Podcast
CPTSD: Making Sense of It
Hosted by Gregory · EN
This show is for adults living with complex PTSD who need trauma-framed, 8–12 minute explainers and micro-tools they can use between therapy sessions—not generic wellness content. We own the lexicon of complex trauma, CPTSD, flashbacks, dissociation, fawn response, hypervigilance, and trauma boundaries. Every title leads with CPTSD or trauma context. We never publish bare "grounding," "breathing," or "healing journey" episodes that compete with `anxiety` or `grief`; we never promise cures, diagnose listeners, or replace licensed trauma therapy. --- Topics include: CPTSD: Let's Make Sense of This Shit. Audio for this show is produced with AI assistance. Episodes are researched, scripted, and reviewed for accuracy before release.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/cptsd-making-sense-of-it--6331440/support.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/cptsd-making-sense-of-it--6331440/support.
57episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
CPTSD Identity: Who Am I After Complex Trauma Rewrites Me?
Jun 2900:33:42Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we explore how complex trauma reshapes your sense of identity over time. Complex PTSD often leaves you questioning who you are after years of adapting to survive. Through personal stories and research, we unpack the gradual rewrite of self that happens without you noticing. You'll see how old protective responses become part of your daily choices and self-view. This discussion helps separate survival habits from your authentic preferences. Understanding this process reduces self-blame and opens space for genuine self-discovery. Listeners gain tools to notice when reactions come from past threats rather than present reality. The episode connects these patterns to real moments like second-guessing opinions or feeling blank about future plans. (102 words) What You'll Learn: • Separate trauma responses from your authentic self with clarity • Reduce daily confusion about personal preferences and choices • Recognize how early adaptations shape later identity • Apply simple noticing techniques to independent decisions • Ease self-blame by understanding developmental timing effects Key Insights • Identity often feels borrowed after repeated caregiver invalidation • Memory gaps arise when survival overrides self-knowledge tracking • CPTSD shows higher identity disturbance than standard PTSD alone • Triggers temporarily erase self-view but it returns afterward • Small daily choices reveal old wiring versus current reality Recommended Resources: • Trauma and Recovery by Judith L. Herman • The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk • ICD-11 Complex PTSD Criteria from World Health Organization • Cloitre et al. study in European Journal of Psychotraumatology 2020 Coming Up Next Learn practical ways complex trauma shows up in relationships and how to build safer connections moving forward. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at cptsd@senseofthisshit.com. 💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...
Transcribe →CPTSD Abandonment Fear: Repair After Conflict Spikes
Jun 2900:28:16Tap to summarizeHow abandonment fear shapes conflict repair in CPTSD — and one repair move you can try after a spike. Hosted by Gregory. In this episode, Gregory explores how trauma rewires everyday conflict into life-or-death fears of abandonment. He shares personal stories of shutdowns, over-apologies, and racing thoughts after simple plan changes or quiet moments. Listeners hear why the nervous system treats distance as danger and how old survival patterns like fawn or fight keep showing up. The conversation covers practical ways to notice these spikes early, name what is happening, and choose steadier responses. Research from the CDC and attachment theory explains why repair often stalls and how new experiences can slowly rewrite the old alarms. By the end you will see these reactions as understandable adaptations rather than personal failures, opening space for calmer connections that last. What You'll Learn: • Spot the first signs of abandonment panic before it takes over. • Pause and name the old pattern to regain choice in the moment. • Practice repair without rushing to fix or defend every tension. • Reduce the cost of lost friendships and strained family ties. • Build evidence that relationships can handle disagreement safely. Key Insights: • Trauma converts neutral schedule changes into survival threats. • Fawn and fight responses developed because early repair was never modeled. • A short text or raised eyebrow can trigger the same alarm as real loss. • Naming the reaction creates a brief window for a different response. • Consistent new experiences slowly update the nervous system's old predictions. Recommended Resources: • Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker • Attachment and Loss by John Bowlby • CDC Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study reports • The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk • National Institute of Mental Health attachment resources page Coming Up Next Tune in next time as we unpack how trauma affects self-trust and decision-making, giving you tools to move forward with more confidence. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at cptsd@senseofthisshit.com. 💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...
