Trauma-Informed Skills
Learn gentle, evidence-based skills to help regulate your nervous system and increase your sense of safety.
Understanding Trauma: PTSD vs. CPTSD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Often results from a single, terrifying event or a series of well-defined events (e.g., a car accident, combat, natural disaster). Symptoms include re-experiencing, avoidance, negative changes in mood/cognition, and hyperarousal.
Complex PTSD (CPTSD)
Typically develops from prolonged, repeated trauma, often in childhood (e.g., ongoing abuse, neglect). It includes all symptoms of PTSD plus difficulties with emotion regulation, self-concept, and relationships.
This concept describes the optimal zone of arousal where we can function most effectively. When we are within this window, we can manage our emotions and handle the stresses of daily life. Trauma can narrow this window, making it easier to become hyper-aroused (fight/flight, anxiety, panic) or hypo-aroused (shut down, numb, dissociated). Learning to recognize and widen your window is a key skill.
Example:
Practice mindfulness to notice when you're leaving your window. If you feel anxious (hyper-aroused), use grounding techniques. If you feel numb (hypo-aroused), use gentle sensory input (like holding a warm mug) to come back to the present.
Visualize: Your Window of Tolerance
Think of this as your zone of optimal functioning. The goal is to widen the window.
Hyper-arousal (Fight/Flight)
Anxiety, Panic, Anger, Overwhelmed
Window of Tolerance
Calm, Focused, Present, Engaged
Hypo-arousal (Freeze/Shutdown)
Numb, Empty, Dissociated, Depressed
Practice noticing where you are throughout the day. What brings you back into your window?