this guy speaks to my soul

[saylor]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IxEwPMqB-c
This is the first of a series of videos on YouTube in which an addiction counselor talks about the role of trauma in shaping who we are and what we struggle with. I'm not sure I've ever heard/read anyone who covered the nuances and complexities of the lived experience of post-traumatic stress as well as he does. He has clearly counseled a lot of sufferers and developed a deep and intimate understanding of complex trauma and the way it makes us think and behave in maladaptive ways that cause us (and others) further harm.
**TW**


There was one point in the series of talks where he mentions his own parents' occasional punishment of him with a belt, in which he suggests that he deserved it and that they did it in a loving/constructive way so it was "ok". That part threw me off because that mentality is very disturbing/triggering to me (i.e., where a parent implies, "I'm exerting my power over you in a deeply traumatizing way for your own good"), but otherwise, I felt that at least the first few videos (I haven't seen them all yet) were really enlightening, reaffirming, and helpful.
I was going through some pretty terrible toxic shame recently and just feeling extremely down about a lot of stuff, and his words reminded me that I have been deeply injured and am not necessarily a terrible, unfixable person, but rather am still unconsciously trying to cope with the trauma that still lives inside me. This kind of reassurance helps me feel more hopeful that working through the trauma and understanding the connection between my injury and my present-day counterproductive thoughts and behaviors may be something I can eventually work through, potentially leading to a better life

[irishrebel]

i just posted about this same guy. i did a search for his name and nothing came up. sorry about the repost. his talks are really helpful