Atlas Stageworks Lighting

My latest Psychology Todayday column is out now: "The Struggles and Strengths of Trauma Disorders."

Trauma disorders, like PTSD, are neurodivergences with negative and positive qualities.

"In a recent podcast interview with trauma expert Lisa Cooper Ellisonn, Ellison asked me whether trauma conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), are neurodivergences. I answered with a resounding yes."

I interviewed Ellison about the the struggles 😖—and strength 💪 —of trauma disorders. Ellison said:

“For many people, the struggles and strengths of a diagnosis like PTSD and CPTSD are the same. The goal is to recognize and cultivate the good while acknowledging and working with each attribute’s limitations."

She identified many strengths that can also be struggles: heightened sensitivity, strong empathy, and feeling comfortable in crisis situations.

It can be a strength to be good in a crisis, for example, but, as Ellison told me, when crises feel normal, “regular life can feel confusing."

🙋🏻‍ Are you neurodivergent? Share some of your struggles and strengths in the comments!

Read the rest of the column at livingneurodivergence.com, where you can find all of my columns for Psychology Today.

And don't forget that my new book, A LIGHT IN THE TOWER, is 30% off right now from University Press of Kansass, bit.ly/alightinthetower.

LIBRARIES HAVE BEEN MY HAVEN: Ever since I was a little girl, when I learned to ride my bike to my local library near Guilford College, libraries have been my haven.

When I graduated from high school at Westtown School, the librarian told me that I checked out more books than any student, ever. I was so proud. That was better than any award.

Today, libraries host life-changing events that I've attended and participated in. My local library, Chapel Hill Public Library, is a wonderful place for getting lost in books.

If there's a book you love, request it at your local library. Ask them to add it to their collection so that everyone can enjoy it. As an author, there's no greater honor than seeing my book on a library's shelf.

My latest book, "A Light in the Tower: A New Reckoning with Mental Health in Higher Education," is out now from University Press of Kansas. You can buy it from alightinthetower.com or from any bookstore. Even better: At your local library.

Luke Neilssen BrightSight Speakers

Exciting news! "A LIGHT IN THE TOWER: A NEW RECKONING WITH MENTAL HEALTH IN HIGHER EDUCATION" is now available for preorder at katiepryal.com.

My book explores themes of , , and among faculty and students. Check it out! 📚✨

"A Light in the Tower is essential reading for anyone in academia with a disability, but also those without one to know how to better support their colleagues and classmates” -Eric Michael Garcia, author of We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation

Catherine Jean Prendergast Alice Wong Eric M. Garcia

Congratulations, !

We're so pleased to light up your graduation again this year.