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How to Heal From PTSD

3/6/2017

1 Comment

 
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Child abuse causes PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).  In its simplest terms, healing from PTSD is all about finding a healthy way to manage “overwhelm.”


Trauma is anything that impairs your ability to cope.  Trauma manifests as an instant feeling of overwhelm.  What happened to you or what was done to you or what was said to you when you were an abused child overwhelmed you, destroyed your sense of safety, and shifted your natural fight/flight/freeze response into high gear. 


The problem for child abuse survivors is that the abuse happened regularly.  It occurred every day or week or month for years, maybe even a decade or more.  Because that was your normal state of being as a child, survivors of this kind of trauma grow up stuck mentally and emotionally in overwhelm.  But there’s nothing normal about chronic overwhelm.  It’s toxic. 


In order to heal from PTSD, you need to find your mental “place of safety.”  You do this by learning healthy ways to manage overwhelm.  Begin by doing what makes you feel safe and empowered again.  For example, what are the positive activities in your life that make you feel safe?  What uplifting books, magazines, blogs, or newsletters make you feel safe?  What inspiring thoughts, affirmations, meditations, or prayers make you feel safe?


Create a list of these empowering things and add some of them to your daily self-care regime.  Eventually, all of this positive input will come together in your mind to rewire your brain.  That’s when you’ll find that mental place of safety where you know everything is okay.


When you’re comfortable in this safe place, expand your list.  Try new things.  Meet new people.  Take some of those risks you’ve always wanted to take but found too overwhelming.


The time you spend in your mental safe place every day will give you the confidence to do this.  You’ll discover you’re no longer overwhelmed by your feelings.  You find you’re more likely to trust the wisdom of your heart and intuition.


Life is all about making the choices and taking the risks that help us grow in healthy, happy ways.  But child abuse survivors can’t do this until we learn how to manage overwhelm.  So make that list today and find your mental safe place.  It’s the only way to enjoy this wonderful dance of life!

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Are you struggling with PTSD?  Do you need support to help you find your mental “safe place”?  If so, I can help.  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100 per hour).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot TODAY! 


Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback (link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!


Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/
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Accelerate Your Healing With TRE®!

1/23/2017

8 Comments

 
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We all know your mind will eventually forget some of the details of the abuse or trauma you’ve survived.  But your body never forgets.

Like I’ve mentioned in other blog posts, trapped trauma must be released.  It’s nothing more than emotional pain.  If allowed to fester in the body for weeks, years, or decades it will eventually manifest as physical pain in the form of illness, allergies, chronic pain, etc.

TRE® (Trauma Release Exercises) created a major shift in my healing from trauma, and the results were truly surprising.  I knew I could heal my body, mind, and spirit.  I just didn’t know how.  TRE® was the tool that gave me access to the trauma buried so deep inside me I couldn’t reach it any other way.

I’ve been using TRE® on a regular basis for two years now.  The experience has been both humbling and powerful.  It has strengthened my faith in the fact that abuse and trauma survivors like you and I can overcome.  Yes, we can heal and restore!

As many of you know, I was so impressed with the results from TRE® that I decided to become a Certified TRE® Provider.  I’ve recently completed my TRE® certification.  It was a long and arduous training process, but I did it.  Yay!

Now I’m looking forward to helping my coaching clients use TRE® as a self-care tool.  If you’re interested in experiencing the amazing healing benefits of TRE®, send me an email at svava@educate4change.com.  Tell me about the trauma or abuse you survived and describe your trauma symptoms.  I am happy to guide you to an appropriate provider. 

After using TRE® for over two years, I believe it’s one of the best investments you’ll ever make in your healing.  Just 3 or 4 sessions with a Certified TRE® Provider are all you’ll need.  Then you can use this valuable self-care tool to rid your body of tension, stress or  trapped trauma.

Best of all, TRE® will help you keep your mind, body, and soul healthy for the rest of your life.  The more you use it the better it works. Wow.  How cool is that?!
                                                        ********
Are you an abuse or trauma survivor?  Are you struggling with depression or anxiety, and you can’t seem to move forward?  Don’t worry.  I can help!  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot NOW!

Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my empowering monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/

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How to Heal Your Emotional Pain

10/22/2016

5 Comments

 
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Are you hurting today?  If so, I know how you feel.  I used to carry an unbearably heavy load of emotional pain.  

It’s important for survivors of child abuse and trauma to find a productive way to validate and express emotional pain.  All of it.  You can’t heal completely until you acknowledge how devastating it is to be abandoned, neglected, and ignored as a child.

