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

"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 · 11h

#inktober2025 Day 10, prompt: “sweep”

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

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 · 16h

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 · 16h

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 · 20h

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 · 22h

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 · 23h

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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

#inktober2025 Day 9, prompt: “heavy”

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

Our traumatized nervous system is going to fall right into feeling controlled, trapped, and/or in trouble if we try to force ourselves to do things. Don't try to bully or pressure yourself.

Think I'm going to try this behavior for two minutes, & always leave yourself an out.

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

Yes: it's overwhelmingly unfair that what happened TO us requires us to work a recovery now where we have to do specific, effortful things every day to be safe & stable. That shouldn't be on us.

We don't have to love it, even as we work our recovery & take control of our life.

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

The fact that we avoid or struggle w/ things we "should" do to achieve our goals is not about "laziness"-- it's more often about conditioned resistance & anxiety.

Do not let the voices of your bullies & abusers convince you you lack the "character" or "will" to do this. Breathe.

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

Leaving a painful situation doesn't happen all at once. It often requires planning & patience & resources that don't just appear. The fact that it took time-- or is taking time-- is NOT evidence you "don't want it."

Just stay focused on today's baby steps & micro choices.

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

Very often our traumatized nervous system registers feeling controlled, trapped, or "in trouble" in nuanced ways that aren't immediately observable.

If you're having a trauma flavored reaction, check in to see if or how your inner self is picking up on something subtle.

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

Trauma survivors very frequently blame ourselves if we're misunderstood-- even though humans misunderstand (& misrepresent) each other all the time.

There are gonna be people who wouldn't understand if you spelled it out for them w/ a Speak & Spell-- & that's not on you. Really.

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

#inktober2025 Day 8, prompt: “reckless”

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

If everything that trauma survivors felt was our fault and/or our responsibility actually was our fault or our responsibility, we'd be wielding some incredible supernatural power over the world. I mean, goddamn, Sam.

Good thing that's just Trauma Brain f*cking with us.

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

A certain amount of this trauma recovery thing is about extending ourselves grace when every scrap of conditioning we've ever experienced is caustically asserting we don't "deserve" it.

That's not an easy or intuitive ask, & it's okay to struggle w/ it & need practice at it.

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

The goal is not to be in an "argument" w/ our nervous system that is steadfastly insisting we can "never" be safe & "no one" can "ever" be trusted.

Even as we're working to shift our patterns, we need to validate our system's pain & vigilance-- it doesn't come out of nowhere.

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

The fact that we can, w/ consistency, compassion, & patience, reduce our vulnerability to trauma responses over time does NOT mean that we only suffered in the past because we "failed" to do the "right" thing.

We don't have the tools until we do, & we're not ready until we are.

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

There's no surer way for us survivors to be swallowed whole by our anger than to grit our teeth & refuse to acknowledge it. Yes, I understand anger can feel "pointless." But that doesn't mean we can deny or disown it & be "fine."

If it exists in us, we gotta clock it & honor it.

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

Here's to everyone struggling to grieve the loss of a family member after realizing, in the course of your trauma recovery, how profoundly they failed to protect you from an abuser once upon a time.

There are very few more complicated grieving tasks out there.

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