Understanding Functional Freeze in Trauma

Understanding Functional Freeze Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) is a condition that arises from prolonged exposure to traumatic events, often of a repetitive and interpersonal nature . One of the core responses to such trauma is the state of functional freeze. What is Functional Freeze? Functional freeze is a survival response where an individual appears outwardly functional but is internally stuck, numb, and unable to engage fully with their emotions or life. This response is part [...]

By Cristina Smugala|2024-07-17T21:53:19+00:00June 20th, 2024|CPTSD|Comments Off

The (Long Lost) Art of Trusting Yourself

It just takes one. One person might break your trust, and next thing you know, you no longer trust yourself either. Instead of developing mistrust for that one individual in that one situation, you might instead become skeptical of everyone who crosses your path… And you cross your own path quite frequently, don’t you? Although you might have ultimately developed this self-doubt as a way to protect yourself from getting hurt again, this projection of mistrust [...]

By Cristina Smugala|2020-09-21T17:30:10+00:00October 27th, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off

3 Helpful Strategies for “Unblending”

The last couple of weeks, we have discussed the inner self at length. It can come as quite the surprise that you, at you very core, are broken up into different parts, each one competing for your attention and often standing in the way of your Inner Self. Your Inner Self is your most calm and restorative being, but if a part of you (i.e. the anxious part, the annoyed part, the depressed part) stands in [...]

By Cristina Smugala|2024-06-15T02:21:46+00:00October 20th, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off

4 Ways to Understand Your Sub-Personalities

Allow me to introduce you to your sub-personalities, the parts of you that all compete for your attention and strive to be the ringleader. Envision a scenario with me: You’re in a steady relationship with your significant other. You love each other deeply, and you’re certain that you’d like to spend the rest of your lives with each other. But every once in awhile, when you’re laying in bed at night or on your early morning [...]

By Cristina Smugala|2020-09-16T16:48:17+00:00October 13th, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off

Fear of Abandonment: 6 Steps to Breaking the Cycle

When a person hears the term “abandonment,” they typically think of someone physically leaving their side— a child separated from their mother in the grocery store or a significant other deciding to call it quits, for example. But abandonment actually takes hold in a much more prevalent way.Emotional abandonment can be one of the driving forces in a relationship, even as the person is sitting right next to you. Fear of abandonment is an innate, primal [...]

By Cristina Smugala|2020-09-23T16:25:51+00:00September 22nd, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off

Understanding Your Inner Critic’s Motivation + How To Work With It

It’s one of the most frustrating aspects of being a human. We can often be our own worst critic. Inside each and every one of us, there’s an internal monologue. It talks to us, guides us, warns us, and yes, it critiques us. This inner critic is a part of you but it is not you. The key to not letting a negative internal monologue dominate you is to understand who and what this inner [...]

By Cristina Smugala|2020-08-22T07:16:04+00:00August 25th, 2020|Recent|Comments Off