🌱 A Gentle Practice for Untangling PTSD Triggers
PTSD doesn’t always come from one person or one moment. Often, when someone dismisses us, gaslights us, or makes us feel small, it’s not just about them. It’s that they’ve touched an older wound — one we might not have even realized was still there. This practice is for those moments when the past feels louder than the present, and you want to reclaim some peace in your body. Step 1: Anchor Into Safety Place one hand on your chest, one on your stomach. Take 3 slow breaths. Say to yourself: “I’m safe right now. This is my space.” Step 2: Name the Current Trigger Write down what happened and how it makes you feel. Example: - “They didn’t believe me.” - “I feel angry, invisible, ashamed.” Step 3: Follow the Thread Back Ask yourself: - “When else in my life did I feel this same way?” - “Whose voice does this remind me of?” Don’t dig for the “right” answer — just notice what rises. Step 4: Give Compassion to the Past You Once you find a memory or feeling, write a note to that version of you. Something like: “I believe you. You weren’t lying. You deserved kindness.” This is reparenting in action — giving yourself the care you didn’t get. Step 5: Return to the Present Touch something around you (a chair, a mug, the floor). Say: “That was then. This is now. I’m safe here.” Step 6: Release or Keep You can tear up what you wrote, burn it (safely), or keep it in a journal. Let your body decide what feels right. ✨ Remember: PTSD isn’t a weakness. It’s your nervous system protecting you from unhealed wounds. The fact that you’re willing to look at them means you’re already breaking free.