Leon Macfayden
@traumatostrength.bsky.social
Helping individuals with PTSD or depression build resilience, sustainable habits, and routines.
Pinned
You don't have to fix everything today.
Healing isn’t a race—it’s a process.
Give yourself the grace to take one step at a time. The journey itself is the victory.
Healing isn’t a race—it’s a process.
Give yourself the grace to take one step at a time. The journey itself is the victory.
THE TRICKY BALANCE OF SUPPORTING YOUR PARTNER WHILE PROTECTING YOURSELF
open.substack.com/pub/emotiona...
open.substack.com/pub/emotiona...
THE TRICKY BALANCE OF SUPPORTING YOUR PARTNER WHILE PROTECTING YOURSELF
My Experience with Family Estrangement
open.substack.com
September 2, 2025 at 10:56 PM
THE TRICKY BALANCE OF SUPPORTING YOUR PARTNER WHILE PROTECTING YOURSELF
open.substack.com/pub/emotiona...
open.substack.com/pub/emotiona...
And to the people who say “just get over it” when someone talks about their trauma — there’s a special place in my blocked list for you.
If you’ve never lived it, you don’t get to judge it.
If you’ve never lived it, you don’t get to judge it.
May 10, 2025 at 8:08 PM
And to the people who say “just get over it” when someone talks about their trauma — there’s a special place in my blocked list for you.
If you’ve never lived it, you don’t get to judge it.
If you’ve never lived it, you don’t get to judge it.
3 Books That Hit Different If You’ve Been Through Trauma
The Body Keeps the Score – Understanding why your body reacts before your brain.
Man’s Search for Meaning – Finding purpose in suffering.
What Happened to You? – Realizing you’re not broken, just rewired.
What book shook you to your core?
The Body Keeps the Score – Understanding why your body reacts before your brain.
Man’s Search for Meaning – Finding purpose in suffering.
What Happened to You? – Realizing you’re not broken, just rewired.
What book shook you to your core?
May 9, 2025 at 8:54 AM
3 Books That Hit Different If You’ve Been Through Trauma
The Body Keeps the Score – Understanding why your body reacts before your brain.
Man’s Search for Meaning – Finding purpose in suffering.
What Happened to You? – Realizing you’re not broken, just rewired.
What book shook you to your core?
The Body Keeps the Score – Understanding why your body reacts before your brain.
Man’s Search for Meaning – Finding purpose in suffering.
What Happened to You? – Realizing you’re not broken, just rewired.
What book shook you to your core?
Who you were during the trauma:
Quiet
Scared
Afraid of saying the wrong thing
Who you are becoming:
Confident
Clear about your boundaries
Willing to lose people to protect your peace
Quiet
Scared
Afraid of saying the wrong thing
Who you are becoming:
Confident
Clear about your boundaries
Willing to lose people to protect your peace
May 8, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Who you were during the trauma:
Quiet
Scared
Afraid of saying the wrong thing
Who you are becoming:
Confident
Clear about your boundaries
Willing to lose people to protect your peace
Quiet
Scared
Afraid of saying the wrong thing
Who you are becoming:
Confident
Clear about your boundaries
Willing to lose people to protect your peace
What people think healing looks like:
Forgiveness
Letting go
Daily meditation in the sunshine
What it actually looks like:
Anger
Rebuilding boundaries
Telling the truth, even when it shatters relationships
Forgiveness
Letting go
Daily meditation in the sunshine
What it actually looks like:
Anger
Rebuilding boundaries
Telling the truth, even when it shatters relationships
May 8, 2025 at 8:08 PM
What people think healing looks like:
Forgiveness
Letting go
Daily meditation in the sunshine
What it actually looks like:
Anger
Rebuilding boundaries
Telling the truth, even when it shatters relationships
Forgiveness
Letting go
Daily meditation in the sunshine
What it actually looks like:
Anger
Rebuilding boundaries
Telling the truth, even when it shatters relationships
Interesting fact: Trauma can literally change the size of your brain.
