Does love feel overwhelming, triggering, or just plain scary? If you have Complex PTSD, your nervous system might be treating intimacy like a threat, even when you desperately want connection.

In this episode, I break down why CPTSD makes love feel so complicated, what's actually happening in your nervous system when someone gets close, and the real (messy, non-linear) path to trusting love again.

You'll learn:

• What CPTSD actually is and how it's different from PTSD
• Why your body goes into alarm mode when someone shows you genuine love
• How childhood attachment wounds show up in adult relationships
• Practical steps to start rewiring your nervous system for safety in love
• What to do when you get emotionally triggered by your partner
• How to support someone you love who has CPTSD

This episode is for you if:

• You pull away when someone gets too close
• You're constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop in relationships
• You know you deserve love but your body doesn't feel safe receiving it
• You love someone with trauma and want to understand how to help

Whether you're struggling to accept love yourself or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers a bit of hope and concrete tools for healing.

Resources mentioned:

Original blog post: https://www.sarahherstichlcsw.com/blog/a-cptsd-therapist-shares-tips-to-accept-love-as-a-complex-ptsd-survivor

PTSD vs CPTSD: https://www.sarahherstichlcsw.com/blog/ptsd-vs-cptsd-trauma-therapy

Free Attachment Guide: https://www.subscribepage.com/attachment-style-guide

Connect with the Reclaim Therapy Team: https://www.reclaimtherapy.org

Thanks for listening to Reclaim You with Reclaim Therapy!

To learn more about Reclaim Therapy and how to work with a therapist on the team, head to https://www.reclaimtherapy.org.

Be sure to comment, like and subscribe here, or on YouTube and come follow along on Instagram!

In this solo episode, trauma and EMDR therapist Abby Albright breaks down what trauma-informed yoga actually is and why it can be such a powerful support for healing.

She explores how this gentle approach to movement creates space for choice, consent, and nervous system awareness, especially for those living with trauma.

You’ll learn how trauma-informed yoga differs from traditional yoga classes, why it’s rooted in Polyvagal Theory, and how practices like grounding, breathwork, and mindful movement can help shift you out of survival states and into connection.

Abby also shares real-life examples of how she uses yoga to navigate hyperarousal, shutdown, and moments of presence in her own life and practice.

Whether you’re a beginner, a trauma survivor, or a therapist curious about incorporating somatic practices into your work, this episode offers an accessible, embodied entry point into healing.

Read this episode on the blog here: https://www.sarahherstichlcsw.com/blog/what-is-trauma-informed-yoga

Learn more about yoga with Abby here: https://www.sarahherstichlcsw.com/trauma-informed-yoga-therapy

Grab a FREE 30 minute Yoga Class here: https://www.subscribepage.com/abbys-yoga-newsletter

Thanks for listening to Reclaim You with Reclaim Therapy!

To learn more about Reclaim Therapy and how to work with a therapist on the team, head to https://www.reclaimtherapy.org.

Be sure to comment, like and subscribe here, or on YouTube and come follow along on Instagram!

In this mini episode, Abby gets personal, sharing how her journey from dance to yoga became a turning point in her own healing.

She opens up about what it meant to shift from performance to presence, and how yoga helped her slow down, reconnect with her body, and build a foundation rooted in awareness and self-trust.

You’ll hear reflections on the lessons she’s learned on the mat (and off), the power of starting with the basics, and why community matters just as much as the poses. Whether you’re new to yoga or returning after a long break, this episode offers a gentle reminder: it’s not about doing it perfectly—it’s about doing it with care.

Read the full blog at https://www.sarahherstichlcsw.com/blog/5-ways-yoga-has-supported-me-in-my-healing

Learn more about Abby's Yoga offerings here: https://www.sarahherstichlcsw.com/trauma-informed-yoga-therapy

Sign up for Abby's FREE 30 minute on demand yoga class at https://www.subscribepage.com/abbys-yoga-newsletter

Thanks for listening to Reclaim You with Reclaim Therapy!

To learn more about Reclaim Therapy and how to work with a therapist on the team, head to https://www.reclaimtherapy.org.

Be sure to comment, like and subscribe here, or on YouTube and come follow along on Instagram!

You’ve been showing up to therapy. You’re naming your patterns, doing the work and still wondering: Why am I not feeling better?

In this episode, Sarah is joined by trauma and EMDR therapist Ashley Fox to explore why therapy can feel stagnant, confusing, or even discouraging at times and how those exact moments might reflect slow, meaningful change beneath the surface.

Together, they unpack three reasons therapy might feel like it’s not working, including:

• Why insight isn’t the same as nervous system readiness
• What it means when emotional discomfort increases in recovery
• How “nothing happened today” sessions are often signs of deepening trust
• The role of relational healing, body awareness, and pacing in long-term change

If you’re navigating trauma or eating disorder recovery and questioning your progress, this conversation will help you recognize the more nuanced signs of healing and reconnect with the work you’re doing.

Be sure to:

→ Subscribe to Reclaim You for more conversations on healing, embodiment, and recovery
→ Visit https://www.sarahherstichlcsw.com/ashley-fox-trauma-therapist-pennsylvania to learn more about Ashley’s clinical work and availability at Reclaim Therapy

Thanks for listening to Reclaim You with Reclaim Therapy!

