What if your trauma doesn't count you out, but actually gives you superpowers to achieve more than you ever thought possible?

In this enlightening conversation, clinical psychologist Dr. Charlynn Ruan shares her expertise on women's mental health, especially for high-achieving women and female founders. She explains how trauma can become a catalyst for growth rather than a limitation, discusses the unique mental health challenges women face throughout different life stages, and offers practical advice for ADHD, insomnia, and reaching peak performance.

Dr. Ruan provides insight into how our brains process trauma and how treatments like EMDR can help release trapped trauma. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, sleep issues, or simply want to optimize your performance, this episode offers valuable guidance on understanding your brain and body to create strategies that work for you.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

→ Trauma can be a powerful catalyst for growth rather than a limitation - Post-Traumatic Growth is real. When we use difficult experiences to grow, we can become "wiser, faster, smarter" and accomplish incredible things.

→ EMDR therapy helps process trapped trauma by moving memories from the reactive amygdala to the "filing cabinet" hippocampus, making them less triggering.

→ Women's sleep struggles often stem from biological differences, hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause, and evolutionary roles as caregivers - understanding these factors is crucial for finding effective solutions.

→ ADHD presents differently in women than men, often overlooked because symptoms don't match the hyperactive stereotype - adult women with ADHD frequently internalize shame messages about being "lazy," "messy," or "unable to follow through."

→ High-achieving women need to treat themselves like race cars with proper maintenance and support teams - it's not about slowing down but ensuring all systems are optimized for sustained performance.

QUOTES FROM DR. CHARLYNN RUAN

"You know you have trauma if you feel like sometimes you lose your free will. You're walking along in the world, you see something, and then all of a sudden you interact with somebody, and then you feel like a child—feel like a child as opposed to the powerful woman that you are."

"I see you're a race car, and the answer isn't going to be tootling down the back lane, but you have to know that you can't have these loose bolts on your car rattling, because that's going to cause a crash. Get early about listening to what your nervous system needs."

CONNECT WITH DR. CHARLYNN RUAN

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