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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 4h

#Inktober2025 Day 12, prompt: “shredded”

Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 5h

If you're reading this, I will absolutely give you the benefit of the doubt about how hard you're working. Others may or may not see it; or they may misunderstand what "working hard" looks like for survivors who are committed to masking our struggles.

No matter. Stay on target.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 10h

Remember, our goals in trauma recovery involve permanently changing how our nervous & endocrine systems function, & it's unrealistic to expect that to happen overnight. We're reconditioning ourselves for the long term. We want it to stick.

This is about consistency, not force.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 12h

Slow it down; lower the stakes. Again, & again, & again. Trauma recovery is about the jabs, not the knockout blow; the mile by mile pace, not the sprint.

Most of that is contrary to how we've been conditioned, to this is your reminder: try softer. Do less. Manage THIS moment.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 13h

A part of trauma recovery that I, & lots of other survivors, resist accepting is the fact that many of our past choices weren't actual "choices"-- that we were limited in what we could see & realistically do by our conditioning & programming.

We don't love feeling powerless.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 16h

Trauma survivors don't overfunction because we love being "workaholics."

We often do it because we're afraid, not unreasonably, that if we don't, our memories & feelings will "catch up" w/ us-- & we won't be able to handle it.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 18h

Others' responses to or feelings about us do not create or rob us of our worth.

We might feel good or bad about how others relate to us, but realistic trauma recovery asks us to remember & reinforce that we are valuable-- even if EVERYONE else fails to appreciate or accept us.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 1d

#inktober2025 Day 11, prompt: “sting”

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 1d

As our "parts" let us in on memories & feelings we'd dissociated years ago, it's real important we not overreact or try to shut them down.

They're taking a risk w/ us, & we need to show them we can be present, compassionate, & realistic w/ what they've been holding.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 1d

Trauma conditioning is going to try to tell you every shift in their vibe is about you-- specifically, how they're unhappy w/ or about to abandon you. That's hypervigilance & the "fawn" response trying to steer the car.

Breathe into it, & gently, kindly, firmly keep the wheel.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 1d

Nobody who ever recovered from trauma did so by shaming themselves, bullying themselves, or otherwise emulating our abusers & bullies. We've seen the impact of what they do. That's why we're struggling.

If we do more of that, we'll get more of what we've gotten. No thanks.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 1d

Not everything depends on you-- & that's the good news.

Our trauma conditioning will try to convince us everything is our fault & everything is our responsibility-- but you need to know that's the aftereffects of neglect, criticism, & past no-win situations talking. Not reality.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 1d

Realistic trauma recovery is going to bring us face to face w/ the reality that we can, actually, let ourselves rest, laugh, & experience non-painful things-- even if someone's upset w/ us, even if we're not where we want to be in recovery yet, even if we don't have "permission."

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 1d

I promise: you are not "betraying" or "abandoning" someone by refusing to take on responsibility for their emotional regulation.

You're setting a boundary that is compassionate & realistic-- for both of you.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 1d

"I should be over this by now" is almost always a sign it's time to lean into the tools of self compassion & radical acceptance. It's not a thought that sparks sustainable motivation-- it usually means we're slipping into old BS (Belief Systems) that don't serve our recovery.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 2d

#inktober2025 Day 10, prompt: “sweep”

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 2d

Many CPTSD survivors have experienced so many trauma symptoms on such a consistent basis that we feel like they've been woven into our personality-- & it can be hard to imagine disentangling who we are from, say, our "fight" response or hypervigilance symptom.

But we can.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 2d

Your bullies & abusers quite intentionally programmed the idea into you that you don't have any problems that you didn't create or attract yourself. They very much want you to let them off the hook & take the hit for them, if you would be so kind.

I recommend not being so kind.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 2d

You are not The Exception to the fact trauma impacts the human nervous & endocrine systems in predictable ways; & you won't be the first survivor in the history of trauma to figure out how to recover while still invalidating your pain & ignoring your needs.

Sorry, not sorry.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 2d

Venting is not just "blowing off steam." Putting words to our feelings & experiences, especially in the presence of someone we trust, supports us in processing what we've been through & organizing the story we're telling ourselves about it.

Don't sleep on venting as a tool.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 2d

Venting is not just "blowing off steam." Putting words to our feelings & experiences, especially in the presence of someone we trust, supports us in processing what we've been through & organizing the story we're telling ourselves about it.

Don't sleep on venting as a tool.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 2d

Traumatic stressors or dysfunctional attachment patterns we grew up w/ can set the stage for developing CPTSD in response to adulthood stressors, like domestic violence, spiritual exploitation, or medical trauma.

CPTSD is rarely a "this one thing was THE trauma" situation.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 2d

Be a ruthless, pragmatic extremist when it comes to curating your social media, podcast, & video feeds so they give you resources supportive to your recovery.

Life is too short for the stupid rage bait dopamine hamster wheel the algorithm is trying to feed you.

Recovery first.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 3d

Our nervous & endocrine systems don't care if we, or anybody else, think whatever happened to us was "actually" trauma. Even if it was just "everyday life," we have to deal w/ its impact on us specifically.

Shame & "shoulds" won't change the work ahead. It is what it is.

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Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle @drdoylesays.bsky.social · 3d

The backbone of realistic trauma recovery is a relationship w/ ourselves we can trust. Trauma Brain will try effortfully to get us to disbelieve, distrust, & belittle ourselves.

We gotta work, daily, hourly, to be on our own side & have our own back against old conditioning.

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