4 Signs of Trauma in a Mama
I started my morning at 4am with a croup-coughing 20-month-old.
As I sat on a stool in the dark, shower-steamed bathroom, I recalled a similar experience last winter with my then 3 year old son. That night I had no resources to give, but got up anyway and prepped myself to head to the ER because we were worried about his breathing.
I was running on a very low supply of adrenaline, knowing it would hit me hard when that supply ran out.
Fortunately, after sitting in another shower-steamed bathroom, reading about Alfie and Annie Rose, his coughing calmed, his breathing relaxed, and we realized the ER would be unnecessary.
This morning at 4am, I felt comfortably seasoned with croup and didn’t consider the ER once. But what struck me most as I compared these two croup-interrupted nights was the impact of a stressful situation on my brain and body then versus now.
Spoiler Alert: I can handle a lot more now than I could back then.
I have the capacity to enjoy cuddles with my baby in the middle of the night in place of worst-case-scenario-ing in my head and melting into guilty resentment.
To me, that feels like a miracle.
It got me thinking about all the little and big things that used to be a regular part of my daily life — a life haunted by PTSD, imbalanced hormones (hello, PPD + PMDD!), and constant overwhelm.
I can’t help with imbalanced hormones (highly recommend finding a great doctor who can!), BUT I know a thing or two (actually more) about healing from trauma and emerging from overwhelm.
And I’m gonna tell you right now, there is light at the end of the tunnel!
Because healing is real, change happens, and life becomes beautiful once again.
The tricky thing about trauma and PTSD is that we’re not always aware when we are in the midst of it.
It took me years to start to see that so many of my symptoms pointed back to a deeply traumatic experience. The sooner we can see the trauma for what it is, the sooner we can start to heal.
I’m gonna make it super simple with these 4 Signs of Trauma in a Mama:
1. Extreme inability to be the mom you want to be.
→ Topped with shame, guilt, and lots of self-judgment
2. Debilitating anxiety over the little things
→ being alone with your children
→ a kitchen full of dirty dishes
→ piles of laundry
→ a sick child
3. Outbursts that seem unpredictable and overreactive
→ leading to increased anxiety anticipating future outbursts because these are sooo scary and painful for mom
4. Increased need to control + decreased ability to relax, be present, have fun, and find joy in the little things
I have been in every single one of these. I’ve spent years living in this mix of PTSD experiences.
I’ve felt the shame of debilitating anxiety just from being left alone with my own children. Like, what the heck? Isn’t a mom supposed to love being with her kids? But for me, they had become my greatest ‘trigger’.
No one is meant to live like this forever. And with the right resources, you don’t have to.
The first pillar in my new signature program, The Creative Goddess Experience, is … 🥁🥁🥁 … healing your past.
I am a huge fan of (and believer in) focusing on what we want in order to draw more of that into our lives. But not at the expense of denying or hiding from the ways our unresolved past continues to haunt us.
My own experience has taught me the power of resolving, releasing, and healing old energies from our past that are no longer serving us.
Miracles happen when we’re ready to let crap go!
If you’re ready to dive deep into healing through the Creative Goddess Experience, check out the details —> here
Or schedule a Goddess Discover call with me —> here
Here’s what you can expect on your Goddess Discover Call. And I quote…
“Let’s talk about where you're at, where you want to be, and how I can help you get there. Plus, we'll throw in some actual healing while we're together to help get you started on the journey of stepping into YOUR power. By the time we're done, you'll have all you need to decide if the Creative Goddess Experience is right for you!”
Trauma happens. Whether from something big and memorable or something small, long-ago, and forgotten, our bodies hold onto it until we find a way to let it go.
What are you ready to release today? I’m so excited for you to heal. ❤