Complex PTSD or CPTSD to me is a set of symptoms experienced as a result of childhood or other complex trauma, which keeps dysregulating a person emotionally, physically, and otherwise on into adulthood. These experiences are negative and many times include physical, sexual, emotional abuse or all three. The symptoms of CPTSD can be hard to target with traditional trauma interventions, because they are not distinct experiences, but usually clusters of memories, negative beliefs, and feelings.
Author: mkirkpatrick
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Couples Improve Your Relationships
Learn how to improve your relationship with less criticism (courtesy of Dr. John Gottman), less defensive behavior, accepting responsibility, less disrespect and contempt, more respect and appreciation of your partner, less stonewalling (emotional withdrawal from contact). Learn more 🙂 http://youtu.be/AKTyPgwfPgghttp://youtu.be/AKTyPgwfPgg
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Sniff, Sniff, Sigh…Your most powerful coping skill.
#DrAndrewHuberman, a professor at Stanford University has been making the rounds on YouTube, promoting better living through behavior and neurology. What does this mean to you?
Most clients struggle with some aspect of anxiety and impulsive behaviors. Dr. Huberman explains that we are constantly responding to our internal stimuli and then the chemicals and hormones in our brain and body take over. What we don’t realize is we have more control over these physical responses than we think.
If you are already a client, I have probably already taught you “sniff, sniff, sigh”, an easy breathing technique taught by Dr. Huberman. The way it works is, there are certain breathing patterns that our bodies naturally do to change how we feel and function. We sniff, sniff, sigh often to recover ourselves when we are crying, or when we are dropping off to sleep. We can consciously do the sniff, sniff, sigh anytime to create calm in our bodies. Try it right now. Breathe in quickly through the nose, then exhale deeply like a sigh through the mouth. Repeat a few times, and notice your heart rate drop, your gut settle. This exercise can give you the extra few seconds to react calmly as opposed to impulsively.
If you want to learn more, check out Dr. Andrew Huberman on YouTube. Also you can follow him @HubermanLabs on Instagram.