Heal Your Trauma, Moms, with Dr. Cheri L. McDonald

My guest, Dr. Cheri L. McDonald, who’s a licensed marriage and family therapist and an author, recently published her latest book, Heal Your Trauma, Heal Your Marriage. Dr. McDonald practices in Westlake Village, California.

Dr. Cheri, as she was called in our columns Dear Rhonda and Dr. Cheri, is talking to me today about how trauma affects our brains and our bodies, and how we can work to create balance and heal our bodies’ trauma. Remember the left side of the brain is the logical and academic side. And the right side is the creative- artistic side of our brain.

Dr. Cheri further talks about how PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) needs EMDR treatment (EMDR standing for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). Don’t worry, it’s not complicated when we discuss it. Dr. Cheri is very real and down to earth.

I’ve experienced PTSD and EMDR and I can attest to the power that the process gives. I’ve worked with over 70 girls in an all-therapeutic/all-girls boarding school, many who went through and got the positive benefits of EMDR.

We also go into parental bullying in front of their daughters, sexual abuse, woundology, and creating joy!

Dr. Cheri L. McDonald, a psychotherapist and author of her recent book, Heal Your Trauma, Heal Your Marriage, talks with Rhonda Orr (the other half of the newspaper columnists, Dear Rhonda and Dr. Cheri) about PTSD, who has trauma, bullying in the family, having trauma from your marriage and raising daughters as a mom, core beliefs and truth, complex traumas – like sexual abuse, woundology, choosing not to stay a victim, EMDR and the rational brain, talking with your daughters about your mistakes, and how to own them, imagery, symbols, and rituals that help renew your power, purpose, and love, once and for all.

Dr. Cheri earned her degrees from Bringham Young University, California Lutheran University, and doctorate from Pacific University. She has a private practice at A Place To Turn in Westlake Village, CA.

Resources:

Child Bullying’s Consequence: Adult PTSD

Five Myths About PTSD

What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?