I found the "You're Going to Be Okay" TedTalk video interesting because hearing first-hand accounts of survivors of child abuse or neglect is extremely useful. It's helpful to hear what helped/helps them "recover," what protective factors they experienced even amidst the abuse that they remember, what the combined/layered risk factors were, and what the long-term effects may be in their demeanor, speech, or body language. I noticed she seemed anxious speaking and didn't seem confident in herself. While this is common across people with different childhood experiences, I think it's especially common in those who have been abused. I think the somatic fear associated with being "looked at" or "seen" lingers in their bodies after the abuse is over and can be a trigger since being noticed or seen by their abuser was dangerous and it was safer to be hidden or unseen.
I am really enjoying "The Boy who was Raised as a Dog." Case examples are extremely useful. The one that stood out to me the most so far is the mother with Munchausen who was abusing her son and framing him as a "problem child" to others. I thought of the women who was recently arrested for shooting her two sons in the face while they were sleeping. When I heard about it, I couldn't think of a diagnosis that explained how a mother could do that to her own children. Upon learning about Munchausen, I wonder what role this played. I am also curious about the ongoing research around the causes of Munchausen and why some people who are abused develop it while most do not.