The hippocampus (memory) shrinks.
The amygdala (fear) swells.
The prefrontal cortex (decision-making) goes offline.
Your brain rewires itself to survive.
Recovery isn’t just mindset — it’s biology.
The hippocampus (memory) shrinks.
The amygdala (fear) swells.
The prefrontal cortex (decision-making) goes offline.
Your brain rewires itself to survive.
Recovery isn’t just mindset — it’s biology.
May 8, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Interesting fact: Trauma can literally change the size of your brain.
The hippocampus (memory) shrinks.
The amygdala (fear) swells.
The prefrontal cortex (decision-making) goes offline.
Your brain rewires itself to survive.
Recovery isn’t just mindset — it’s biology.
The hippocampus (memory) shrinks.
The amygdala (fear) swells.
The prefrontal cortex (decision-making) goes offline.
Your brain rewires itself to survive.
Recovery isn’t just mindset — it’s biology.
Your peace isn’t for sale.
Your worth isn’t negotiable.
Your sanity isn’t up for debate.
No matter what trauma taught you.
No matter who tried to own you.
You’re not for sale.
Your worth isn’t negotiable.
Your sanity isn’t up for debate.
No matter what trauma taught you.
No matter who tried to own you.
You’re not for sale.
May 7, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Your peace isn’t for sale.
Your worth isn’t negotiable.
Your sanity isn’t up for debate.
No matter what trauma taught you.
No matter who tried to own you.
You’re not for sale.
Your worth isn’t negotiable.
Your sanity isn’t up for debate.
No matter what trauma taught you.
No matter who tried to own you.
You’re not for sale.
Burnout isn’t laziness. It’s a nervous system stuck in survival mode.
It can look like:
Crying over nothing
Dreading every morning
Snapping at people you love
Feeling completely hollow
If this is you, you’re not weak.
You’re overwhelmed. And you need help — not guilt.
It can look like:
Crying over nothing
Dreading every morning
Snapping at people you love
Feeling completely hollow
If this is you, you’re not weak.
You’re overwhelmed. And you need help — not guilt.
May 5, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Burnout isn’t laziness. It’s a nervous system stuck in survival mode.
It can look like:
Crying over nothing
Dreading every morning
Snapping at people you love
Feeling completely hollow
If this is you, you’re not weak.
You’re overwhelmed. And you need help — not guilt.
It can look like:
Crying over nothing
Dreading every morning
Snapping at people you love
Feeling completely hollow
If this is you, you’re not weak.
You’re overwhelmed. And you need help — not guilt.
I don’t write for claps or followers.
I write because somewhere out there is someone lying on the floor, thinking they’ve run out of reasons to stay alive.
I’ve been that person.
And if my words can throw them a rope, I’ll keep writing.
That’s my why.
I write because somewhere out there is someone lying on the floor, thinking they’ve run out of reasons to stay alive.
I’ve been that person.
And if my words can throw them a rope, I’ll keep writing.
That’s my why.
May 4, 2025 at 8:08 PM
I don’t write for claps or followers.
I write because somewhere out there is someone lying on the floor, thinking they’ve run out of reasons to stay alive.
I’ve been that person.
And if my words can throw them a rope, I’ll keep writing.
That’s my why.
I write because somewhere out there is someone lying on the floor, thinking they’ve run out of reasons to stay alive.
I’ve been that person.
And if my words can throw them a rope, I’ll keep writing.
That’s my why.
Bad advice: “You just need to get out more.”
When I could barely get out of bed, that advice crushed me.
People meant well, but they had no idea what I was enduring just to exist.
Sometimes “getting out” starts with drinking water.
Start where you are.
When I could barely get out of bed, that advice crushed me.
People meant well, but they had no idea what I was enduring just to exist.
Sometimes “getting out” starts with drinking water.
