Kaytee Gillis

therapist& writer @PsychToday 🦋☕️🏳️‍🌈 author-Breaking the Cycle @newharbinger - New book Coming March '25! 🐈🐾cat mom & coffee enthusiast☕️☕️

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'The Curious Case of Natalia Grace' Shows Family Court Flaws - Kaytee Gillis

6 days ago | qoshe.com | Kaytee Gillis
'The Curious Case of Natalia Grace' Shows Family Court Flaws

6 days ago | psychologytoday.com | Kaytee Gillis

The case of Natalia Grace captured our attention this past year as a bizarre story of adoption, deception, abandonment, and abuse of the legal system. The story centers on a child, Natalia, who was legally aged into adulthood and then abandoned to fend for herself. How the legal system failed a vulnerable victim of abuseViewers have focused their attention on the mystery of Natalia’s true age, which likely is what brought the story so much popularity.
Dads Matter, Too: How Fathers Shape Child Development

1 week ago | psychologytoday.com | Kaytee Gillis

Popular media portrayals often depict fathers as being clueless or unnecessary for child development. Research shows that a father's absence can harm a child's self-esteem, along with other negative effects. Children in stable single- or two-mother families are not at the same risk as children of neglectful fathers. The absence of a particular parent can affect someone well into adulthood and can be addressed in therapy.
Dads Matter, Too: How Fathers Shape Child Development - Kaytee Gillis

1 week ago | qoshe.com | Kaytee Gillis
The Myth That Abusive Parents Were Doing the Best They Could

1 week ago | psychologytoday.com | Kaytee Gillis

In abusive families, denial is often used as a way to survive a traumatic environment. Statements like "they did not know any better" or "others had it worse" are often used to downplay abuse. While it may be true in some cases, ascribing this excuse to all abusive parents dismisses the harm caused. Christine struggled with identifying her experiences as abuse. “Yes, it certainly was,” she began, “but it's so hard for me to acknowledge that. My grandfather was very abusive to my mother.
5 Long-Term Effects of Family Abuse and Rejection - Kaytee Gillis

3 weeks ago | qoshe.com | Kaytee Gillis
5 Long-Term Effects of Family Abuse and Rejection

3 weeks ago | psychologytoday.com | Kaytee Gillis

Being rejected from one's family of origin is one of the most traumatizing things that can happen. When it happens to young people, it negatively affects the developing brain, as well as their sense of self. This can impact everything from how they feel about themselves to how safe they feel in the world around them. Being rejected by your family is extremely painful. But it is a form of trauma that is often not discussed, which causes many survivors to feel isolated and unseen.
How an Autism Diagnosis Made Me Feel Validated and Seen - Kaytee Gillis

3 weeks ago | qoshe.com | Kaytee Gillis
How an Autism Diagnosis Made Me Feel Validated and Seen

3 weeks ago | psychologytoday.com | Kaytee Gillis

Many female autistics do not realize that they have this diagnosis until adulthood, if at all. Women, BIPOC, and queer people are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to how they present or mask. Although diagnosis is not essential and does not trump lived experience, it can feel validating. A while back, I got assessed for autism. As a clinician, I have always had my suspicions, but wanted to get the opinion of someone else more qualified to assess.
A Trauma History Is No Excuse for Abuse

3 weeks ago | psychologytoday.com | Kaytee Gillis

Having a trauma history does not excuse bad or even abusive behavior towards others. It's possible to hold space for their trauma while recognizing wrongs and abuse. Systemic changes could help improve support and quality of life for all survivors of abuse. “Maybe he wouldn’t act like this if I hadn’t made him angry,” Maliah said. “He’s had a lot of trauma in his childhood. I should have known this would upset him.”“You’re making the same excuses that you did for your parents’ behavior,” I said.