Cassie Drake

Communication is the oxygen in the room. A relationship without the ability to communicate, whether it's with your fam, your friends or your lover, is a relationship that slowly loses it's foundation. It isn't just TALKING. It's being able to say, "This hurt me," without fear or someone deflection or storming out of the room. It's asking questions instead of making assumptions. It's listening to UNDERSTAND instead of listening to DEFEND yourself. It's working through disagreements instead of...

Trust is fragile. It takes only minutes to break but months or even years to rebuild!! When trust is broken in a relationship, it doesn't just 'hurt your feelings'... it destabilizes your sense of safety. You feel their energy leaking. Their presence starts to wane. You start to question your instincts. Your nervous system stays on edge. You replay moments, behaviors and conversations searching for clarity trying to make sense of it! Broken trust changes your environment. It creates...

Trauma appears to be a trigger word for some. Some think it doesn't exist, while others think people should just "get over it", after all we allllll have some form of trauma. But it's not that simple. PAIN HAS A VOICE. Sometimes it's loud and chaotic. Sometimes it whispers in the quiet moments before bed. Trauma doesn't just disappear because time passes! It lives in the body. It hides in triggers. It shows up with startle responses, overreactions, shutdowns, anxiety, anger or detachment. IT...