"What counts as a trigger for CPTSD? And why do I get triggered by everyday stuff that shouldn't feel threatening?"

If you've ever found yourself completely activated by something that seems small to everyone else (a text message, a tone of voice, someone's silence), this episode is for you.

I'm breaking down what triggers actually are in complex trauma, why your body responds to threat cues that your conscious mind doesn't recognize, and what to do when you feel like you're walking around with an invisible tripwire system.

What we cover:

Why triggers are often reminders of a state rather than a specific event

The neuroscience behind why your body can hold trauma even when you don't have clear memories

How to tell the difference between being triggered and being overloaded

Seven practical steps to work with your triggers without turning life into a self-monitoring project

Why the whole "I shouldn't be triggered because I don't remember anything" mindset is keeping you stuck.

Download my FREE Dysregulation Toolkit Here! 

Thanks for listening to The Complex Trauma Podcast!

Be sure to follow, share and give us a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Follow on Instagram: @sarahherstichlcsw

Follow on TikTok: @sarahherstichlcsw

Learn more about EMDR & trauma therapy in Pennsylvania with Reclaim Therapy

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Remember, I'm a therapist, but I'm not your therapist. Nothing in this podcast is meant to replace actual therapy or treatment. If you're in crisis or things feel really unsafe right now, please reach out to someone. You can call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, text them, or head to your nearest ER.

The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organizations or institutions. Reliance on any information provided by this podcast is solely at your own risk.

What if your anxiety, depression, or chronic overwhelm aren’t personal failures, but the echoes of unprocessed trauma?

In this week’s episode, Sarah sits down with EMDR therapist, consultant, and author Thomas Zimmerman, whose work has shaped how thousands of clinicians around the world approach complex trauma. Together, they unpack what recovery from complex trauma actually looks like and why it’s not about willpower, positive thinking, or pushing through.

You’ll hear Thomas’ refreshingly honest take on:

• Why trauma is “learning that’s not meant to be changed easily”
• How EMDR helps the nervous system update old survival learning
• Why so many survivors struggle to “slow down and notice” (and what to do instead)
• The importance of preparation and resourcing before trauma processing
• How to widen your window of tolerance without getting flooded
• And why, even though recovery takes time, it’s one of the most beautiful acts of self-liberation there is

This conversation is both validating and practical for anyone walking the long, brave path of reclaiming themselves after complex trauma.

Connect with Thomas Zimmerman:

• Book: EMDR with Complex Trauma
• YouTube: Thomas Zimmerman EMDR
• His website: Thomas Zimmerman EMDR
  
  

Connect with Sarah & Reclaim Therapy:

• https://www.yourcomplextrauma.com
• Follow on Instagram: @sarahherstichlcsw 
• Follow on TikTok: @sarahherstichlcsw
• Learn more about EMDR & trauma therapy in Pennsylvania with Reclaim Therapy

Thanks for listening to The Complex Trauma Podcast!

Be sure to follow, share and give us a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Follow on Instagram: @sarahherstichlcsw

Follow on TikTok: @sarahherstichlcsw

Learn more about EMDR & trauma therapy in Pennsylvania with Reclaim Therapy

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Remember, I'm a therapist, but I'm not your therapist. Nothing in this podcast is meant to replace actual therapy or treatment. If you're in crisis or things feel really unsafe right now, please reach out to someone. You can call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, text them, or head to your nearest ER.

The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organizations or institutions. Reliance on any information provided by this podcast is solely at your own risk.

It's New Year's Eve, and if you're feeling anything other than excited, there's absolutely nothing wrong with you.

This isn't your typical "new year, new you" pep talk. It's for the trauma survivors who are exhausted by the pressure to transform, who feel like they're failing because they didn't have some massive breakthrough this year, or who are just relieved the dumpster fire of 2025 is over.

In this episode, I talk about why New Year's can be so hard when you're healing from complex trauma, why your nervous system doesn't care about artificial timelines, and what actually supports healing (spoiler: it's not punishing yourself into productivity).

I also get real about my own year, what I'm hoping for in 2026, and the moment I realized I've been so busy overfunctioning that I don't even have hobbies.

Plus, a sneak peek at what's coming in 2026: narcissism in families, religious trauma, emotional neglect, dissociation, and betrayal trauma.

