Trust issues and CPTSD go together like peas and carrots. And it’s not because we’re naturally suspicious people; it’s because life taught us that trusting people is risky business. When you’ve been betrayed, neglected, or manipulated over and over, your brain learns that trust equals danger. When Your Body Doesn’t Get the Memo The problem […]
The Strengths I Gained Living with CPTSD
Living with CPTSD: The Daily Struggle Living with CPTSD can be debilitating. I have written a lot about the challenges it’s thrown my way, the many sleepless nights, the constant hypervigilance, and the emotional landmines that can appear out of nowhere. All things that can take over your life in ways you’d never imagine, and […]
Getting to Know My IFS Parts
IFS stands for Internal Family Systems, and no, it’s not about your in-laws or your Wi-Fi setup. It’s a therapy model based on a pretty wild but surprisingly comforting idea: we’re not just one “self.” We’re a whole system of selves, or “parts,” each with its own voice, its own job, and its own emotional baggage. […]
7 Signs You Might Be Living with CPTSD
7 Key Symptoms of CPTSD (Complex PTSD Signs You Should Know) I recently wrote about the difference between CPTSD and PTSD, how CPTSD often includes the symptoms of PTSD plus additional layers tied to long-term, repeated trauma. It’s not just the flashbacks and fear. It’s the ripple effects that bleed into your sense of self, […]
CPTSD and the Hero I Needed as a Child
Ever since the new Superman movie dropped last week, I’ve been full-on fanboying all weekend. Cape out, nerd mode fully activated. The minute that theme tune kicked in? Full-on goose bumps. And when Krypto showed up? Talk about cuteness overload! My First Real Hero When I was a kid, Superman was it for me.; he […]
Healing with CPTSD: Returning to Myself
It’s a strange thing to find myself where I am now. For the first five years of my life, I had some sense of freedom. I was allowed to be a version of myself that never had the chance to fully develop. That version was soon overshadowed, reshaped by abuse, trauma, and the grip of […]