Today's guest Helen Ferguson, likens our "Self" to little Russian nesting dolls...you may be familiar with these. They are often ornately painted wooden doll figurines-a bit shaped like an hourglass. You can separate the bottom of the doll from the top and there inside is yet, another similar, smaller doll, and inside that doll...there's another doll and inside THAT doll... And just like the Russian Nesting dolls, the world has an outside view of who we are but, inside, there are so many unique layers that lay beneath the surface.

Helen is a Trauma Psychotherapist specialising in guiding women on their healing journey from childhood trauma, Cptsd & sexual abuse. For the past 23 years she has been sharing her knowledge, skills & expertise with women in guiding them to liberation from the pain of trauma to defining and living life as the confident, calm, courageous & vibrant women they can be.

In this episode, she teaches us that healing is a JOURNEY...not a destination and she embodies that healing journey for herself after experiencing three abusive relationships, and shares the thriving woman she is within every therapeutic relationship to create safety & security for others in their healing. It's within that therapeutic relationship that she guides women to a relationship with themselves. She is providing an empathic mirror for how they can define the relationship with themselves differently. She offers herself as an example of how we can be healed through playfulness with our inner child, acceptance of all parts of our self, curiosity & exploration of what could be, and empathy for ourselves, (all of which is underpinned by self-compassion), then we get to be liberated from the wounds we have been carrying and become our true core self. 

In this episode, Helen teaches us that: 

1. Childhood trauma can live in your body at a cellular level. This can translate into chronic fatigue, illness and even mental health issues. In order to heal, we don't have to deconstruct or relive the past, we need to rewire our brains for the future.
2. You are not responsible for what happened to you. Say it again....you are not responsible for what happened to you.
3. Shame underpins all childhood trauma. We can re-wire our brains by understanding our inner layers and shifting the shame into self-compassion and kindness.
4. Self-compassion is a holistic acceptance of self and all your parts, whether you like those parts or not.
5. Connect with your values at all times. They are the handrails that will guide you across the rickety bridge of life

You can find Helen at:

Website | helenbferguson.com.

Access FREE Resouces on Helen's Website HERE

Facebook | Helen Ferguson Therapy

This episode is so rich. we can't wait to share it with you. Please listen, subscribe and leave us a review. Tell us what you'll do this week to show yourself compassion. We value your support.

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