On our most popular Being Well episode to date, Forrest and I explored the details of CPTSD with Pete Walker, and on today’s episode, Forrest is joined by his partner Elizabeth Ferreira to discuss the topic through a more personal lens. Elizabeth shares her CPTSD origin story, what CPTSD feels like, and how to create a compassionate environment with or without a therapist so you can safely process grief, experience out repressed emotions, and learn to express your needs.
About our Guest: Elizabeth is a recent graduate of the Somatic Psychology program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), and is currently earning hours toward her MFT license. She just launched a new podcast, My Therapist’s a Witch, that brings together the best lessons from psychology with holistic approaches to mental health and healing. She also creates content on YouTube and Instagram focused on CPTSD, PMDD, and becoming a more whole version of who you are.
Key Topics:
0:00: Introduction
2:15: Elizabeth’s story
5:20: Trauma in the broader family system
8:40: A “normal” story
11:50: Loneliness, and the parts of us we leave behind
15:00: Repressed emotions
17:10: Adverse childhood experiences
20:35: Stepping out of adverse environments
25:15: Trauma work as grief work
29:10: Symptoms of Complex PTSD
34:50: How do you need to be comforted?
37:30: Creating the sense of safety
40:30: Somatic interventions
45:30: Being witnessed
47:10: Claiming your needs
50:10: Facing the dreaded experience
53:50: Accuracy vs. sensitivity
57:05: Hidden parts
1:00:00: Start by joining
1:04:20: Recap
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