. Homer's understanding of most all aspects of human nature, his "keen observation of the whole world in which men and women live, for essential sanity and good taste, and for superb control of all the technical devices of his medium."
Synopsis of The Odyssey
John Roland High, MA CTSS EMDR L2+ CEO Life Cycle Journeys
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Written by Homer, western Europe's first poet, concerns itself with the "adventures and exploits" (and wanderings) of Odysseus, the hero of the Trojan war. Being one of the earliest and probably one of the finest books ever written, the poetry of the Odyssey is one of the "foundation stones of the western world's cultural heritage." It's narrative style clearly outlines and brings to the forefront the psychological development of it's characters--amid powerful adventure, deprivation, Trauma and Traumatic Stress, and romance.
"Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, sails with his army to take part in the mighty Achaean expedition led by Agamemnon against the city of Troy to restore Helen to Menelaus. After ten years of bloody warfare, the city is sacked by the Achaean heroes and sail for home. When the Odyssey begins, an additional decade has passed since Troy fell and Odysseus still has not returned home. All the other chieftains have safely arrived in their native lands or died, but there is no news at all of the ruler of Ithaca. In his absence, the noblemen of Ithaca and the surrounding states have converged upon his palace, hoping to win the hand of Penelope, his wife. She, ever faithful to her husband's memory, will not remarry and while they remain at the palace, trying to change her mind, her suitors grossly waste the wealth of Odysseus's estate for their own pleasure and corrupt many of his servants. As soon as he has grown old enough, Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, visits various Achaean lords, hopefully trying to learn whether his father still lives.
During these ten years Odysseus has wandered throughout the world, undergoing an unbelievable series of adventures and torments, caused by the malice of the god, Poseidon. All of his ships and men have been lost and only he of the whole brave army that sailed to Troy survives. Finally, with the aid of the king of the Phaeacians, Odysseus returns to Ithaca. Assisted by the goddess Athene, whose favorite he is, Odysseus punishes the suitors and re-establishes himself as king. He is reunited with his wife, son and father, and a potential civil war on Ithaca is averted by the intercession of the gods." 