If you’re like me, small talk isn’t just boring; it’s torture. It feels forced, unnecessary, and exhausting. So imagine how I felt when I walked into therapy for the first time, ready to dump all my insides on some stranger who began with, “So… how’s your week been?” Talk about awkward. Especially if you’re not […]
The Thing About Sleep (When You Have CPTSD)
When I first started unpacking the tangled mess that is CPTSD, there were a lot of flashy things that caught my attention. Trauma modalities. Therapy jargon. Inner child work. Nervous system regulation. (Still not over how much of healing sounds like fixing a spaceship.) There’s so much terminology, so many tools, and all of them […]
CPTSD Dating & Relationships Healing Journey Mental Health Personal Growth Relationships Self-Acceptance Trauma Recovery
How One Person Helped Me Heal My CPTSD
It’s not often in life that you come across someone who truly sees the best in you. And I don’t mean the kind of person who only shows up for the highlight reel, the celebrations, the victories, the polished, postable moments. Rather, I mean someone who sits beside you in the unraveling. In the silence. […]
Coping Strategies CPTSD Empowerment Healing Journey Mental Health Mindfulness Personal Growth Self-Care Trauma Recovery
CPTSD Meets Hot Yoga: Send Towels
Recently, I wrote about the time I tried meditation, and how my CPTSD added a whole extra layer of “what fresh hell is this?” to the experience. Today I’m about to take you on a journey into the steaming pile of self-improvement and self-torture, also known as hot yoga. Yes, you heard that right. Hot […]
CPTSD Emotional Resilience Healing Journey Hypervigilance Mental Health Mindfulness Personal Growth Trauma Recovery
How Trauma Builds Tolerance for Emotional Pain
One of the sneakiest things about living with CPTSD or carrying trauma is how we slowly build a sky-high tolerance for emotional pain, and don’t even realize we’re doing it. It becomes second nature, like breathing. At first, we tell ourselves we’re strong, tough, resilient, and yes, all those things are true. Those words aren’t […]
Meditation with CPTSD: More Chaos Than Calm, But I Tried
I’m all for trying new things, and a few years ago I began looking into the Kadampa Meditation Center here in New York. I actually love the idea of it. Sit quietly, breathe deeply, reach enlightenment, and find your Zen. Who wouldn’t want that? However, I just didn’t realize how difficult it would be for […]