When I began this validation process, I decided to become an advocate and speaker.  I gave lots of talks about child sexual abuse, my past, and how to keep kids safe from predators.

This was the platform I had chosen to tell my story, and it was an important step in my healing process.  However, I wasn’t aware I was still looking for someone to appear out of nowhere and fix the chaos I felt inside.  Because of that, I had a tendency to overwhelm people with my message.

Even so, that was a very healing time for me, and I learned a lot from the experience.  I felt vindicated by all the people listening to my story.  Especially those who expressed sadness in response to what had happened to me.  I also learned how to take responsibility for the impact of my words.  

I’m incredibly grateful for all the people who heard me speak back then.  They helped me heal.  They listened and validated my pain.  They kept open hearts and showered me with empathy and compassion.    

Your pain will help you heal, too.  Every time you tell your story to a safe friend you’ll learn how to connect with others and yourself.  

Today, when I’m invited to speak I mention the pain from my past, but I focus most of my message on hope, healing, and the love I carry in my heart for myself and others.  

There’s no room for pain in my life anymore.  One day there won’t be room for pain in your life, too.  Keep telling your story, and that day will arrive sooner than you think!
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Are you tired of being battered by a heavy load of emotional pain from the past?  I can help!  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me.  My calendar is filling up fast, so don’t wait.  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot NOW!

Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my empowering monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/
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How to Program Your Mind for Happiness

9/26/2016

0 Comments

 
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Are you plagued every morning with a feeling of anxiety, depression, sadness, or despair?  Is it common for you to wake up with this kind of dark cloud hanging over your head?  

Today, I’ll show you how to transform despair into joy.  It’s all about “mind control.”  Mind control is the key to true happiness and joy.

The first step is to observe your negative mood rather than running from it, ignoring it, suppressing it, or giving into it like you usually do.  After a while, you’ll notice this dark mood is most often associated with certain fearful thoughts about the future.  

The root of all anxiety, depression, sadness, and despair is fear.  You’re fearful about a scenario you imagine will happen in the future concerning a certain person or situation.  

However, this is just an imaginary scenario, isn’t it?  It hasn’t happened yet and may never happen.  You’re just torturing yourself with your imagination.  No wonder it makes you feel awful.  Yikes!

The more you observe your dark moods the more you’ll realize every time you think about certain people, situations, or subjects a fearful scenario comes to mind.  The next step is to make a list of all the people, situations, and subjects that bring to mind these fearful scenarios in an imaginary future.

This is your “Don’t Think About This” list.  Like I said, mind control is the key to true happiness and joy.  Mind control is simply not thinking about anything on this list.  

Try it today.  It will take some practice, but controlling what you allow your mind to think about every day is your responsibility.  Choose thoughts that flood your mind with joy and happiness.  Choose the reality of the present moment.  Reject all thoughts of fearful scenarios in an imaginary future.

Making this simple choice will instantly transform your life from one of chronic sadness to joy and happiness.  Try it today.  You’ll be amazed how well it works.  And fast, too!

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Are you overwhelmed with sadness, despair, depression, or anxiety?  I can help.  Just email me at svava@educate4change.com to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me.  My calendar is filling up fast, so don’t wait.  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot NOW!

Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my empowering monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/

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Break the Power of Fear!

6/18/2016

2 Comments

 
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Lately, we’ve all been exposed to some terrifying events in the news.  I know the impact this has had on me.  And I know it has shaken a few of my clients.  So I think it’s time we talk about fear.

First, there was the outrage over the verdict in the Stanford rape case.  This has been an emotionally difficult experience for all sexual abuse survivors.  I applaud those who spoke up, stepped forward in support of the victim, and demanded more accountability from our judicial system.  And I applaud the courage and strength of the victim for her decision to go public with her testimony.

Next, there was the horrendous shooting in Orlando.  The pain, grief, and senselessness of a mass murder is hard to fathom.  The sadness of this tragedy almost overwhelmed me.  And I wasn’t alone.  A few of my clients were also triggered by the shooting.  In some way, every trauma survivor has been shaken by it.

After years of living in fear, I know its power all too well.  Fortunately, fear no longer rules my life.  I’ve worked hard to conquer it.  However, that doesn’t mean fear no longer rears its ugly head.  It does.  It just means I’ve learned how to manage it.

Fear is fueled by fear.  The more fearful you become, the more power you give it.  I no longer allow this to happen.  I can feel fear in my body.  I can see it coming.  Because of my abusive past, fear will always be a part of who I am.  But I don’t give it control.  Instead, I break its power the minute it appears.  