Transcribe →Progressive Muscle Release: Interrupt CPTSD Bracing in 2 Minutes
Jun 2600:09:12Tap to summarizeIn this episode, struggling with chaotic CPTSD symptoms that spike right before the weekend? Discover how trauma recovery tools can turn emotional flashbacks, toxic shame, and relationship patterns into manageable parts of your healing journey. Learn simple body-based resets that support emotional wellness, rebuild self-worth, and guide you toward lasting inner peace and personal growth—no perfect timing required. What You'll Learn Anchor chaotic CPTSD symptoms with quick body resets for steadier days.Recognize emotional flashbacks as old survival patterns, not personal failure.Use a 60-second body scan to spot hidden tension and reduce overwhelm.Practice sensory grounding to interrupt shame spirals and regain calm.Release muscle bracing with simple holds that build long-term inner peace. Key Insights CPTSD symptoms cluster around flashbacks, shame, and relationships because of repeated early threat.The body stores timelines the mind cannot name, creating sudden mood and energy shifts.Old responses were adaptations for safety, not signs something is wrong with you.Naming tension shifts the focus from fixing yourself to updating outdated tools.Two-minute practices work best in real time, building new nervous system options through repetition. Recommended Resources Trauma and Recovery by Judith L. HermanThe Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der KolkICD-11 Complex PTSD guidelines on who.intComplex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker Coming Up Next Explore deeper practices for rebuilding self-worth and creating more inner peace on your healing journey. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at cptsd@senseofthisshit.com. 💛 Join Our Supporters Club 💛 Help keep these vital conversations alive—Click HereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/c-ptsd-let-s-make-sense-of-this-sh-t--6331440/support.
Transcribe →How to Notice Self-Orientation Signals During Dissociation
Jun 2600:36:54Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Gregory shares a practical self-orientation exercise designed to help when dissociation makes the world feel distant during everyday tasks. Listeners follow clear steps they can try immediately, such as naming objects or noticing sensations, to reconnect with the present moment. The method draws from real experiences with complex trauma and stays simple enough for daily use without extra preparation. Gregory explains how trauma affects attention and why focusing on external details interrupts the internal loop that keeps people disconnected. The episode also covers supporting research while offering a repeatable habit that builds steadier awareness over time. What You'll Learn: • Regain presence faster during ordinary moments of dissociation • Use simple sensory anchors without special tools or settings • Shorten dissociative episodes through repeatable daily practice • Understand trauma responses without needing deep analysis • Build consistent grounding skills that fit into routines Key Insights • Dissociation often starts with small internal shifts before expanding • External naming interrupts survival circuits more effectively than thinking • Real objects like sinks or towels provide immediate stabilizing input • Trauma narrows awareness while orientation widens it gradually • Consistent repetition strengthens the return to the present moment Recommended Resources: • The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk • Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman • Guidelines from the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation • EMDR International Association training materials on grounding Coming Up Next Tune in next time to explore another accessible skill that supports nervous system regulation during daily challenges. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at cptsd@senseofthisshit.com. 💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...
Transcribe →How to Restart Drive After a Freeze Response Motivation Dip
Jun 2200:33:07Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we explore the freeze response in CPTSD and why motivation can suddenly disappear when stress builds. The nervous system shifts into energy conservation mode as an old survival strategy, leaving you feeling stuck even on simple tasks. You will learn how this automatic shutdown stems from past complex trauma rather than any personal flaw. The discussion draws on real research to explain the biological sequence behind lost drive and blank focus. Listeners gain practical ways to recognize these patterns earlier and reduce self-blame around everyday pressures. What You'll Learn: • Understand why motivation drops without warning during stress • Recognize freeze as a survival response instead of failure • Spot early signs of nervous system shutdown in daily life • Reduce self-blame by seeing the biological mechanism at work • Learn how past trauma sensitizes the body to ordinary pressure Key Insights • The dorsal vagal pathway triggers conservation mode after threat detection • Prefrontal changes from chronic stress lower dopamine and planning ability • Freeze can activate before conscious thought catches up to the situation • Short rest periods allow partial recovery while repeated stress strengthens shutdown • Shame often prolongs the freeze by adding extra internal pressure Recommended Resources: • The Polyvagal Theory by Stephen Porges • The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk • Neurobiology of Stress journal articles by Bruce McEwen • Polyvagal Institute resources on nervous system states Coming Up Next Discover how small safety signals can help the nervous system release prolonged freeze states and restore steady motivation over time. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at cptsd@senseofthisshit.com. 💛 Join Our Supporters Club ($3 a month) 💛 Ad-free listening + early episodes — help keep independent media alive. Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...
