Building Resilience in the midst of Upheaval and Change

Recovery from developmental trauma, childhood trauma, and narcissistic abuse is a complex and deeply individual journey that often feels like navigating uncharted terrain. It becomes even more challenging in times of social and political turmoil, when uncertainty and chaos amplify triggers, set our nervous systems on high alert, and make healing feel like an unattainable goal. If you've ever felt stuck, struggling to find the strength to take even the simplest steps forward, you're not alone.

I know this because I’ve lived it. My own journey through the lingering impacts of trauma has been riddled with days when the very act of walking my dog seemed insurmountable. Over the past decade, living in the U.S. has been like walking through a minefield of triggers: political leaders with divisive rhetoric, gaslighting disguised as “alternative facts,” and the persistent hum of social upheaval. For anyone with a trauma history, these experiences don’t just stay in the background—they can feel like a direct assault on your nervous system, pulling you back into the survival states of your past.

But here's the truth: recovery, even in the face of overwhelming circumstances, is possible.

When Hope Feels Like a Tease

This past fall brought fleeting glimmers of hope. For a brief moment, I allowed myself to imagine living in a world where daily re-traumatization wasn’t the norm—a society where healing could progress without constant triggers. But just as quickly, the rug was pulled out from under me.

For those of us living with complex post-traumatic stress (CPTSD), hope can be intoxicating. It’s easy to latch onto the idea that something or someone will swoop in to save us, whether it’s a change in leadership, a societal shift, or even just a break from the chaos. But when those hopes are dashed, it can leave us feeling even more hopeless than before.

I’ll admit, optimism has been hard to come by lately. How do we move forward when every breaking news alert rings like an internal alarm? How do we hold onto hope when the world feels like an unending source of danger and uncertainty?

A Daily Practice of Recovery

Here’s the thing: for those of us with CPTSD, our young brains were literally primed to perceive danger in unpredictability. This response isn’t just emotional; it’s deeply rooted in our physiology.

The path to recovery isn’t about eliminating uncertainty—that’s impossible. It’s about building internal resources to shift our perception of it and reaction to it. And while this realization took me decades to arrive at, I hope that sharing my journey will help make your path to recovery a bit shorter.

Recovery is a daily practice. It’s a commitment to remind ourselves, every single day, that the world’s chaos doesn’t have to dictate our internal state. Trauma may have shaped us, but it doesn’t have to define us. Even on the hardest days, when progress feels like it’s measured in millimeters, we can keep moving forward.

Building Resilience and Rewiring the Brain

At the heart of trauma recovery is resilience: the ability to adapt, withstand adversity, and grow despite it. Building resilience is like strengthening a muscle—it takes consistent effort, and the benefits compound over time.

When we engage in practices that help us regulate our emotions, we’re not just managing symptoms; we’re literally rewiring our brains. Over time, the neural pathways formed by trauma can be reshaped and potentially replaced with more adaptive connections.

Steps to Building Resilience

Step 1: Recognize Dysregulation

The first step is recognizing when you’re about to enter a state of dysregulation—those moments when your fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response starts to take over. Awareness is key, but it’s a big topic that deserves its own deep dive (stay tuned for that).

Step 2: Build Your Emotional First Aid Kit

Recovery begins before you’re triggered. Having tools at your fingertips can make all the difference when chaos arises. Practice techniques regularly so that when you’re triggered, they come to you instinctively.

To help, I’ve created a mobile-ready Trigger First Aid Kit, which includes quick, effective methods from various treatment modalities. Access it here.

Step 3: Build Resilience Through Repetition

The more you practice, the stronger your resilience muscles become. Over time, the path back to a regulated state gets shorter and easier. Triggers that once derailed you for days might only affect you for hours—or even minutes.

Step 4: Make It a Habit

Pick a few techniques that resonate with you and practice them daily. Whether it’s a grounding exercise during your morning walk, at your desk, or as part of your stretching routine, consistency is key.

The Transformation: You Are the Hero of Your Story

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this, it’s that uncertainty and chaos don’t have to take you out of the game.

Recovery isn’t about erasing trauma; it’s about reclaiming your life from it. By building resilience and rewiring your brain, you can create a future where triggers no longer hold the same power over you. You can be the hero you need in your own life.

Resources for Your Journey

• Trigger First Aid Kit: Download your free guide to re-regulation techniques here.
• Video Tutorials: Check out our YouTube channel for demonstrations of each technique.

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Surrounding yourself with a supportive community can provide encouragement and strength when you need it most on this healing journey.

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