Start where you are.
May 3, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Bad advice: “You just need to get out more.”
When I could barely get out of bed, that advice crushed me.
People meant well, but they had no idea what I was enduring just to exist.
Sometimes “getting out” starts with drinking water.
Start where you are.
When I could barely get out of bed, that advice crushed me.
People meant well, but they had no idea what I was enduring just to exist.
Sometimes “getting out” starts with drinking water.
Start where you are.
IT’S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
“Please be kind to everyone 💚”
Except survivors still get gaslit.
Still get dismissed.
Still get told it’s “all in their head.”
Kindness isn’t a hashtag. It’s how you treat people when they’re at their lowest.
“Please be kind to everyone 💚”
Except survivors still get gaslit.
Still get dismissed.
Still get told it’s “all in their head.”
Kindness isn’t a hashtag. It’s how you treat people when they’re at their lowest.
May 3, 2025 at 8:08 PM
IT’S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
“Please be kind to everyone 💚”
Except survivors still get gaslit.
Still get dismissed.
Still get told it’s “all in their head.”
Kindness isn’t a hashtag. It’s how you treat people when they’re at their lowest.
“Please be kind to everyone 💚”
Except survivors still get gaslit.
Still get dismissed.
Still get told it’s “all in their head.”
Kindness isn’t a hashtag. It’s how you treat people when they’re at their lowest.
It’s Mental Health Awareness Month.
Meanwhile, the system that creates trauma, ignores symptoms, denies support, and retraumatizes survivors is still fully funded.
But sure — let’s wear green ribbons and post infographics.
Meanwhile, the system that creates trauma, ignores symptoms, denies support, and retraumatizes survivors is still fully funded.
But sure — let’s wear green ribbons and post infographics.
May 3, 2025 at 8:54 AM
It’s Mental Health Awareness Month.
Meanwhile, the system that creates trauma, ignores symptoms, denies support, and retraumatizes survivors is still fully funded.
But sure — let’s wear green ribbons and post infographics.
Meanwhile, the system that creates trauma, ignores symptoms, denies support, and retraumatizes survivors is still fully funded.
But sure — let’s wear green ribbons and post infographics.
“I can’t start healing right now — I’m too overwhelmed.”
That’s exactly why you need to start.
Overwhelmed isn’t a barrier — it’s the signal.
You don’t wait to patch the roof after the storm.
You do it because the storm is here.
That’s exactly why you need to start.
Overwhelmed isn’t a barrier — it’s the signal.
You don’t wait to patch the roof after the storm.
You do it because the storm is here.
May 2, 2025 at 8:08 PM
“I can’t start healing right now — I’m too overwhelmed.”
That’s exactly why you need to start.
Overwhelmed isn’t a barrier — it’s the signal.
You don’t wait to patch the roof after the storm.
You do it because the storm is here.
That’s exactly why you need to start.
Overwhelmed isn’t a barrier — it’s the signal.
You don’t wait to patch the roof after the storm.
You do it because the storm is here.
“I don’t talk about it because it’s in the past.”
It’s not in the past if it’s still shaping your present.
Unspoken trauma doesn’t go away — it just finds louder ways to show up.
Silence is not healing.
Processing is.
It’s not in the past if it’s still shaping your present.
Unspoken trauma doesn’t go away — it just finds louder ways to show up.
Silence is not healing.
Processing is.
May 2, 2025 at 5:08 PM
“I don’t talk about it because it’s in the past.”
It’s not in the past if it’s still shaping your present.
Unspoken trauma doesn’t go away — it just finds louder ways to show up.
Silence is not healing.
Processing is.
It’s not in the past if it’s still shaping your present.
Unspoken trauma doesn’t go away — it just finds louder ways to show up.
Silence is not healing.
Processing is.
“Therapy didn’t work for me, so nothing will.”
That’s not truth — that’s fear wearing logic as a mask.
