For two decades, I lived in a paradox. I was a clinician operating inside a traumatic warzone, “dancing with the devil” to reach an audience of millions. People gathered around their television sets daily to
Trauma, Addiction, and the World’s Deadly Confusion The world is drowning in confusion. We debate policies, fund treatment centers, and cycle people through endless programs,
By Carey SippCo-Director, VolunteerPACEs Connectioncsipp.pacescommunities@gmail.com (Activation warning. This is a first-person opinion piece sharing my thoughts on toxic abusive relationships [TAR] and a relatively new
By Carey SippCo-Director, VolunteerPACEs Connectioncsipp.pacescommunities@gmail.com (Activation warning. This is a first-person opinion piece sharing my thoughts on toxic abusive relationships [TAR] and a relatively new
They may have taken me out of my children’s lives — but they never took them out of my heart, and I refuse to stop being their father.
Divorce should end a marriage — not destroy a family.
But when separation turns toxic, it becomes something far worse than a legal process. It becomes a psychological battlefield — a silent war without smoke or sirens, where the most vulnerable […]
I came out to my mom in my late 30s. “Megan! I didn’t know you are bisexual!”
This was mom’s first reaction to reading chapter 1 of my book Mindfulness Brings Clarity. I spoke about how I knew I was queer from an experience at a young age.
“I mean, I know we don’t always tell our parents everything..” mom continued.
“Yeah, it just wasn’t something I was comfortable […]
I’m calling this the “Mom-pocalypse” – I didn’t uncover mom’s covert narcissism until I was 49 years old!
So, I won’t go over every nitty gritty detail of my youth, but there was this ever present feeling like I didn’t belong, like I was an outcast/outsider in my own family and extended family in Texas, where I grew up. My parents divorced when I was 15, […]
STAR Network™ was founded by an international team lead by Dr. Jamie Huysman, who coined the term TAR (Toxic Abusive Relationships) realizing that an everyday language for people impacted by toxic individuals and institutions was vital.
Characterized by a lack of empathy and accountability – with a Machiavellian approach to relationships – TAR places unsuspecting, empathic people in a dark, thick substance of shame, blame, isolation, gaslighting, and trauma bonds triggered by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
By prioritizing your CPTSD recovery with TAR Anon®, you’ve moved from victim to Survivor! Our logo – the broken heart created by TAR mended by golden stitches – symbolizes the journey to discovering our own authenticity. Reparenting ourselves, and developing and routinely practicing an emotional self-regulation plan can help us move forward with a new, healthier family of choice.
Identified by pioneering research conducted by Vincent Felitti, MD and the CDC‑Kaiser Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, ACEs are Adverse Childhood Experiences that harm children’s developing brains. This groundbreaking, longitudinal study continues to reveal that responses to stress could damage children’s immune systems so profoundly that the effects show up decades later. ACEs have been identified at the root of chronic disease, most mental illness, and most violence.
We invite you to take a short quiz to learn how ACEs have impacted you.
Step out of the fog into the light. Register with STAR Network and receive our monthly newsletter filled with information on recovery from Toxic Abusive Relationships (TAR).
STAR Network’s TAR Dojo brings together courses created by our partners and aligned with our mission to expand access to trauma-informed learning. This makes high-quality training accessible to anyone who needs it, wherever they are.
The Dojo offers self-paced, accessible courses created in partnership with organisations who share our mission. Topics reflect areas central to STAR Network’s work: emotional health, family support, early development, and community resilience.
Whether you are a survivor seeking support, an advocate wanting to make a difference, or someone curious to learn more, we invite you to join us on this important journey.
Help us make a lasting impact on the lives of survivors. Help us bring organizations, communities and individuals to support the cause. Become a Volunteer Ambassador of STAR Network.
There is great strength in numbers – as empathic and compassionate human beings, we can bring hope, healing, and positive change to those affected by narcissistic abuse.
Your voice matters. Share your story by leaving a short testimonial — you can write it, record a video, or attach images to help others see the real impact.
Add your testimonial now and help someone else feel less alone.
We wouldn’t be where we are without the organizations that stood with us and helped build what STAR Network is today.
If you know of or are a part of an organization who may be interested in working with us, please reach out to us at contact@starnetwork.org.
