a note on… feeling unsupported

notes on freedom

A weekly email series containing easily digestible morsels of info on relational trauma and how to find freedom from it.

THIS WEEK IT’S A NOTE ON…feeling unsupported

Complex-Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) is the diagnostic label given to those with high levels of relational/developmental/childhood trauma symptoms.   

One very useful way to understand the difference between CPTSD and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is this…

– PTSD is the outcome of experiencing a threatening event.

– CPTSD is the outcome of experiencing a threatening event without any meaningful support around us.

There are other differences too, but this one is particularly useful as it helps those of us with childhood trauma better understand our trauma and ourselves. 

It shines a light on the fact that our traumatic reaction relates to us feeling alone, unsupported, unseen and unheard during overwhelming/threatening experiences in childhood.

It also highlights what we need to do to heal…

To heal relational/developmental/childhood trauma and CPTSD we need to get curious about how we can create more (and more and more) meaningful support for ourselves.

In part this is about courageously finding other people who can support us in the way we need – perhaps a dear friend, a therapist or a support group.

But it’s also about learning to do this for ourselves – over time we learn to become the loving adult we always needed. 

Finding freedom from relational trauma is inherently about creating a greater and greater sense of support internally and externally. As we do this we regulate, release, heal and grow.

With love,

S. x