You survived something hard. Maybe it was childhood abuse, domestic violence, ongoing neglect, or repeated betrayals. You thought once you got out, you would be fine. But you are not fine. You struggle to trust people, even when they have done nothing wrong. You push people away or cling too tightly. You feel like you are always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
People tell you to just move on or that it is in the past. But your body and mind do not feel like it is in the past. The trauma follows you into every relationship, making intimacy feel dangerous and connection feel impossible.
If you have been searching complex PTSD relationships, trauma therapy Colorado, or healing from repeated trauma, you are recognizing something important. Complex PTSD (C PTSD) is different from regular PTSD, and it deeply affects how you relate to others.
At Better Lives, Building Tribes, we specialize in helping people heal from complex trauma and build secure, healthy relationships. This article explores what complex PTSD is, how it affects relationships, and what healing looks like.
What Is Complex PTSD?
Complex PTSD develops from prolonged, repeated trauma, especially when it happens during childhood or in relationships where escape is difficult. Unlike PTSD, which typically results from a single traumatic event, C PTSD comes from chronic trauma.
Common causes include:
- Childhood abuse (physical, emotional, or sexual).
- Chronic neglect or emotional unavailability from caregivers.
- Domestic violence or intimate partner abuse.
- Being held captive or trapped in abusive situations.
- Repeated medical trauma or invasive procedures.
- Living in war zones or under constant threat.
C PTSD includes symptoms of PTSD (flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance) plus additional symptoms related to emotional regulation, self perception, and relationships.
How Complex PTSD Affects Relationships
C PTSD changes how you see yourself, others, and the world. This profoundly impacts your ability to connect:
Difficulty Trusting
When the people who were supposed to keep you safe hurt you, trust feels dangerous. You might assume people will hurt you, even when they have not given you reason to believe that.
Fear Of Abandonment
You might cling to relationships out of fear of being left alone. You might also push people away before they can leave you first. This creates a painful push pull dynamic.
Hypervigilance
You are always scanning for danger. You might misinterpret neutral actions as threats. A partner forgetting to text back feels like rejection or betrayal.
Emotional Dysregulation
Your emotions might feel intense and uncontrollable. You might go from calm to rage to shutdown quickly. This makes conflicts feel overwhelming and scary.
Shame And Self Blame
You might believe you are damaged, unlovable, or broken. You might feel like you do not deserve healthy relationships.
Difficulty With Vulnerability
Letting people see the real you feels terrifying. You might keep people at a distance or wear a mask to avoid being hurt.
Common Relationship Patterns In C PTSD
People with C PTSD often develop specific relationship patterns:
Avoidant Patterns
You keep people at arm’s length. You do not let anyone get too close. Intimacy feels threatening, so you shut down emotionally or leave relationships before they get too deep.
Anxious Patterns
You crave closeness but fear abandonment. You need constant reassurance. You might text excessively, check in constantly, or panic when someone is unavailable.
Disorganized Patterns
You want closeness but also fear it. You move between pulling people close and pushing them away. This confuses both you and your partners.
Repeating Trauma Patterns
You might unconsciously gravitate toward people who recreate familiar dynamics from your past. This is not because you want to be hurt again. It is because familiar feels safer than unknown, even when familiar is harmful.
Why Healing C PTSD Is Different From Healing Single Incident PTSD
C PTSD requires more than processing a traumatic memory. It requires rebuilding your sense of self and your capacity for safe relationships.
Key differences include:
- Identity work: C PTSD often shapes who you are. Healing involves figuring out who you are outside of the trauma.
- Emotional regulation: You need to build skills to manage intense emotions that traditional PTSD treatment might not address.
- Relationship repair: Healing happens in relationship. You need safe, consistent relationships to learn that connection can be safe.
- Slower pace: C PTSD healing takes time. There is no quick fix.
How Therapy Helps With Complex PTSD
Therapy for C PTSD is not just about processing trauma. It is about rebuilding your capacity for safety, connection, and self worth.
At Better Lives, Building Tribes, therapy for C PTSD might include:
Building Safety And Stabilization
Before processing trauma, you need to feel safe. We help you build tools to regulate your nervous system and create stability in your life.
Processing Trauma At Your Pace
We use trauma informed approaches (like EMDR or somatic therapy) to help you process traumatic memories without overwhelming you. You control the pace.
Rebuilding Your Sense Of Self
We help you separate yourself from what happened to you. You are not your trauma. You are a person who survived trauma.
Learning New Relationship Patterns
The therapy relationship itself becomes a space to practice safe connection. We help you learn what healthy relationships feel like.
Addressing Shame
Shame keeps you stuck. We help you release the belief that you are broken or unlovable.
We offer virtual therapy for adults across Colorado, which can feel safer for people with C PTSD who struggle with in person interactions.
How To Support A Partner With C PTSD
If your partner has C PTSD, here is how you can support them:
- Be patient: Healing takes time. Your partner might have setbacks or struggle in ways that do not make sense to you.
- Avoid taking things personally: Their reactions are often about past trauma, not about you.
- Create predictability: Consistency and reliability help your partner feel safe. Follow through on what you say you will do.
- Respect their boundaries: If they need space or time, honor that without making them feel guilty.
- Encourage therapy: Gently support them in getting professional help without pushing or forcing it.
What Healing Looks Like
Healing from C PTSD is not about erasing what happened. It is about building a life where the trauma no longer controls you. Healing looks like:
- You can trust safe people without constant fear.
- You can regulate your emotions without shutting down or exploding.
- You feel like a whole person, not just a collection of wounds.
- You can be vulnerable without feeling like you are in danger.
- You have relationships that feel reciprocal and secure.
How Better Lives, Building Tribes Supports C PTSD Healing
At Better Lives, Building Tribes, we specialize in trauma informed, attachment focused therapy. We understand that healing C PTSD requires more than just processing memories. It requires rebuilding your capacity for connection and safety.
Our approach is:
- Trauma informed: We understand how trauma affects the body, mind, and relationships.
- Relational: We believe healing happens in relationship, and we provide a safe space for that.
- Patient and compassionate: We honor your pace and never push you beyond what feels safe.
- Attachment focused: We help you build secure relationships, starting with the therapy relationship.
Next Steps: Healing C PTSD In Colorado
If complex trauma is affecting your relationships and your life, you do not have to heal alone. Therapy can help you process what happened and build a life that feels safe and connected.
To start trauma therapy with Better Lives, Building Tribes:
- Visit betterlivesbuildingtribes.com/ to learn more about our trauma informed services.
- Schedule a session with Dr. Meaghan Rice or another therapist on our team through the booking link on our site.
- Reach out via our contact form to ask questions or find out if we are a good fit for what you are experiencing.
You are not broken. You are healing. With support, you can build relationships that feel safe and a life that feels whole. We would be honored to walk alongside you.
