Meet oriana
Oriana Allen is a Certified Community Mental Health Worker and Author of the book:
The Truth in Our Scars: Untangling Trauma to Discover Your Secret Self.
Oriana’s personal recovery story was featured in the book
Beyond Borderline: True Stories of Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder.
Oriana provides a holistic approach to healing through her mentorship program, which blends principles of schema therapy, attachment theory, emotion regulation skills and incorporating Eastern medicine and supplements into daily habits.
my MISSION AND PHILOSOPHY
To enlighten survivors of complex trauma to
Reconnect, Rekindle & realign
with their truest self
my story
Founder & OWNER
Childhood . . . that is when we should make some of our best memories. It is when we have the freedom to live in the moment worry-free—to play, imagine, discover, build, and create. During childhood, we can be innocent and vulnerable, and we can have trust, feel secure, and fully depend on the adults in our lives. The opposite was true for me. Childhood was a time I felt robbed of and have resented.
Reflecting on my childhood and adolescence reminds me of some of the worst years of my life. I buried those childhood memories deep for many years until my life depended on uncovering them. Digging through the emotional pit of trauma—like digging a hole in the earth—took much time and exertion, getting my hands dirty, and straining to see what was at the bottom. After much digging, I found a treasure—my truth. This mental digging work began in adulthood after a failed suicide attempt when they hospitalized and diagnosed me with borderline personality disorder (BPD).
This diagnosis forced me out of my habit of burying things and had me unearthing them instead. BPD was a label that sparked my curiosity, and I had a keen interest in learning how I developed such a disorder. To accomplish this quest, I had to revisit the place I tried to forget: my past.
Certified Community Support Worker and Educational Assistant.
Oriana’s healing journey began back in 2010 after a rapid decline in mental wellness, history of toxic relationships and receiving a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.
She is a mental health advocate who is passionate to reach out to others to provide her insights with living with, and recovery from C-PTSD, attachment wounds, borderline traits, maladaptive defences and belief systems, and healing from narcissistic abuse. and her journey into developing a deeper sense of self awareness.
Healing through a variety psycho-educational programs with certification of achievement in:
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
- Women’s Seeking Safety Program [C-PTSD]
- Understanding Family Roles
- Life Skills Program
- Understanding the 12 Steps
- WRAP – Wellness Recovery Action Plan
- Dialectal Behaviour Therapy (DBT) complex blend of behavioural interventions with techniques from psychodynamic, client-centered, gestalt, paradoxical and strategic approaches, as well as, Eastern meditation practices.
Steet Cred & Certification
Lies in disguise
Lies in Disguise was inspired after much self-exploration, discovery of unconscious beliefs, thinking patterns, and defence mechanisms, that were created to self preserve after trauma and neglect. I found out that most, if not all, of my borderline personality traits , stemmed from a broken and flawed core belief system. I operated from false self perceptions ‘lies’ about myself, such as, ‘I am not good enough’, ‘I am not lovable’. Hence the title “Lies in Disguise”.
As an adult, I learned that these childhood experiences taught me lies that became engrained into my personality, and wired into brain patterns, creating unconscious defence mechanism/coping strategies. All of which were designed to protect me from the childish fears and intense emotions scarred deep within me. Identifying these “lies” led me to understand my baffling and destructive behaviours that were a manifestation of my beliefs. I found my truth by creating new truths and belief systems about myself. I did this by facing the truth of my painful experiences, grieving for my inner child and learning/practicing better coping skills to wire new patterns.
I write about the processes I took to find my truths, to heal the past and attain personal growth. This is why after each blog, I write “keep healing, keep growing, keep finding your truth”. How vital this process proved to be for me that I am now considered recovered from BPD. I hope to share my insights with you, so that, you may find your own truths, heal your inner wounds and continue your personal growth.
