Overcoming PTSD with Brad Schipke

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable

Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

In this episode, Brad guides you through simple yet powerful tools to build awareness of your body — a foundational skill for healing trauma and regulating your emotions. You’ll learn how your body signals stress and how to use specific practices to calm your nervous system, release tension, and prepare for deeper processing work.

Brad breaks down three essential relief tools: breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and body scans. These simple methods can reveal where your body is still holding trauma and help you access deeper layers of healing. He also explains why it’s normal to resist relaxation at first — and how to use that awareness to move toward peace instead of away from it.

If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body or struggled to calm down after triggers, this episode will show you how to reconnect and find relief, even in just a few minutes a day.

💡 What You’ll Learn

How to use breathing to deactivate your stress response system

The difference between shallow and diaphragmatic (belly) breathing

Why tension in your body reveals where trauma still lives

A quick two-minute muscle relaxation method for fast relief

How to scan your body to build emotional and physical awareness

Why deep breathing can sometimes feel uncomfortable — and what that means

The connection between relaxation, emotional release, and processing

How to develop calm, focused energy throughout your day

Practical weekend exercises to prepare for deeper trauma work

🧠 Key Takeaway

🔗 Next Steps

To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.

CHAPTERS:

Topics Covered:

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable

Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

In this Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching session, Brad breaks down what it really takes to stay sober while you’re still in the thick of PTSD, pain, and triggers. Instead of waiting to be “fully healed” before getting sober, he shows you how the sobriety journey and the healing journey run side by side—and why you can’t afford to postpone one for the other.

Brad explains the crucial difference between the habit of using and the underlying trauma and pain that drive it. Whether your “thing” is alcohol, drugs, food, TV, pornography, spending, video games, or codependent relationships, he helps you validate it as a real addiction or compulsion so you can finally take it seriously and start changing it.

You’ll walk through the addiction cycle of pain–use–pain, why your brain can literally create anxiety and problems just to push you back to the addiction, and how self-talk becomes the deciding factor between relapse and sobriety. Brad also lays out the phases of recovery—from “recovery rehearsal” to the first 90 days to building a life of long-term sobriety.

Most importantly, you’ll learn how to plan for pain, build healthy replacement behaviors, and use commitment, dedication, and moment-by-moment choices to stay sober even on days when it feels like you’re fighting for your next breath.

💡 What You’ll Learn

Why addictions and compulsions so often show up alongside PTSD and trauma

The difference between the habit of using and the underlying pain or trauma

How to use self-talk to interrupt the pain use pain addiction cycle

How to validate your “thing” as a real addiction or compulsion so you can change it

How to map the real-life consequences of your addiction and use them as motivation

A practical way to think about the first 90 days of sobriety with PTSD

How to plan healthy replacement behaviors for your triggers and urges

Why commitment and single-minded dedication are crucial for getting and staying sober

How to use everyday recovery tools to ride out urges without relapsing

🧠 Key Takeaway

You don’t have to wait until you’re fully healed from trauma to get sober—your brain can learn to stay sober even while you’re still in pain.

🔗 Next Steps

Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.

To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.

CHAPTERS:

Topics Covered:

PTSD recovery • PTSD sobriety • trauma healing • trauma and addiction • compulsions and PTSD • breaking the addiction cycle • self-talk for PTSD • nervous system regulation • emotional regulation • trauma coping tools • recovery toolbox tools • 90 days sober • neuroplasticity and trauma • codependency and trauma • addiction recovery coaching

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable

Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

In this episode, Brad and Kayleen walk you through how to grieve in a wholesome, non-destructive way after trauma, PTSD, or any major loss. Whether you’re grieving a loved one, a pet, your childhood, your sense of self, or “lost years,” you’ll learn a simple process that helps you come out feeling lighter instead of more broken.

They break grief down into practical steps: honestly releasing built-up emotions and then intentionally shifting into gratitude and a more supportive perspective. You’ll hear real-life examples of how this process has helped them move through the loss of people, health, time, and dreams with grace instead of collapse.

You’ll also learn why unprocessed grief compounds over time, creating more triggers, fights, and problems—and how to stop “accumulating losses” and start offloading pain. By the end, you’ll see grief not as something to fear or avoid, but as a powerful healing skill you can practice and even feel confident using for the rest of your life.