Whatever you're feeling tonight, it's allowed. You're allowed to be exactly where you are.

Happy New Year.

...

Thanks for listening to The Complex Trauma Podcast!

Be sure to follow, share and give us a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Follow on Instagram: @sarahherstichlcsw

Follow on TikTok: @sarahherstichlcsw

Learn more about EMDR & trauma therapy in Pennsylvania with Reclaim Therapy

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Remember, I'm a therapist, but I'm not your therapist. Nothing in this podcast is meant to replace actual therapy or treatment. If you're in crisis or things feel really unsafe right now, please reach out to someone. You can call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, text them, or head to your nearest ER.

The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organizations or institutions. Reliance on any information provided by this podcast is solely at your own risk.

That weird week between the holidays and New Year's hits different. You've survived the holiday chaos, the family dynamics, the endless to-do lists, and now you're supposed to just... exist? 

Enter: the emotional hangover.

In this episode, we break down why that post-holiday crash feels so brutal and what actually helps when you're running on empty.

What We Cover:

• Why 80-90% of adults report increased stress during the holidays (and why the crash afterwards is inevitable)
• The real reason that week between Christmas and New Year's feels like floating through space
• How family dynamics amplify emotional exhaustion (hello, suddenly being 12 years old again)
• Five practical ways to take care of yourself when you're emotionally hungover
• Why grief shows up in unexpected ways during this season
• How to honor your actual capacity instead of pushing through

Key Takeaways: Research shows more than half of adults need weeks to feel regulated after the holidays. If you're crashed on the couch questioning everything, you're recovering. That's what your nervous system is supposed to do.

Thanks for listening to The Complex Trauma Podcast!

Be sure to follow, share and give us a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Follow on Instagram: @sarahherstichlcsw

Follow on TikTok: @sarahherstichlcsw

Learn more about EMDR & trauma therapy in Pennsylvania with Reclaim Therapy

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Remember, I'm a therapist, but I'm not your therapist. Nothing in this podcast is meant to replace actual therapy or treatment. If you're in crisis or things feel really unsafe right now, please reach out to someone. You can call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, text them, or head to your nearest ER.

The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organizations or institutions. Reliance on any information provided by this podcast is solely at your own risk.

You set a boundary. They ignored it. You repeated yourself. They pushed again. And by the fourth time, you weren't calmly redirecting anymore, you were yelling, crying, or walking out. Now you're sitting with shame, wondering if all that therapy was pointless.

In this episode, I answer a listener question about what to do when family members repeatedly violate your boundaries during holiday gatherings. I talk about what's actually happening in your body when boundaries get crossed (spoiler: you're not choosing to lose your temper, you're in a survival response), why family systems resist your boundaries so hard, and the difference between a boundary and a request (this one's huge).

In this episode, we cover:

• What happens in your nervous system when boundaries get violated repeatedly
• Why your family pushes back so hard when you start setting limits
• The difference between boundaries and requests (and why this matters)
• How family roles (peacekeeper, scapegoat, parentified child) affect boundary violations
• Six practical strategies to protect yourself at Christmas gatherings
• What to do if you lose your temper again (because it might happen)
• Why losing your temper doesn't erase your healing work

Resources mentioned:

Free Dysregulation SOS Toolkit

Have a question for the podcast?

Head to www.yourcomplextrauma.com/contact to record your question. We only share with your permission.

Thanks for listening to The Complex Trauma Podcast!

Be sure to follow, share and give us a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Follow on Instagram: @sarahherstichlcsw

Follow on TikTok: @sarahherstichlcsw

Learn more about EMDR & trauma therapy in Pennsylvania with Reclaim Therapy

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Remember, I'm a therapist, but I'm not your therapist. Nothing in this podcast is meant to replace actual therapy or treatment. If you're in crisis or things feel really unsafe right now, please reach out to someone. You can call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, text them, or head to your nearest ER.

The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organizations or institutions. Reliance on any information provided by this podcast is solely at your own risk.

If family gatherings leave you feeling drained or like you're reverting to an old version of yourself, you're not alone. EMDR therapist and yoga teacher, Abby Albright, returns to discuss the invisible rules governing dysfunctional family systems and how they intensify during the holidays.

