From Fear to Fulfillment
Foreword: I’m delighted to welcome Sharri Burggraaf to our blog as a guest poet. Sharri is a survivor of RAMCOA (ritual abuse, mind control, and organized abuse) with DID (dissociative identity disorder). She is also a writer, an artist, and a speaker who advocates for herself and others through her website, blog, podcast and YouTube channel. Sharri is the facilitator of Dissociative Writers’ Draft & Discuss workshops. In her poem, Sharri beautifully shares her journey from fear to fulfillment in language we can all understand! ~ Lyn
by Sharri Burggraaf, Guest Poet
Fear of...
Abandonment
Rejection
Betrayal
Getting hurt
Being alone
Getting triggered
Being uncomfortable
Being unsafe
Myself
Others getting harmed
Remembering
Telling
That I’m making it up
That I’m crazy
That my anger will turn to rage or go out of control
That I’m only ever going to know survival mode
That there is no end to the pain
Being judged
Failure
Losing Control
Shame
Guilt
Intimacy
Change
Being vulnerable
That causes ….
Anxiety
Depression
Low self-esteem
Hypervigilence
Isolation
Withdrawal
Distrust
Dissociation
PTSD responses like fight, flight, freeze and fawn
Self-sabotage
Avoidant behaviors
Reaching for anything to space out and numb the pain
Overworking
That leads to …
Finding my strength
Healing
Recovery
Setting boundaries
Finding support
Building trusting relationships
Reilience
Self-acceptance
Self-compassion
Hope
Taking risks
Sanity
Emotional regulation
Coping strategies
Vulnerability
Authenticity
Grounding
Mindfulness
Feeling safe
Connection with others
Thriving
Meaningful activities
Empowerment
Self-discovery
Purpose
Joy
Peace
Confidence
Balance
Fortitude
Fulfillment
DW is Officially a 501(c)3!!!
We are happy to announce that Dissociative Writers has been notified by the IRS that we, as a nonprofit registered in the state of New Mexico and, having met all the other criteria, are exempt from federal taxes and are officially a 501(c)3, retroactively effective to August 21, 2023. We are grateful for all of you who have supported this effort to become a nonprofit and look forward to many years of serving our community and beyond!
2025 Anthology Submissions Due September 15
Subscribers to Dissociative Writers are invited to submit prose, poetry, and art for the 2025 Anthology. The deadline is September 15. For complete instructions, see Documents/2025 Anthology in Heartbeat.
Special Events
Dissociative Writers is now offering Special Events led by our gifted and talented subscribers. The first Special Event is a Book Study led by Kim E. Up ahead (and not yet on the calendar) look forward to Healing Music led by Cynthia and Little’s Playtime led by Sharri. Check our Announcements and Calendar for updates on our Special Events.
DW Fall Calendar
Stay abreast of Dissociative Writers workshops and events by checking our Calendar on Heartbeat!
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Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it.
~ Tori Amos
Lyn