If you’ve been living with anxiety, shame, emotional overwhelm, or a sense of being “on guard,” you might have wondered if something deeper is going on. You might feel like your emotions and symptoms are constantly jumping from one to another. Many of our clients describe feeling out of control or trapped in survival mode for as long as they can remember.

You are not broken, and you are not alone. What you’re experiencing has a name— Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) — and it’s treatable.

CPTSD develops after repeated or ongoing trauma over months or years, rather than a single traumatic incident. This can include:

• Childhood abuse or neglect
• Growing up in a volatile or unsafe household
• Long-term exposure to emotional, physical, or sexual abuse
• Chronic interpersonal stress or trauma

Unlike PTSD, which usually links to one identifiable traumatic event, CPTSD is the result of a lifetime of trauma, often making it harder to pinpoint triggers.

The good news? Healing is possible, and therapy can help you reclaim safety, control, and connection in your life.

CPTSD shares many symptoms with PTSD — like flashbacks, nightmares, and avoidance —  but also includes additional challenges that affect emotions, self-worth, relationships, and the body.

You may recognize some of these experiences.

Reliving Trauma

• Nightmares or disturbing dreams
• Flashbacks that feel like the trauma is happening again
• Intrusive memories or thoughts

Avoidance

• Steering clear of places, people, or activities that trigger trauma memories
• Avoiding emotions or sensations that feel unsafe

Changes in Beliefs

• Feeling the world is dangerous
• Believing others cannot be trusted
• Thinking you caused or deserved the trauma

Hyperarousal

• Feeling constantly “on edge” or easily startled
• Feeling irritable or quick to anger
• Difficulty sleeping or concentrating

Emotional Dysregulation

• Intense waves of anxiety, sadness, shame, or hopelessness
• Feeling emotionally flooded or numb
• Impulsive actions that affect relationships or work

Shame

• Self-blame or beliefs like “I should have stopped it” or “I deserved this”
• So common it deserves its own category

Dissociation & Changes in Consciousness

• Feeling disconnected from your body, emotions, or sense of reality
• Forgetting traumatic events or questioning your perception of them

Preoccupation with the Abuser

• Fixating on revenge
• Giving the abuser mental or emotional space

Somatic (Physical) Symptoms

• Chronic pain or physical illness without medical explanation

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): Helps you get unstuck from painful loops of guilt and self-blame, changing how you see yourself, others, and the world.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): Teaches skills for staying grounded, managing intense emotions, and improving relationships.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Reprocesses traumatic memories so they feel less overwhelming and present in your daily life.

Internal Family Systems (IFS): Cultivates self-compassion by connecting with and healing “parts” of yourself carrying pain or fear.

Narrative Therapy: Helps you rewrite your life story so the trauma is one chapter, not the defining one.

Somatic & Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Works with the body to release stored trauma and restore a sense of safety.

Mindfulness-Based Approaches: Build present-moment awareness, emotional grounding, and self-kindness.

Integrative Trauma & Attachment Therapy:  Rebuilds trust and secure connections with yourself and others.

Additional Support Options:

Couples Therapy: Strengthen communication, intimacy, and connection when trauma impacts relationships.

Family Therapy: Improve understanding, communication, and support within the family system.

Sex Therapy: Reconnect with your body, navigate intimacy safely, and build sexual confidence free from shame or fear.