The Power of Trying Again: How It Can Save You When You’ve Given Up on Help.
That’s not truth — that’s fear wearing logic as a mask.
The Power of Trying Again: How It Can Save You When You’ve Given Up on Help.
May 1, 2025 at 5:08 PM
“Therapy didn’t work for me, so nothing will.”
That’s not truth — that’s fear wearing logic as a mask.
The Power of Trying Again: How It Can Save You When You’ve Given Up on Help.
That’s not truth — that’s fear wearing logic as a mask.
The Power of Trying Again: How It Can Save You When You’ve Given Up on Help.
PTSD =
Peace
Through
Small
Daily
steps
Not therapy marathons.
Not spiritual awakenings.
Just one tiny win at a time.
What does PTSD mean to you?
Peace
Through
Small
Daily
steps
Not therapy marathons.
Not spiritual awakenings.
Just one tiny win at a time.
What does PTSD mean to you?
May 1, 2025 at 12:08 PM
PTSD =
Peace
Through
Small
Daily
steps
Not therapy marathons.
Not spiritual awakenings.
Just one tiny win at a time.
What does PTSD mean to you?
Peace
Through
Small
Daily
steps
Not therapy marathons.
Not spiritual awakenings.
Just one tiny win at a time.
What does PTSD mean to you?
Shame on the ones telling people to “just get out more.”
If it were that easy, we wouldn’t be losing people in silence.
Healing takes courage — not clichés.
If it were that easy, we wouldn’t be losing people in silence.
Healing takes courage — not clichés.
May 1, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Shame on the ones telling people to “just get out more.”
If it were that easy, we wouldn’t be losing people in silence.
Healing takes courage — not clichés.
If it were that easy, we wouldn’t be losing people in silence.
Healing takes courage — not clichés.
The Truth About Healing Trauma in 2025
Most people aren’t healing.
They’re rebranding their trauma and calling it a personality.
Real healing?
It’s boring. It’s lonely.
It’s crying in the shower and showing up anyway.
But it’s also how you get your life back.
Most people aren’t healing.
They’re rebranding their trauma and calling it a personality.
Real healing?
It’s boring. It’s lonely.
It’s crying in the shower and showing up anyway.
But it’s also how you get your life back.
May 1, 2025 at 8:54 AM
The Truth About Healing Trauma in 2025
Most people aren’t healing.
They’re rebranding their trauma and calling it a personality.
Real healing?
It’s boring. It’s lonely.
It’s crying in the shower and showing up anyway.
But it’s also how you get your life back.
Most people aren’t healing.
They’re rebranding their trauma and calling it a personality.
Real healing?
It’s boring. It’s lonely.
It’s crying in the shower and showing up anyway.
But it’s also how you get your life back.
Why Listening to 90s Mixtapes Will Change the Way You Heal
That one burnt CD.
That one song that got you through your worst day.
Music knew the words you couldn’t say.
And somehow, it still does.
Put your headphones on.
You’re not alone. You never were.
That one burnt CD.
That one song that got you through your worst day.
Music knew the words you couldn’t say.
And somehow, it still does.
Put your headphones on.
You’re not alone. You never were.
April 30, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Why Listening to 90s Mixtapes Will Change the Way You Heal
That one burnt CD.
That one song that got you through your worst day.
Music knew the words you couldn’t say.
And somehow, it still does.
Put your headphones on.
You’re not alone. You never were.
That one burnt CD.
That one song that got you through your worst day.
Music knew the words you couldn’t say.
And somehow, it still does.
Put your headphones on.
You’re not alone. You never were.
Why Saturday Morning Cartoons Will Change the Way You Rest
Before the burnout.
Before the deadlines.
There were cereal-stained pajamas and cartoon marathons.
Looney Tunes. Rugrats. X-Men.
No phones. No pressure. Just joy.
Maybe healing means finding moments like that again.
Before the burnout.
