Resources
This is where I'll share resources that have been helpful in my survivor journey. I'll try and update as much as I can.
Last Updated: Oct 26, 2022
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In New York City:
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Family Justice Centers in different boroughs (FREE & walk-in)
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NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault - Services for both sexual assault and intimate partner violence. I found a great, free music therapy group, by emailing survivorsupport@svfreenyc.org. The person who replied was super helpful and agreed to keep the communication lines with me open, in case she finds more support groups that might be of interest in the future.
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Office of Victim Services - proceed with caution. I spent many hours putting together a 30+ page claim packet to try and recoup monetary losses. After sending my packet in, they sent back a letter requesting 23+ more forms with a hard deadline. In frustration, I gave up after the additional request.
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Zencare - Sleek FREE site that helps match you with an ideal talk therapist. The Zencare team conducts clinical interviews with every therapist before they are listed on the site to ensure they are practicing at a high level of care. Users can browse by insurance, budget, and specialties, check up-to-date availability, watch introductory videos, and book a free initial call directly from the site. Also available in other large cities.
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Angel Band Music Therapy Group - This non-profit provides FREE music therapy to survivors of trauma. Despite my lack of enthusiasm for music, I joined an 8 week long program (1x/week) led by a wonderful music psychotherapist named Katie Down. My experience was superb. Highly recommend. Also available in St. Louis and Seattle.​
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I HIGHLY recommend Katie Down. She is empathic, an overall great person, and is passionate about helping others. Her website and services can be found here: https://www.soundwellcenter.com/
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Help.org Guide - A comprehensive guide for finding the right and affordable substance abuse treatment in New York City, including occurring disorders (e.g. PTSD).
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In USA:
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Mental Health:
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National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - big fan of their chat services.
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Financial Assistance for Those Recovering From Addiction - actionable guide by LendEDU
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PTSD:
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20 Things NOT to Say to Someone With PTSD - resonated with me a lot.
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An in-depth explanation of isolation.
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A list of self help and self care resources from r/PTSD.
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Crisis text line for PTSD flashbacks: Text CONNECT to 741741 - have used during minor flashbacks. Very helpful to physically write your thoughts out and talk to a stranger that is 100% safe.
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Really great Psychology Today post about the "experiential loneliness" that often accompanies PTSD.
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The Recovery Village - extensive overview of PTSD. They also offer comprehensive treatment for dual diagnosis based drug and alcohol rehab, eating disorder, and mental health treatments tailored to patients' specific needs.
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Beauty After Bruises - great resources for survivors. Links out to a helpful page that distinguishes between PTSD and C-PTSD.
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Substance Abuse + PTSD (or, just Substance Abuse):
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FloridaRehab.com PTSD resource - An extensive webpage dedicated to all things PTSD: causes, different types of PTSD, symptoms, statistics, most at risk people, treatment methods, etc. Visit the site if you are seeking or considering treatment for co-occurring PTSD and addiction.
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DrugRehab.com - Website for anyone looking to learn about addiction, treatment types, resources, and support. They published a very informative and fabulously comprehensive article titled PTSD and Addiction, describing the alarmingly high comorbidity rates of PTSD and Substance Abuse Disorder (I've been there...).
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AddictionGuide.com - the only addiction and mental health website founded by a board-certified addiction specialist, a long-recovered addict, and spouses of addicts. They provide reliable information about addiction treatment and drug addiction to guide addicts and their loved ones to a happier, healthier life.
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I especially like how easy this website's content is to digest, and how it helps both addicts and those affected by addicts (i.e. loved ones)​
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Sleep
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How Addiction Affects Sleep - A detailed article outlining how various substances affect sleep quality. SleepHelp is a free, online resources dedicated to helping readers improve and take control of their sleep lives by providing unbiased reviews of sleep products and sharing information about various sleep disorders.
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The Mattress Nerd's article on how anxiety affects sleep. Talks through all types of anxiety disorders such as GAD, SAD, OCD, and of course, PTSD.
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Another article on Sleep and PTSD.​
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Tuck Sleep - Evidence-based sleep health information, news, and unbiased product reviews.
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Night Terrors in Adult -in depth article about night terrors. Links trauma to night terrors and suggests avenues for treatment.
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Research