Welcome to Hello Trauma Brain, a podcast where I share my personal journey of living with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD), and the tools and practices I'm using to heal, recover, and grow.

🎙️ In this episode,

Dr. Sherrie Campbell shares her personal experience of recognizing emotional abuse from her own parent and the tools that helped her cope and grieve as she began to distance herself.

Dr. Sherrie defines emotionally abusive parents using her DNA framework (Do Not Abuse) and explains how abusive parents offer conditional kindness instead of unconditional love.

The concept of defensive hypervigilance trauma is explored, along with "toxic parent abuse victim syndrome" and how these patterns show up for survivors.

Dr. Sherrie discusses rebellious hope, a transformative alternative to the toxic hope that keeps survivors stuck in abusive systems.

The episode closes with reflections on embodying healing traits, advice to younger selves, and where listeners can connect with Dr. Sherrie's work.

📖 Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Sherry Campbell 09:42 Recognizing Toxic Family Dynamics 12:00 The Impact of Post-Separation Abuse 14:21 Defining Emotional Abuse 18:11 Understanding Defensive Hypervigilance Trauma 21:27 Exploring Toxic Parent Abuse Victim Syndrome 25:38 Transforming Defense Mechanisms into Superpowers 27:23 Reclaiming Hope and Healing 27:51 Rebellious Hope: A New Perspective 30:54 The Journey of Writing and Healing 36:59 Introducing 'You Are Home': A Transformative Book 40:05 Understanding Estrangement: Types and Misconceptions 44:04 Moments of Truth: Advice to My Younger Self 46:44 Healing Invitation

References

EP.064 | Reclaiming Fawning While Believing Me with Dr. Ingrid Clayton: youtube.com/watch?v=hCZOlAQ7MOg&feature=youtu.be

Connect with Today's Guest (Dr. Sherrie Campbell)

Official Website: https://drsherriecampbell.com/

Sherapy Sessions: Cutting Toxic Family Ties Podcast: https://drsherriecampbell.com/cutting-toxic-family-ties-podcast/

Not all parents are good | Dr. Sherrie Campbell | TEDxDanville: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deyHwDkG7oc

X (formerly known as Twitter): https://x.com/Dr_Sherrie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SherrieCampbellPhD

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeRnhojed-YbXJO8otIXe4g

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.sherrie

Pre-Order her upcoming book You Are Home: Heal from Family Trauma, Establish Boundaries, and Find a Place of Peace and Safety (available April 1, 2026): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/you-are-home-sherrie-campbell-phd/1147948122

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🔗 More links:

🌐 Official Bio Site: https://bio.site/hellotraumabrain?utm_source=chatgpt.com (quick links to all platforms 🙂)

🌐 Official Website: https://www.raysamichelle.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com (currently under construction)

📧 You can reach me at: [email protected]

Disclaimer: I'm not a licensed psychologist or mental health professional. This podcast is simply me sharing my own journey. It's not meant to replace professional care. If you think you might have Complex PTSD or any mental health condition, please reach out to a qualified provider.