Before the deadlines.
There were cereal-stained pajamas and cartoon marathons.
Looney Tunes. Rugrats. X-Men.
No phones. No pressure. Just joy.
Maybe healing means finding moments like that again.
April 30, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Why Saturday Morning Cartoons Will Change the Way You Rest
Before the burnout.
Before the deadlines.
There were cereal-stained pajamas and cartoon marathons.
Looney Tunes. Rugrats. X-Men.
No phones. No pressure. Just joy.
Maybe healing means finding moments like that again.
Before the burnout.
Before the deadlines.
There were cereal-stained pajamas and cartoon marathons.
Looney Tunes. Rugrats. X-Men.
No phones. No pressure. Just joy.
Maybe healing means finding moments like that again.
How to Turn Depression into Self-Discovery
When I hit rock bottom, I thought it was the end.
Turns out, it was the start.
Depression stripped away the noise.
It forced me to ask, "Who am I really?"
Pain taught me what healing never could: my life has meaning.
When I hit rock bottom, I thought it was the end.
Turns out, it was the start.
Depression stripped away the noise.
It forced me to ask, "Who am I really?"
Pain taught me what healing never could: my life has meaning.
April 29, 2025 at 10:08 PM
How to Turn Depression into Self-Discovery
When I hit rock bottom, I thought it was the end.
Turns out, it was the start.
Depression stripped away the noise.
It forced me to ask, "Who am I really?"
Pain taught me what healing never could: my life has meaning.
When I hit rock bottom, I thought it was the end.
Turns out, it was the start.
Depression stripped away the noise.
It forced me to ask, "Who am I really?"
Pain taught me what healing never could: my life has meaning.
When I was battling PTSD and depression, I learned something hard:
Once someone decides they don’t like you, even your best intentions will be twisted.
It's not your job to fix their perception.
Keep healing. Keep growing. Keep going.
Once someone decides they don’t like you, even your best intentions will be twisted.
It's not your job to fix their perception.
Keep healing. Keep growing. Keep going.
April 29, 2025 at 8:08 PM
When I was battling PTSD and depression, I learned something hard:
Once someone decides they don’t like you, even your best intentions will be twisted.
It's not your job to fix their perception.
Keep healing. Keep growing. Keep going.
Once someone decides they don’t like you, even your best intentions will be twisted.
It's not your job to fix their perception.
Keep healing. Keep growing. Keep going.
You are not your trauma.
You are not your pain.
You are not what they did to you.
You are not your pain.
You are not what they did to you.
April 27, 2025 at 12:08 PM
You are not your trauma.
You are not your pain.
You are not what they did to you.
You are not your pain.
You are not what they did to you.
Abusers aren’t always the obvious villains.
Sometimes they’re the “pillar of the community” handing out food at church.
Right after they screamed, shamed, or hit someone behind closed doors.
The face they show the world isn’t always the one their victims see.
Sometimes they’re the “pillar of the community” handing out food at church.
Right after they screamed, shamed, or hit someone behind closed doors.
The face they show the world isn’t always the one their victims see.
April 27, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Abusers aren’t always the obvious villains.
Sometimes they’re the “pillar of the community” handing out food at church.
Right after they screamed, shamed, or hit someone behind closed doors.
The face they show the world isn’t always the one their victims see.
Sometimes they’re the “pillar of the community” handing out food at church.
Right after they screamed, shamed, or hit someone behind closed doors.
The face they show the world isn’t always the one their victims see.
Recovery (noun)
The radical act of choosing yourself every day—even when your mind tries to convince you that you’re not worth saving.
The radical act of choosing yourself every day—even when your mind tries to convince you that you’re not worth saving.
April 27, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Recovery (noun)
The radical act of choosing yourself every day—even when your mind tries to convince you that you’re not worth saving.
The radical act of choosing yourself every day—even when your mind tries to convince you that you’re not worth saving.