How?  By talking to it like an old friend.  I say: “Fear, I see you.  I hear you.  But I don’t need you right now.  I’m not that scared little girl anymore.  I’m a grown woman.  I can handle this situation.  You’re free to go.  Thank you for checking in with me, but I’m doing just fine without you.  Goodbye!”

The next time fear comes calling in your life, talk to it like that.  You can’t completely eliminate fear from your life.  But you can break its power.  Start today.  It’s a wonderful feeling!
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Are you struggling with fear?  Does fear control your life?  If so, I  can help you break its power.  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me.  My calendar is filling up fast, so don’t wait.  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot NOW!

Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my empowering monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/

2 Comments

Dealing With Out-of-Control Emotions

4/17/2016

3 Comments

 
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One of the hardest things for me to do on my healing journey was to comfortably acknowledge my feelings.  I had no idea why I felt the way I did or how to express my emotions.

Like all survivors of child sexual abuse, I bounced back and forth between anxiety (fear of the future) and depression (sadness about my past).  The abuse had taught me to shut down my emotions when faced with an uncomfortable situation.  

But that toxic coping skill also kept me from enjoying the good feelings I experienced.  I was imprisoned in a constant state of numbness.  It’s no wonder my husband used to call me the “Ice Queen.”  Yikes!

As a child, I was terrified of expressing my feelings.  I knew it would just get me into trouble with the adults in my house.  When I grew up, I was terrified of these trapped emotions.  They were so intense I was afraid if I ever expressed them I’d lose control, start crying, and never stop.

On Thursday May 5th, my next FREE 90-minute webinar will go live.  This one is about dealing with your emotions.  In this webinar, you’ll receive information about:

  • How to recognize and express your feelings
  • How to correctly identify an emotion (real, learned, or perceived)
  • How to tell the difference between these three kinds of emotions
  • How to safely release pent-up emotional energy from sadness, anger, fear, etc.
  • The emotional benefits of mindfulness, journaling, inner child work
  • How to control your out-of-control feelings
  • How to explore, manage, and express emotions in a healthy way
  • Personal stories from my own life to show you how to do this
  • And much, much more!

Today, I can safely express a wide range of emotions.  In fact, my husband has a new name for me.  He calls me the “Queen of Hearts.”  I’ve come a long way!

You can, too.  If you’d like to learn how to deal with all your emotions (the good ones and the scary ones), join me on Thursday, May 5th, at 12:00noon (PST).  

Save the date and I will send the link and access soon!  Look forward to seeing you there!


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Are you struggling with your healing journey?  I can help you take that next step.  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me.  My calendar is filling up fast, so don’t wait.  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot NOW!

Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my empowering monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/

3 Comments

When I’m Distracted, I’m Disconnected

4/10/2016

5 Comments

 
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When I was young, all I wanted was to feel connected, to feel like I belonged.  I wanted to be understood, seen, and heard.  This is important to every child, but especially to those of us who grew up in abusive homes.  

To fill that void, I overcompensated at school.  I became an athlete, very competitive and good at sports.  It was the perfect outlet for the chaos swirling around inside me from the abuse.  Sports gave me a way to turn those explosive emotions into running faster or jumping higher.

Emotional abandonment is very painful.  Abused children have to find a way to disconnect from the pain in order to survive it.  What worked best for me was to stay distracted.  I made sure I was so busy there wasn’t time to think or feel.  

For example, I didn’t excel at just one sport.  I participated in as many sports as I could.  In college, I didn’t have just one part-time job.  I had three.  

My healing journey made me realize distraction is a toxic coping skill.  It’s how I learned to deal with any kind of discomfort.  My subconscious immediately wants to dull that pain by distracting itself.          

But I don’t allow it to do that anymore.  Now when I feel the need to do too much, I make myself slow down.  I remain intentional about each day, week, task, and conversation.  

That’s how I stay connected to myself and everything in life.  It forces me to focus on what I’m doing in the present moment and prevents subconscious distractions, like worrying about all the other tasks I need to tackle.  

I’ve even written this on a sticky note and attached it to a wall I see often: When I’m Distracted, I’m Disconnected.  If distraction is one of your toxic coping skills, try it.  It’s a visual reminder that works!

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Are you struggling with your healing journey?  I can help you take that next step.  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me.  My calendar is filling up fast, so don’t wait.  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot NOW!

Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my empowering monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/

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Svava Brooks
Educate4Change
Dedicated to Ending the Cycle of Child Sexual Abuse
Ph: 619-889-6366  
email: svava@educate4change.com
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