We explore six categories of unspoken family rules: emotional (don't feel, don't be sad), need-based (don't need anything), relational (don't rock the boat, don't outshine anyone), role-based, loyalty (protect the family image), and safety rules. These aren't written anywhere, but they live in our bodies and shape how we show up.

Abby shares how these patterns create physical tension, why breaking invisible rules feels scary, and practical ways to find choice within challenging family dynamics. We talk about being a pattern breaker and giving yourself permission to show up differently, even in small ways.

What You'll Learn:

• How to recognize the six types of invisible family rules
• Why family gossip reinforces dysfunctional patterns
• The gap between family image and reality
• Small ways to practice choice during difficult gatherings
• When to lean into curiosity vs. contain awareness

Check out Abby's Therapeutic Yoga offerings here

For more on dysfunctional family dynamics around the holidays, tune into:

Family Dysfunction: What It Is and What To Do With It

Dysfunctional Family Dynamics & The Holidays

Thanks for listening to The Complex Trauma Podcast!

Be sure to follow, share and give us a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Follow on Instagram: @sarahherstichlcsw

Follow on TikTok: @sarahherstichlcsw

Learn more about EMDR & trauma therapy in Pennsylvania with Reclaim Therapy

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Remember, I'm a therapist, but I'm not your therapist. Nothing in this podcast is meant to replace actual therapy or treatment. If you're in crisis or things feel really unsafe right now, please reach out to someone. You can call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, text them, or head to your nearest ER.

The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organizations or institutions. Reliance on any information provided by this podcast is solely at your own risk.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Judith Herman, author of the groundbreaking book Trauma and Recovery, to talk about complex PTSD, trauma recovery, and what justice actually means to survivors.

Dr. Herman explains why complex trauma is still overlooked in mental health training, what the three stages of trauma recovery really look like in practice, and why isolation is one of the biggest predictors of poor outcomes. We also dig into her latest book, Truth and Repair, where she interviewed 30 survivors about what they actually want when it comes to accountability and healing.

This conversation challenges everything you think you know about justice, punishment, and what it takes to move forward after trauma. If you've ever felt invisible, unheard, or like the system wasn't built for you, this episode will validate every single thing you've been feeling.

Topics covered:

• The three stages of trauma recovery: safety, remembrance and mourning, and reconnection
• Why complex PTSD still isn't recognized in the DSM
• What survivors want more than anything (acknowledgment and vindication)
• Why most survivors don't want punishment or even apology from their abusers
• The role of bystanders in healing and harm
• How isolation impacts recovery and why finding your people matters
• Dr. Herman's one message to trauma survivors

If this episode resonates with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Thanks for listening to The Complex Trauma Podcast!

Be sure to follow, share and give us a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Follow on Instagram: @sarahherstichlcsw

Follow on TikTok: @sarahherstichlcsw

Learn more about EMDR & trauma therapy in Pennsylvania with Reclaim Therapy

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Remember, I'm a therapist, but I'm not your therapist. Nothing in this podcast is meant to replace actual therapy or treatment. If you're in crisis or things feel really unsafe right now, please reach out to someone. You can call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, text them, or head to your nearest ER.

The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organizations or institutions. Reliance on any information provided by this podcast is solely at your own risk.

If you've been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, or bipolar - but nothing quite fits - you might actually be dealing with Complex PTSD. 

In this episode, I break down the crucial differences between PTSD and CPTSD, why so many trauma survivors get misdiagnosed, and why traditional therapy approaches often miss the mark for complex trauma. 

Be sure to listen to my interview with Dr. Judith Herman next!

Thanks for listening to The Complex Trauma Podcast!

Be sure to follow, share and give us a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Follow on Instagram: @sarahherstichlcsw

Follow on TikTok: @sarahherstichlcsw

Learn more about EMDR & trauma therapy in Pennsylvania with Reclaim Therapy

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Remember, I'm a therapist, but I'm not your therapist. Nothing in this podcast is meant to replace actual therapy or treatment. If you're in crisis or things feel really unsafe right now, please reach out to someone. You can call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, text them, or head to your nearest ER.

The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organizations or institutions. Reliance on any information provided by this podcast is solely at your own risk.

Welcome to the Complex Trauma Podcast, formerly Reclaim You. 

