Author: Alicia Polk

A trauma-informed look at why healing is often messy and nonlinear, and how misunderstanding this can lead to unnecessary shame or self-doubt.

An exploration of why protectors often oppose healing in dissociative systems, focusing on safety, predictability, and fear of change rather than resistance or sabotage.

An exploration of trauma-informed alternatives to goal-setting, including why values-guided movement can be safer and more regulating for dissociative systems.

Explains why survivors of complex childhood trauma may struggle with decision-making, reframing indecision as protection rather than weakness.

A trauma-informed guide to using January as a time for recovery and reset rather than pressure, productivity, or reinvention.

A trauma-informed exploration of why January can feel overwhelming for dissociative systems—and how prioritizing recovery over resolutions can support long-term healing.

An explanation of why January often feels exhausting and overwhelming for trauma survivors after the demands of the holiday season.

Understanding weather as an often-missed trauma trigger that can affect mood, safety, and sense of self.

Explains why trauma survivors may feel compelled to disrupt calm, and how the nervous system learns to fear safety — with hope for change.

A trauma-informed look at how repeated messages become “truths” in the body — and how healing gradually builds new beliefs.