Transcribe →Somatic Check-In: Name Three Sensations in One Minute
Jun 1900:09:46Tap to summarizeIn this episode, discover how tuning into your body can ease the scattered symptoms of complex trauma without needing to analyze every memory. Many listeners struggle with sudden tension, racing thoughts, or feeling disconnected during daily life, and this practical somatic check-in offers a gentle path toward steadier emotional wellness and greater self-worth. By focusing on simple body awareness you can create space for inner peace and support your personal growth one small moment at a time. What You'll Learn Notice physical tension as an early signal of trauma recovery needsBuild steadiness through short body scans that fit busy schedulesGain practical tools to respond to body messages with careExperience reduced secondary shame around emotional wellness signalsTake one small action that supports your healing journey today Key Insights The body often registers threat before the mind forms a storySimple posture and breath awareness interrupts automatic survival loopsCPTSD symptoms make sense when viewed through nervous system patternsSmall, repeated responses to body cues build familiarity over timeValidation comes from recognizing these patterns as survival adaptations Recommended Resources The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk (book on trauma and the body)World Health Organization ICD-11 entry on Complex Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderSomatic Experiencing resources from the Somatic Experiencing International websiteFree guided body scan practices on the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center site Coming Up Next Continue your healing journey with deeper explorations into reclaiming inner peace and personal growth after trauma. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at cptsd@senseofthisshit.com. 💛 Join Our Supporters Club 💛 Help keep these vital conversations alive—Click HereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/c-ptsd-let-s-make-sense-of-this-sh-t--6331440/support.
Transcribe →Shame Spirals Interrupt: How to Redirect with Five
Jun 1900:35:17Tap to summarizeIn this episode, discover a simple five minute practice designed to catch shame spirals early before they take over your afternoon. Complex trauma often brings sudden waves of self blame that feel automatic and overwhelming yet remain a normal response rather than a personal flaw. The approach stays practical and gentle using recognition of what is happening followed by a quick grounding step to redirect attention. Listeners learn how these spirals gain speed through old nervous system patterns triggered by small events like a missed text or brief comment. The tool helps shorten the loop without forcing positivity or erasing every feeling. By meeting the wave where it starts the practice returns some steadiness so the rest of the day feels more manageable even when past experiences still echo. This episode offers clear steps anyone can try during daily routines like walking or waiting in line. What You'll Learn: • Reduce shame spiral length with one repeatable daily tool • Recognize early signs before self blame takes full hold • Shift attention using grounding to calm body responses • Separate shame from guilt for clearer next steps • Build steadiness over weeks through consistent short practice Key Insights • Shame acts as the bridge turning small events into self attack • Body sensations and racing thoughts form a fast feedback loop • Naming the spiral without judgment interrupts automatic patterns • Self compassion paired with sensory focus changes episode outcomes • Old protective wiring explains why neutral moments feel threatening Recommended Resources: • Daring Greatly by Brené Brown (2012) • Andrews study on shame in Journal of Traumatic Stress (2000) • Wong and Yeung self compassion study in Mindfulness (2018) • National Center for PTSD 5-4-3-2-1 grounding guidelines (2021) • International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation sensory anchor guidelines (2020) Coming Up Next Tune in next time to explore how emotional flashbacks connect to daily triggers and practical ways to regain choice after they land. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at cptsd@senseofthisshit.com. 💛 Join Our Supporters Club 💛 Help keep these vital conversations alive—Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...
