Healing Complex Trauma as a Neurodivergent Person
Let’s explore the 4 phases of CPTSD recovery. Here’s why you might feel worse before you feel better, and why you might feel more neurodivergent (more autistic, more ADHD) as you heal from complex trauma.
What is complex trauma?
Complex trauma refers to the impact of prolonged or repeated exposure to traumatic experiences, often occurring within relationships of trust and power.
These experiences can include:
physical, emotional, and sexual abuse
abandonment and neglect
systemic oppression
witnessing violence
Complex trauma can make it hard to regulate emotions, form healthy connections with others, and manage stress.
What’s the difference between PTSD & complex trauma?
While both PTSD and complex trauma stem from traumatic experiences, they differ in the nature and duration of the trauma.
PTSD typically arises from a single, discrete traumatic event, such as a car accident or a natural disaster.
Complex trauma develops from prolonged or repeated exposure to traumatic experiences, often within interpersonal relationships.
It is possible to experience both PTSD and complex trauma at the same time.
4 Phases of Healing Complex Trauma
Please note: While this blog post outlines a general framework for CPTSD recovery, each individual’s journey is unique and may vary in timing, intensity, and order of phases.
(1) BECOMING AWARE OF YOUR ISSUES
The first step on the path to healing is acknowledging that something isn’t quite right. This realization can be a difficult one, especially for neurodivergent individuals who may already feel misunderstood or different.
You might notice physical symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, or digestive issues. Emotionally, you may experience overwhelming anxiety, depression, or difficulty regulating your emotions.
During this phase of healing, reading about the experiences of others who’ve lived through complex trauma can be incredibly validating. Books like What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo and The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk offer valuable insights and a sense of solidarity.
(2) FINDING THE RIGHT SUPPORT
You don’t have to navigate CPTSD alone – support is available. Here are some tips to find the right fit.
While traditional talk therapy can be helpful, seeking a therapist specializing in complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) is often more effective. These therapists understand the unique complexities of trauma and can provide tailored treatment plans.
Instead of talk therapy, consider exploring body-based therapies, such as:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Brainspotting
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
These therapies work directly with the body to process and release trauma stored in the nervous system. Body-based approaches tend to accelerate the healing process and lead to lasting relief.
—>> Want to learn more about body-based therapies for neurodivergent folks? Check out these blog posts:
EMDR Therapy for Autistic Adults | A Neurodiversity-Affirming Perspective
Psychedelic Therapy in Colorado: A Beginner’s Guide to Ketamine
Additionally, consider whether you prefer weekly therapy or intensive therapy.
These are the main differences:
Weekly therapy involves 1-hour sessions, allowing for consistent support & steady progress across time. For complex trauma, it’s helpful to attend weekly therapy for anywhere between 6 months to multiple years.
Intensive therapy involves extended sessions (3+ hours), allowing for accelerated & focused healing in a short period of time. Intensive therapy is typically less frequent than weekly therapy. For instance, instead of attending therapy for 1 hour per week for 1 year, you might meet for 1 3-hour Intensive per month, for 6 months. The exact therapy plan varies from person to person. Overall, Intensives are a way to work through your concerns in a quicker and more focused way.
—>> To learn more about Intensives, check out this blog post: Trauma Therapy Intensives (EMDR + IFS) in Denver, Colorado
(3) WORKING THROUGH THE ISSUES
Healing from CPTSD is hard work, and it’s not a linear process. You might feel worse before you feel better.
That’s because therapy can bring up old feelings and memories that you might have been trying to bury. It’s like your brain is finally ready to deal with these things, and it’s bringing them to the surface so you can process them and let them out.
This can feel intense and challenging, and it’s a necessary part of healing. It means you’re no longer bottling things up inside, and you’re becoming aware of what was there all along.
By allowing yourself to feel emotions that might not have been safe to feel before – grief, anger, frustration, sadness – you’re healing from the past and moving toward a healthier future.
(4) FEELING BETTER & FEELING MORE LIKE YOURSELF
As you continue your healing journey, you’ll start to notice positive changes in your life. You might find yourself feeling more grounded and connected in your relationships – with yourself and with others.
Many people find that as they heal from complex trauma, they feel more neurodivergent—more autistic, more ADHD.
This is because as trauma symptoms subside (such as hypervigilance, flashbacks, and difficulty trusting others), your innate neurodivergent traits can emerge more clearly. You may rediscover your neurodivergent strengths and interests.
For example, you might find yourself drawn to:
intense periods of hyperfocus
deep special interests
creative thinking & problem-solving
strong empathy & sensitivity toward other’s experiences
a deep love of learning
a counterculture, “out-of-the-box” perspective on the world
a strong sense of justice & ethics
Overall, you may find yourself more creative, more regulated in your nervous system, and more connected to your authentic self.
IN SUMMARY…
Complex trauma recovery involves these 4 phases, which look and feel different for each neurodivergent person:
Becoming aware of your issues
Finding the right support
Working through your issues
Feeling better, feeling more neurodivergent, and feeling more like yourself
Looking for a neurodivergent trauma therapist who can support you through complex trauma recovery?
SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION TO WORK WITH ME
{FOR COLORADO RESIDENTS}
Therapy services are available virtually, for adults & couples located in Colorado.
About the Author
Liz Zhou is holistic trauma therapist providing therapy services in Colorado. She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults and couples heal from the past and connect with their authentic selves. Liz’s specialties include EMDR, IFS, Brainspotting, psychedelic integration, and trauma therapy intensives for individuals and couples.