To learn more about Reclaim Therapy and how to work with a therapist on the team, head to https://www.reclaimtherapy.org.

Be sure to comment, like and subscribe here, or on YouTube and come follow along on Instagram!

If the words “be kind to yourself” make you want to roll your eyes (or run) you’re not alone. For many trauma survivors, self-compassion doesn’t feel good. It feels awkward. Threatening. Even fake.

In this episode, Sarah is joined by trauma therapist Erin Witmer for an honest conversation about what makes self-compassion so hard to access, and why the resistance itself is often a form of protection.

Erin shares her personal and professional journey with softening toward herself, the early life messages that shape people's inner voice, and what it looks like to meet shame and perfectionism with something gentler.

They explore:
→ What self-compassion actually is (and isn’t)
→ Why it can feel so cringey—even in recovery
→ The inner critic’s role in survival
→ Tiny ways to begin practicing self-kindness without forcing it

Looking for a trauma therapist or an EMDR therapist? Learn more about Erin here:

https://www.sarahherstichlcsw.com/erin-witmer-trauma-therapist-horsham-pa

And, be sure to grab the FREE Self-Compassion Myth-Buster PDF here:

https://www.subscribepage.com/self-compassion-myth-buster

Thanks for listening to Reclaim You with Reclaim Therapy!

To learn more about Reclaim Therapy and how to work with a therapist on the team, head to https://www.reclaimtherapy.org.

Be sure to comment, like and subscribe here, or on YouTube and come follow along on Instagram!

If asking for help feels like a risk…
If you pride yourself on being “the strong one”…

If burnout sneaks up on you even when you're doing everything right, this episode is for you.

Sarah and Abby are talking about the hidden costs of hyper-independence. They unpack how this survival strategy gets wired into your nervous system, why it often stems from trauma or emotional neglect, and how it can quietly erode your capacity for rest, trust, and connection.

They explore:
→ Why over-functioning is often a form of self-protection
→ How hyper-independence shows up in recovery from CPTSD and eating disorders
→ What it takes to unlearn “I’m fine” conditioning
→ The power of nervous system safety and relational healing

As always, this one’s not about blame, it’s about awareness, self-compassion, and tiny ways to soften.

Download the FREE Hyper-Independence Self-Inventory
A reflection tool to help you name where over-functioning is showing up, and what it might be protecting.
👉 https://www.subscribepage.com/hyper-independence-self-inventory

Thanks for listening to Reclaim You with Reclaim Therapy!

To learn more about Reclaim Therapy and how to work with a therapist on the team, head to https://www.reclaimtherapy.org.

Be sure to comment, like and subscribe here, or on YouTube and come follow along on Instagram!

What if the biggest signs of healing aren’t big at all?

In this episode, Sarah is joined by Laura for a conversation about the micro-moments that might mark recovery from trauma and disordered eating. Together, they unpack five powerful cues that your nervous system is shifting toward safety: like noticing your body, making a small choice, or feeling a flicker of joy without shutting it down.

You’ll hear:

• Why awareness is a milestone, not a “first step”
• How setting the tiniest limit can signal huge change
• Why pleasure often feels threatening before it feels good
• What reconnection really looks like after bingeing, freezing, or shutting down

This is your permission to stop waiting for the “aha” moment—and start honoring the quiet ones.

🎧 Plus: Grab our free Micro-Moments Tracker to help you notice what’s already healing. https://www.subscribepage.com/tiny-moments-tracker

✍🏼 Check Out This Week's Blog: Signs of Safety to Look for in Trauma Recovery: https://www.sarahherstichlcsw.com/blog/signs-of-safety-to-look-for-in-trauma-recovery

Thanks for listening to Reclaim You with Reclaim Therapy!

To learn more about Reclaim Therapy and how to work with a therapist on the team, head to https://www.reclaimtherapy.org.

Be sure to comment, like and subscribe here, or on YouTube and come follow along on Instagram!

What if your anxiety, shutdown, or overwhelm aren’t signs of failure—but signs your body is finally healing?

In this episode of Reclaim You, Sarah breaks down one of the most misunderstood ideas in trauma recovery: that nervous system regulation = being calm. (Spoiler: it doesn’t.)

You’ll learn:

• Why calm isn’t always regulation—and why stillness can be a shutdown in disguise
• What dysregulation actually means in a trauma-informed framework
• How real healing builds nervous system flexibility, not perfection
• The truth about survival states, and how your body completes what it never got to finish

If you’ve been doing the work and still feel overwhelmed, this conversation will reframe how you see your nervous system—and help you stop judging what’s actually progress.

🔗 Free downloads:

[Regulation Isn’t the Goal Worksheet] https://www.subscribepage.com/nervous-system-regulation

[Window of Tolerance Worksheet]
https://www.subscribepage.com/windowoftolerance

Thanks for listening to Reclaim You with Reclaim Therapy!

To learn more about Reclaim Therapy and how to work with a therapist on the team, head to https://www.reclaimtherapy.org.

Be sure to comment, like and subscribe here, or on YouTube and come follow along on Instagram!