If you’ve been minimizing your experiences as “not that bad,” holding it together for everyone else because you don’t know another way, or you’re finally ready to understand why you are the way you are in the world, you’re in the right place.

Host Sarah Herstich shares the story behind the rebrand, her journey from treating eating disorders to specializing in complex trauma, and what’s coming next.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the podcast evolved from Reclaim You to the Complex Trauma Podcast
• The connection between eating disorders and complex trauma that kept showing up in practice
• How becoming a parent (especially to a neurodivergent child) deepened Sarah’s understanding of trauma and the nervous system
• What complex trauma actually looks like in daily life beyond the symptoms
• Why so many survivors say “it wasn’t that bad” and minimize their experiences
• What to expect from upcoming solo episodes and expert interviews
• How having language for complex trauma can change everything about your healing

What’s Coming:

• The critical difference between PTSD and CPTSD
• Expert conversations with Janina Fisher, Dr. Judith Herman, and Thomas Zimmerman
• Deep dives into how trauma lives in your body and nervous system
• Understanding overlooked childhood experiences that shape who you are today

Who This Podcast Is For:

Cycle breakers. People re-parenting themselves. People who’ve been holding it together for everyone else because they don’t know another way. People who feel numb or dissociated. There are really good reasons for the way you are in the world.

New here?

Subscribe to the Complex Trauma Podcast and join a community where you can feel seen, understood, and less alone.

Been here since Reclaim You?

Thank you for walking alongside us through every version of this work. Same heart, same mission, new name.

If this episode resonated, leave a review to help other complex trauma survivors find this podcast when they need it most

Thanks for listening to The Complex Trauma Podcast!

Be sure to follow, share and give us a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Follow on Instagram: @sarahherstichlcsw

Follow on TikTok: @sarahherstichlcsw

Learn more about EMDR & trauma therapy in Pennsylvania with Reclaim Therapy

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Remember, I'm a therapist, but I'm not your therapist. Nothing in this podcast is meant to replace actual therapy or treatment. If you're in crisis or things feel really unsafe right now, please reach out to someone. You can call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, text them, or head to your nearest ER.

The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organizations or institutions. Reliance on any information provided by this podcast is solely at your own risk.

Does love feel overwhelming, triggering, or just plain scary? If you have Complex PTSD, your nervous system might be treating intimacy like a threat, even when you desperately want connection.

In this episode, I break down why CPTSD makes love feel so complicated, what's actually happening in your nervous system when someone gets close, and the real (messy, non-linear) path to trusting love again. If you're wondering about Complex PTSD and relationship, this episode is for you.

You'll learn:

• What CPTSD actually is and how it's different from PTSD
• Why your body goes into alarm mode when someone shows you genuine love
• How childhood attachment wounds show up in adult relationships
• Practical steps to start rewiring your nervous system for safety in love
• What to do when you get emotionally triggered by your partner
• How to support someone you love who has CPTSD

This episode is for you if:

• You pull away when someone gets too close
• You're constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop in relationships
• You know you deserve love but your body doesn't feel safe receiving it
• You love someone with trauma and want to understand how to help

Whether you're struggling to accept love yourself or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers a bit of hope and concrete tools for healing.

Resources mentioned:

Original blog post: https://www.sarahherstichlcsw.com/blog/a-cptsd-therapist-shares-tips-to-accept-love-as-a-complex-ptsd-survivor

PTSD vs CPTSD: https://www.sarahherstichlcsw.com/blog/ptsd-vs-cptsd-trauma-therapy

Free Attachment Guide: https://www.subscribepage.com/attachment-style-guide

Connect with the Reclaim Therapy Team: https://www.reclaimtherapy.org

Thanks for listening to The Complex Trauma Podcast!

Be sure to follow, share and give us a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Follow on Instagram: @sarahherstichlcsw

Follow on TikTok: @sarahherstichlcsw

Learn more about EMDR & trauma therapy in Pennsylvania with Reclaim Therapy

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Remember, I'm a therapist, but I'm not your therapist. Nothing in this podcast is meant to replace actual therapy or treatment. If you're in crisis or things feel really unsafe right now, please reach out to someone. You can call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, text them, or head to your nearest ER.

The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organizations or institutions. Reliance on any information provided by this podcast is solely at your own risk.