💡 What You’ll Learn

How to grieve in a way that is wholesome, safe, and non destructive

Why trauma and PTSD can feel like losing years of your life and how to process that loss

The two core steps of healthy grief release emotions and shift into gratitude

How to recognize when you’re truly processing versus when you’re just digging deeper pain

The role of acceptance in grief and why you can’t win a fight with reality

How to spot unhelpful thoughts like never again and I wish it were different before they spiral

Why no loss is too small to matter and how to validate your emotions without judgment

How pain can become a compass that shows you exactly what still needs to be healed

Ways to start building the “grief muscle” now so future losses don’t completely knock you down

🧠 Key Takeaway

Grief becomes healing when you let yourself honestly feel the pain, then choose to focus on what you’re genuinely grateful for instead of what you can’t change.

🔗 Next Steps

Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.

To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.

CHAPTERS:

Topics Covered:

PTSD recovery • trauma healing • how to grieve after trauma • grieving lost time with PTSD • emotional regulation • nervous system regulation • healthy grief process • releasing emotions safely • gratitude practice after loss • trauma coping tools • processing grief and regret • acceptance and letting go • inner healing work • recovery secrets daily coaching • non destructive coping skills

Struggling with trauma/PTSD and need help? Join my private recovery community here and get my 9 best relief tools 100% FREE: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable

Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

In this powerful session from the Boundaries Bootcamp Bash series, Brad and Kayleen walk you through one of the most transformative exercises in trauma recovery: creating your personal Book of Law. This isn't about controlling others or demanding change from anyone else. It's about defining your standards, writing them down, and committing to enforce them no matter what.

Brad shares how this exact exercise helped Kayleen transform abusive relationships into some of the healthiest ones in her life — without the other people doing a single thing differently. When you change one variable in the equation, the outcome changes. That's the magic of boundaries.

This episode breaks down the difference between negative and positive relationships, teaches you how to write clear boundaries, and most importantly, shows you how to visualize and practice enforcing them before you ever need to. Because when the moment comes, you want your boundary to be second nature — not a negotiation.

💡 What You'll Learn

🧠 Key Takeaway

You don't need anyone else to change in order to transform your relationships. When you respect yourself enough to set and enforce boundaries, others begin to respect you too — and the entire dynamic shifts.

🔗 Next Steps

Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.

To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable

CHAPTERS:

Topics Covered: PTSD recovery • trauma healing • setting boundaries • relationship boundaries • self-boundaries • Book of Law exercise • enforcing boundaries • toxic relationships • negative relationships • positive relationships • self-respect • trauma survivor tools • boundary visualization • emotional regulation • healing relationships • personal standards • communication skills • walking away from conflict • self-care for trauma survivors

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable

Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

In this episode, Brad and Kayleen walk you through one of the most important pieces of long-term PTSD recovery: your healing routine. Instead of relying on short bursts of effort or waiting for the next therapy session, you’ll learn how to create a consistent, realistic processing schedule that actually moves you toward full healing.

They break down the three pillars of recovery—mindset, routines, and processing—and show how your daily schedule should be built around them. You’ll hear real examples of clients who committed to regular processing time and resolved some of their worst lifelong traumas in just a few months.

You’ll also discover why “not having time” is usually a signal to redesign your days, not give up on healing. Brad and Kayleen share simple ways to anchor your healing routine to habits you already have, make it more enjoyable, and stop the exhausting cycle of yo-yo progress where you feel better for a bit and then crash again.

Whether you already know processing tools or you’re just getting started, this episode gives you practical ways to start chipping away at your “healing hours” goal so you can reclaim your sleep, your relationships, and your life from PTSD.

💡 What You’ll Learn

How to design a realistic healing routine that fits your life

The three pillars of recovery and how they guide your daily schedule

Why consistency in processing beats occasional “big pushes” every time

How to estimate the “100 hours” of trauma processing and chip away at it

Simple ways to pair your healing routine with habits you already do

What to do in your routine if you don’t know formal processing tools yet

How to use rewards and environment to make processing feel safer and more enjoyable

Why “I don’t have time” is really a mindset and prioritization problem

How to stop beating yourself up and build consistency one small win at a time

🧠 Key Takeaway

Consistency in healing is the only magic pill—and every minute you show up to process is a payment toward your freedom from PTSD.

🔗 Next Steps

Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.

To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.

