Before returning to the childhood timeline, this episode slows down to explain what was happening inside me while the abuse was unfolding — how my body and brain adapted to survive experiences I couldn’t control.

We explore survival responses like freezing, people-pleasing, hypervigilance, hyper-independence, and the impact these patterns had on my adult relationships, work, and ability to ask for help.

This episode isn’t about what’s wrong with survivors.

It’s about understanding how we adapted to stay alive.

If you see yourself in these patterns, you’re not broken — you were surviving.

Next episode, we return to the childhood timeline with new understanding.

CREDITS: Created, hosted, and produced by Sheryl. 

Website: dissociatedpod.com

RESOURCES

Immediate Support

• National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN):  1-800-656-4673 Website: https://www.rainn.org
• Crisis Text Line:  Text HOME to 741741  Website: https://www.crisistextline.org
• Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988 Website: https://988lifeline.org

Therapy & Trauma Support

• Psychology Today Therapist Finder: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapist
• Therapy Den — Inclusive Therapist Directory: https://www.therapyden.com
• EMDR International Association: https://www.emdria.org
• Trauma-Focused CBT: https://tfcbt.org

Organizations & Survivor Communities

• RAINN: https://www.rainn.org
• 1in6 (for male-identifying survivors): https://1in6.org
• Pandora’s Project: https://pandys.org
• End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI): https://evawintl.org