The Growth Digest
The biggest news, updates, and stories from your favorite writers.
Hello again. It’s been a long time since the last time we touched base, and as you can imagine — a lot has been going on with Practical Growth.
Things are busier than ever. Not only did the publication welcome a whole new team of editors into the fold (see below) Practical Growth has exploded on TikTok and is preparing to take on dozens of new writers who will bring new stories and ideas to the online pub you love so much.
Of course, that means that things have been a little chaotic for me (E.B.) who is still plugging away behind the scenes, making sure you get the best takes and the best information to help you in your healing journey. After all, we’re all in this together. That’s why I’ve launched a group coaching program in the last 2 months and expanded my coaching programs to help female professionals who are looking to start or expand their personal development businesses and passions.
It’s been more than 3 years now, and Practical Growth is bigger and better than ever. With thousands of readers, a podcast, an expanding Youtube channel, and bustling coaching programs, there is a lot in store for this little publication. Make sure you’re following along so you don’t miss out on any of the big, juicy things to come.
Welcome to the new editorial team.
If you haven’t noticed, one of the biggest changes to take over the Practical Growth page is a new team of editors who have been publishing some really great stories over the last 3 weeks. These essays and articles have covered everything from new views on childhood trauma to escaping dysfunctional families and the narcissistic cycle.
The new Practical Growth editorial team is made up of:
These names include not just some lovely new talents, it includes professional minds with experience in psychology, social work, and the holistic concepts of healing the self and the body. Better than that, this editorial team represents new perspectives for the publication and a wealth of new knowledge that can help you to imagine a better future for yourself.
That’s the whole point of this little corner of the internet, after all. I created Practical Growth to be a place where people could get answers, and where everyone could find some validation and explanations for the way they were behaving or feeling.
So send your warmest welcome to this new editorial team. Follow them. Clap for their stories. Leave comments for them and let them know that they’re not shouting out into the void. These are women who deserve to be celebrated — so let’s celebrate them!
Click the profiles linked above and make sure to sign up for email updates each time they post a new story (to Practical Growth and everywhere else).
The best stories this week.
With that warm welcome out of the way, let’s take a look at the best and trending stories on Practical Growth this week — including new stories from the brilliant editorial team.
How You Adapt to Your Trauma to Survive
We all know that trauma takes a huge toll on our lives, our mental health, and our bodies, too. Yet the human body and mind remain resilient. Even experiencing the depths of terror, we remain able to rise, rise again. Why? How? Marianna Jaross discusses it in this seminal guide.
Is Body Dysmorphia a Right of Passage?
You don’t have to look far to find someone who is struggling with their body image. So many of us hit a wall and feel guilt and shame attached to our physical form and the way we look. Where is the line? Are we all doomed to feel this guilt in a world obsessed with physical looks? Or is there something deeper beneath the surface? Find out in this essay from Shelley Karpaty.
When Depression Meets Grief
New editor Christina Zamir hits right into the heart of love and loss in this moving essay detailing a final conversation with a dear friend. What would you do if you lost someone you loved tomorrow? Learn more in this heart-rendering piece from this Practical Growth talent.
A few more of your favorites…
- Some people don’t get the mother they deserve. They get a narcissistic mother who desires to control their lives and keep them small. How do you escape this cycle, when it’s riddled with guilt and shame? It’s not a trick question. There’s a method to the madness, as explored by editor Jaclyn Mistretta Godfrey.
- Conspiracy theories are everywhere, but not everyone is as prone to believing them as others. What makes this happen? Why do some people believe the most ludicrous conspiracies, while others don’t fall for the falsehoods? As it turns out, it could come down to our fragile human psyche and the dysfunction therein.
- Group coaching is all the rage in the self-help and personal development world right now. But what is the deal with this new trend? Is building a community helpful on the healing journey? Can real strides be made toward growth? It depends on who you are and the group coaching program you decide to become a part of.
What happens when you realize something in your life has to change?
Do you leap off the couch, ready to launch into action? Do you do whatever it takes to get things right, even if that means taking accountability, changing the way you eat, or changing the people in your life?
Not everyone embraces change in the same way. Most of us are fearful of change. We associate it with bad things and with overwhelming emotions that can follow. It’s scary. Especially if you have a traumatized nervous system, or change was weaponized against you in a traumatic home or relationship?
Even if you are someone who is committed to making change happen, knowing where to start can be overwhelming. Do you have to overhaul your entire life? Quit your job? Move across the country? End your marriage of 25 years?
Making lasting change is hard — both to do and to maintain. It’s emotionally taxing and mentally demanding, and it can take a toll on our physical bodies too. No matter how well you navigate it, changing your life can feel like you’re swimming against the current in the middle of a hurricane. Who doesn’t want to give up in those conditions?
That’s why I created a coaching program for survivors of dysfunctional homes and childhoods. Having survived 2+ decades of narcissistic abuse (in which my own mother was the primary perpetrator) I know that changing your life, and breaking out of the cycles and the patterns can feel like an eternally uphill journey.
Over 8-weeks, I work with you to reprogram your brain and retrain new emotionally productive behaviors. Through weekly one-hour sessions, using NLP presuppositions and best practices, I provide you with the tools to regulate your thoughts and feelings so you can take charge of the quality of your life.
Interested in finding out more? Visit my website. Ready to get the guidance you need to make real changes in your life? Apply now and get support, accountability, and a path forward from one of Medium.com’s top writers and NLPMP coaches.