CHAPTERS:

Topics Covered:

PTSD recovery • trauma healing routine • healing routine for PTSD • trauma processing tools • mindset routines processing • emotional regulation • nervous system regulation • trauma coping tools • PTSD and sleep problems • consistency in trauma recovery • overcoming avoidance in PTSD • daily PTSD healing habits • grief and PTSD • sobriety and PTSD • self-coaching for PTSD • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable

Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

In this episode, Brad and Kayleen unpack why compassion is not “soft” work, but a core pillar of PTSD recovery. They show how shifting from judgment to understanding—first toward yourself, then toward others—creates the internal safety your brain needs to heal from trauma.

You’ll hear real stories about family dynamics, difficult parents, and moments of feeling like a “bad mom” or “bad partner,” and how compassion helped reframe those beliefs. Instead of seeing yourself as broken or beyond repair, you’ll learn to see your reactions as a natural response to pain and trauma, not evidence that something is wrong with you.

Brad and Kayleen also explore the difference between compassion and condoning harmful behavior. They talk about boundaries, ongoing abuse, forgiveness, and why the work always starts with you—not the other person changing. By the end, you’ll have a practical, grounded way to bring warmth, understanding, and self-respect into your healing journey.

💡 What You’ll Learn

Why compassion is a turning point in PTSD recovery and not a weakness

How seeing yourself from a different perspective reduces shame and self-hate

The difference between understanding someone’s behavior and excusing abuse

How compassion supports forgiveness without abandoning your own needs

Why PTSD is a normal, protective response to trauma—not proof that you’re broken

How to talk to yourself the way you’d talk to a loved one or even your dog

Why healing must start with self-compassion before extending it to others

How compassion makes it easier to set and hold healthy boundaries

Simple ways to let emotions move through the body because “feeling is healing”

🧠 Key Takeaway

You are not broken—PTSD is a natural response to trauma, and when you meet yourself with compassion instead of judgment, real healing finally becomes possible.

🔗 Next Steps

Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.

To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.

CHAPTERS:

Topics Covered:

PTSD recovery • trauma healing • self compassion for trauma survivors • PTSD and self forgiveness • emotional regulation • nervous system regulation • trauma coping tools • PTSD triggers and reactions • healing family trauma • boundaries and PTSD • gaslighting and emotional abuse recovery • sobriety and PTSD • grief processing after trauma • inner child healing • protectors and parts work • letting go of shame • recovery mindset • feeling is healing • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable

Beating Depression: 5 Practical Tools for PTSD Recovery and Daily Momentum

Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

In this episode, Brad breaks down five simple, repeatable tools to lift yourself out of a depressive state and back into forward motion. You’ll learn how to create energy on low-motivation days, apply gentle “force” without beating yourself up, and use quick mindset shifts that reliably change your state.

Brad explains why depression often pairs with hopelessness and how to rebuild hope through small, believable goals. He shows how gratitude, future-focused thinking, and a playful “smile exercise” can interrupt negative spirals and get the boulder rolling again.

You’ll also hear real client wins and practical examples—like swapping “I can’t” for “How can I…?”—that turn stuck moments into solvable problems. Expect calm, actionable coaching you can put to work today.

💡 What You’ll Learn

Use gentle force to create energy and momentum without self-criticism

Practice daily gratitude to rebuild hope and counter hopelessness

Set believable goals that spark motivation and compound wins

Try the 30-second smile exercise to change your physical and emotional state

Redirect negative rumination into constructive, positive thoughts

Apply the “How can I?” mindset to find solutions in any situation

Leverage body posture and movement to influence mood

Choose enjoyable exercise to boost mood and consistency

Design tiny morning actions that make getting out of bed easier

🧠 Key Takeaway

You can’t wait for motivation—create it with small, kind force and watch momentum do the rest.

🔗 Next Steps

Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.

To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.

CHAPTERS:

Topics Covered:

PTSD recovery • trauma healing • overcoming depression • emotional regulation • nervous system regulation • trauma coping tools • PTSD mindset shifts • gratitude practice • goal setting for trauma survivors • positive self-talk • “How can I?” attitude • body-based mood regulation • exercise for mental health • trauma processing tools • sobriety and PTSD • daily routines for recovery • resilience building • mental fitness habits • reducing rumination • hope and motivation after trauma

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable

Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

In this Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching session, Brad and Kay tackle a rarely discussed part of healing: grieving lost dreams and missed opportunities caused by PTSD. Instead of only focusing on the original trauma, they explore the hidden grief that shows up as anger, frustration, and sadness when life didn’t go the way you hoped.

