written by Alicia Murray. You might find yourself reacting strongly to things that seem minor. A change in tone. A delayed text. A small conflict. A moment of uncertainty. And almost immediately, your body responds. Your chest tightens. Your thoughts race. You feel overwhelmed, defensive, or shut down. Then comes the second wave:“Why am I […]
PTSD
Why Trauma Can Make Trust Feel Physically Impossible
If you’ve experienced trauma, you may notice something confusing: even when someone seems kind, consistent, and safe, your body does not relax. You may want to trust them. You may logically know they are different from people who hurt you. But your chest tightens. Your stomach drops. Your thoughts race. You pull back. Trust does […]
When Your Nervous System Learned Chaos as Normal
Written by Alicia Murray. When your childhood was full of unpredictability — emotionally volatile parents, frequent moves, neglect, or constant tension — your nervous system didn’t learn safety. It learned vigilance. It learned how to read the room instantly. It learned that calm never lasted, so you shouldn’t trust it. This kind of upbringing doesn’t […]
What Your Therapist Means by “Trauma Recovery Isn’t Linear”
written by Alicia Murray If you’ve been in therapy after a traumatic experience, you’ve likely heard your therapist say something like, “Remember, trauma recovery isn’t linear.” Maybe you nodded, but inside, it still felt frustrating when a difficult emotion or reaction resurfaced — especially after weeks of feeling “better.” Here’s what therapists really mean when […]
What Your Therapist Means When They Say “Trauma Recovery Isn’t Linear”
If you’ve ever worked with a therapist on healing from trauma, there’s a good chance you’ve heard this phrase: “Trauma recovery isn’t linear.” And maybe you nodded — but inside, part of you was wondering what that actually means. Here’s the honest answer: It means healing won’t follow a straight, predictable path. It won’t always […]
