Setting Myself Up To Fail When I first started therapy and learned about my CPTSD, I did one thing over and over: I set myself up to fail. My brain was on a mission to prove its own negativity right. Weirdly, failure felt safer; if it was coming anyway, at least I was in control. […]
Healing Hurts Before It Heals
The Truth No One Tells You at the Beginning In my most recent Healing Out Loud episode, I talk about something no one warns you about: healing hurts before it heals. Most people picture recovery as a peaceful climb into some serene place. But the truth? It feels more like tearing up the old floorboards […]
Raysa on CPTSD Recovery & Healing
Meet Raysa She’s a singer-songwriter, podcaster, writer, and mental health advocate who has turned her survival of narcissistic abuse and life with C-PTSD into art, conversation, and community. As host of the Hello Trauma Brain podcast, Raysa shares her healing journey while creating space for others to feel less alone. With a background in psychology […]
Nendler “Dee” Michel – LCSW & CASAC
Meet Dee Clinic Director – Ellie Mental Health, Manhasset / Great Neck, NY Nendler “Dee” Michel, LCSW, CASAC-Advanced, has spent over 20 years guiding individuals through life’s challenges. Specializing in trauma, mental health, and substance use, Dee is known for his relaxed, conversational style and whole-person approach, helping clients feel seen, heard, and supported every […]
When Trauma Hits Again: Living With CPTSD
Feeling “Off” For a while now, I’ve been feeling “off.” My nervous system has been stuck on high alert, and it’s been bugging me because I couldn’t figure out why. Nothing in my day-to-day life should be making me feel like this. And no matter what I tried, my breathing techniques, grounding, distracting myself, nothing […]
Breaking Free from Emotional Control
Thinking Instead of Feeling: My Lifelong Habit There’s something I’ve always done, and frustratingly still do, even with all the tools I’ve learned in therapy: I tend to think my way through emotions instead of fully feeling them. Allow me to explain. I do feel things, yes. But I have a hard time actually releasing […]