Transcribe →Conditional Safety Wiring: How to Ease Nervous System
Jun 1500:36:14Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we explore how relationships that tie safety to compliance can leave lasting effects on the nervous system. You'll hear about the patterns of hypervigilance and self-editing that emerge when affection depends on meeting unspoken rules. We discuss practical ways to notice these old habits and begin building new experiences of trust that don't require perfect performance. This conversation draws on personal stories and research to show why the body stays on guard and how small steps can help loosen that grip over time. Listeners learn to separate old wiring from present reality through steady noticing and low stakes tests that rebuild internal safety signals gradually. What You'll Learn: • Spot conditional safety patterns without self blame • Reduce hypervigilance in everyday interactions • Test small choices that rebuild trust signals • Separate past rules from current neutral moments • Lower daily energy spent on monitoring others Key Insights • Nervous system treats neutral signals as threats after conditional safety • Double monitoring drains energy without creating lasting relief • Betrayal trauma numbs internal cues to preserve relationships • Repeated small tests update old wiring over time • External approval shifts never deliver steady safety Recommended Resources: • Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman • The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk • Betrayal trauma research by Jennifer Freyd in Journal of Traumatic Stress • Journal of Clinical Psychology study on betrayal sensitivity 2020 Coming Up Next Discover how to handle emotional flashbacks triggered by everyday situations and build steadier responses that honor your nervous system needs. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at cptsd@senseofthisshit.com. 💛 Join Our Supporters Club 💛 Help keep these vital conversations alive—Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...
Transcribe →5-4-3 Grounding: Interrupt Four F Responses in 3 Minutes
Jun 1200:10:25Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we explore how trauma recovery starts with understanding your body's automatic reactions instead of fighting them. If you often feel hijacked by sudden anger, the urge to escape, shutting down, or people-pleasing, this healing journey offers a gentle path forward. Through simple body awareness practices, you'll discover how old survival patterns can soften, creating more space for emotional wellness, self-worth, inner peace, and steady personal growth without forcing change or self-judgment. What You'll Learn Recognize your body's signals before old patterns take overBuild quick awareness that creates real choice in daily momentsUse simple grounding steps to return to the presentFeel less exhausted by automatic stress responses over timeTurn vague discomfort into clear, workable information Key Insights The four F responses are neutral survival tools, not personal flawsBody sensations often reveal which response is active firstSmall sensory interruptions can shift long-standing patternsBreath paired with a simple phrase builds steadier groundOne tracked response shows more than trying to catch every reaction Recommended Resources Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving by Pete WalkerThe Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der KolkCPTSD Foundation website and support resourcesNational Center for PTSD educational materials Coming Up Next We'll go deeper into nervous system regulation and how to create lasting safety in your daily life. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at cptsd@senseofthisshit.com. 💛 Join Our Supporters Club 💛 Help keep these vital conversations alive—Click HereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/c-ptsd-let-s-make-sense-of-this-sh-t--6331440/support.
Transcribe →Nervous System Body Scan: How to Notice Signals Before
Jun 1200:33:24Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we explore a simple thirty second nervous system check-in that helps you spot tension or shutdown before tricky talks begin. Many people with complex trauma find old survival patterns take over fast during family calls or meetings, turning calm intentions into sharp words or sudden freezes. Gregory shares real listener stories and practical steps drawn from polyvagal theory so you can notice body signals like tight shoulders or quick breathing early. The approach keeps focus on your own state rather than trying to control the other person. By pausing alone first you gain a brief window to choose steadier responses and stay more present even when topics feel loaded. What You'll Learn: • Spot early body signals before conversations turn difficult. • Enter talks with greater awareness of your nervous system state. • Reduce surprise reactions like freeze or sudden outbursts. • Build habits that support calmer exchanges over time. • Use quick scans that fit into busy daily moments. Key Insights: • Body cues often activate before any words are spoken. • Old trauma patterns can flip states without current danger. • Timing the check-in beforehand creates room for choice. • Ventral vagal safety supports real listening and connection. • Small posture shifts help steer away from fight or flight. Recommended Resources: • The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk • The Polyvagal Theory by Stephen W. Porges • Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection by Deb Dana • The Trauma Research Foundation website resources Coming Up Next Learn how to extend these check-ins into ongoing daily routines that strengthen long-term nervous system flexibility and connection. 📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at cptsd@senseofthisshit.com. 💛 Join Our Supporters Club 💛 Help keep these vital conversations alive—Click Here: https://www.spreaker.com/podca...
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