Survival mode isn’t a personality

Less experienced therapists and psychologists might pathologize you, claiming you suffer from some kind of “personality defect”. If this happens, switch to a mental health professional who understands that CPTSD is a survival adaptation. Your nervous system is built to keep you safe, and if you were raised in an unsafe environment, it has had to adapt.
 
The good news is that if you adapted to an unsafe environment in the past, you can adapt to the safety in the present. Once you feel safe in a supportive (a non-judgmental) therapeutic relationship, you can use this to recognize the other safe relationships you currently enjoy. That way, you can turn the volume down on your survival responses and enjoy a full, nourishing life.
 
You adapted. You survived. Now is your time to thrive.
 
Get in contact via this page. Or book online for a free call from me.

Chris Warren-Dickins
Trauma therapist in Ridgewood, New Jersey