You’ll learn a simple, repeatable two-step process: first, release emotions honestly and safely; then, shift beliefs and perspective to accept reality and refocus on the future. Brad shares how acknowledging the loss of time and chances was key to moving from rumination to rebuilding.

The episode also highlights practical tools to regulate emotions, build honest self-expression, and cultivate gratitude and opportunity-spotting. By the end, you’ll know how to stop self-blame, shorten rough days, and transform “what I missed” into momentum for what comes next.

💡 What You’ll Learn

🧠 Key Takeaway

Grieve what you lost, then choose a new meaning—release the pain, reframe the past, and rebuild a future you’re excited to live.

🔗 Next Steps

Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.

To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.

CHAPTERS:

Topics Covered:

PTSD recovery • trauma healing • grieving lost dreams • missed opportunities with PTSD • emotional regulation • releasing emotions • belief and mindset shift • acceptance and reframing • nervous system regulation • trauma coping tools • self-compassion practices • future-focused goals • bilateral processing • journaling for trauma • building resilience after trauma • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable

Relaxed Action: The Simple Routine Shift That Eases PTSD Overwhelm

Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Feeling crushed by routines? In today’s Recovery Secrets session, Brad reframes structure as a source of calm instead of pressure. He introduces “Relaxed Action,” a mindset that removes false urgency so you can take steady, compassionate steps that actually stick.

You’ll hear why trying to hit a “perfect day” backfires—and how a consistent, gentle rise outperforms short-lived peaks. Brad shares real-life examples from coffee rituals to pet care and shows how to use backstops and boundaries to guide your day without stress.

We also cover simplifying routines, budgeting time for the joys that make life feel good, and creating space to decompress at night. The result: less dread and more presence as you build habits that support long-term trauma recovery.

💡 What You’ll Learn

🧠 Key Takeaway

Nothing is urgent—trade pressure for Relaxed Action and watch consistency (and healing) rise.

🔗 Next Steps

Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.

To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.

CHAPTERS:

Topics Covered:

PTSD recovery • trauma healing • routine overwhelm • relaxed action • nervous system regulation • morning routine for PTSD • evening decompression • habit stacking • backstops and accountability • simplify routines • phone-free mornings • grounding exercises • progressive muscle relaxation • self-talk for trauma recovery • consistency over perfection • tapering habits • emotional regulation • anxiety reduction tools • sustainable productivity for trauma survivors • lifestyle design for PTSD

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable

Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Self-talk can make or break your recovery. In this session, Brad explains how to turn constant inner chatter into a practical coaching voice that helps you act, regulate emotions, and rebuild beliefs after trauma. You’ll learn why awareness is the first step and how to separate “you” from your thoughts using the “internal roommate” visualization.

We’ll draw a clean line between honest, compassionate self-talk and toxic positivity. Instead of pretending everything is fine, you’ll practice believable statements that acknowledge pain while pointing you toward the next doable step. Brad shares personal examples from sobriety and daily life to show how this becomes automatic over time.

You’ll also hear simple prompts—like “How can I do this?” and “What’s good here?”—to shift your brain from problem-focus to solution-focus. By pairing self-talk with tiny actions (get vertical, make coffee, take a shower), you’ll build momentum without pressure or perfectionism.

💡 What You’ll Learn

How to spot negative self-talk fast using the “internal roommate” exercise

Why believable, honest self-talk works better than toxic positivity

A binary filter to label thoughts as helpful or unhelpful so you can redirect quickly

Two go-to questions that flip rumination into solutions

How to attach positive self-talk to existing routines like showers or morning coffee

Ways to use self-talk in difficult moments (urges, overwhelm, mistakes) without shaming yourself

How reframing thoughts rewires beliefs, behaviors, and long-term PTSD recovery results

Micro-steps to get moving when stuck in bed or frozen by anxiety

How to coach yourself like your recovery hero would

🧠 Key Takeaway

Believable, compassionate self-talk—rooted in reality, not hype—rewires beliefs and becomes an automatic engine for recovery.

🔗 Next Steps

Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.

To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.

CHAPTERS:

Topics Covered:

PTSD recovery • trauma healing • self-talk for PTSD • nervous system regulation • emotional regulation • trauma coping tools • overcoming negative thoughts • toxic positivity vs honest self-talk • cognitive reframing • belief change in trauma • mindfulness for PTSD • sobriety and trauma recovery • overwhelm and routine pressure • internal family systems protectors • practical grounding skills • motivation after trauma • daily recovery routines • resilience building