Complex PTSD - How to Start Healing and Reclaim Your Life
- Meghan Farina
- Jul 18
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 18
If you've ever felt chronically on edge, emotionally exhausted, or feel like you are carrying an invisible weight, you might be dealing with something deeper than just everyday stress. Many adults silently struggle with the lingering effects of complex trauma, sometimes without even realizing it. Today, we will begin exploring Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) and learn how to heal old wounds and reclaim your life.
What Is Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)?
Complex PTSD is a mental health condition that develops as a result of prolonged, repeated, or relational trauma. Unlike traditional PTSD, which often follows a single event, like a car accident or natural disaster, C-PTSD usually stems from ongoing experiences. The trauma isn't just one event; it's the ongoing emotional turmoil that can leave deep scars on your sense of self and your ability to trust others.
Typically, clients report a history of emotionally unsafe environments, which include:
• Narcissistic family systems
• Chronic emotional neglect
• Repeated relational abuse
• Long-term toxic relationships
Symptoms of C-PTSD
C-PTSD includes the core symptoms of PTSD, such as:
Intrusive Thoughts (Re-experiencing the traumatic event as nightmares or flashbacks)
Avoidance (Avoiding certain people, places, or events that are triggering or reminders of the trauma)
Hypervigilance (Feeling on edge, scanning for danger, expecting things to go wrong)
Additionally, individuals with C-PTSD report the following symptoms:
• Difficulty regulating emotions
• Relationship or intimacy problems
• Persistent feelings of anger, shame, or guilt
• Emotional flashbacks or dissociation
• Hyper-independence or people-pleasing
• Difficulty trusting others
• High-functioning anxiety or burnout
• Physical symptoms (Autoimmune disorders, tension headaches, stomach issues, chronic pain)
If any of this sounds familiar to you, just remember that you are not alone and you are not “broken." These are signs your nervous system has been working overtime to protect you.
Can You Recover From CPTSD?
Yes! And recovery doesn't mean forgetting what happened to you. It means reclaiming. Healing from C-PTSD is not a quick fix. It is a layered and gradual process that will take time and patience with yourself. Here are some ways to start healing:
🧠 Psychotherapy
Start working with a trauma-informed therapist
• EMDR – Helps reprocess traumatic memories in a safe, contained way
• DBT – Teaches emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and relationship skills
• Trauma-informed CBT – Identifies and restructures distorted beliefs rooted in trauma
• IFS or Parts Work – Supports internal healing by working with protective and wounded parts
• Somatic therapies – Use movement, breath, and body-based techniques to restore safety in the nervous system
🧍♀️ Body-Based Healing
• Grounding practices, trauma-informed yoga, breathwork, and mindful movement
• Regulation skills to sooth your nervous system and bring your body out of fight/flight/freeze
💬 Community + Support
• Support groups, trauma-informed spaces, or even one safe relationship can shift everything
• Build emotional safety and set healthy boundaries
• Embrace friends and find support for validation, safety, and belonging, which are essential to unlearning trauma responses
You're Not Broken - You're Rebuilding
Healing from C-PTSD isn’t about “fixing” yourself or erasing the past. It is about reclaiming yourself and regaining control in the present.
It’s learning to feel safe in your own skin, trust your emotions, and build relationships where you don’t have to shrink to survive.
If this resonates with you, know this:
There’s a name for what you’re going through.
There are safe, effective ways to heal.
And you don’t have to do it alone.
At Inner Light Counseling & Wellness, we help adults recover from Complex PTSD, narcissistic abuse, and high-functioning anxiety through trauma-informed, whole-person care. Whenever you’re ready, we are here to support you on your journey.
📞 Ready to Begin?
Tags:
#ComplexPTSD #CPTSDRecovery #TraumaHealing #IFS #EMDR #NarcissisticAbuse #SomaticTherapy #MentalHealthAwareness #HolisticHealing #CPTSD #TraumaRecovery #PTSD #TraumaSuvivors
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