CPTSD: Making Sense of It19 Des 2025

Reclaiming Your Power: Celebrating Small Wins After Trauma

In this episode, we explore how reclaiming your power after trauma starts with honoring the smallest victories. Many survivors of complex PTSD dismiss their daily wins as insignificant, but these micro-moments of courage rebuild self-trust and resilience. Learn why celebrating small steps—like making a phone call, setting a boundary, or getting out of bed—is a radical act of healing. We break down the science behind dopamine rewards, the role of shame in minimizing achievements, and practical strategies to shift from self-criticism to self-celebration. This episode offers a compassionate roadmap for turning tiny triumphs into lasting empowerment.

What You'll Learn:
• How small wins rewire your brain for self-compassion and confidence.
• Why trauma survivors often discount their own progress and how to stop.
• Simple daily practices to acknowledge and celebrate your efforts.
• The connection between micro-achievements and rebuilding your identity.
• How to use small wins as fuel for setting bigger, healthier goals.

Key Insights:
• Celebrating small wins counteracts the shame that keeps you stuck.
• Your nervous system needs proof of safety, which small victories provide.
• Perfectionism blocks recognition of incremental progress after trauma.
• Self-celebration is a skill that can be learned and strengthened over time.
• Small wins build a foundation for reclaiming agency and self-worth.

Recommended Resources:
• Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker
• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
• CPTSD Foundation website: cptsd.org (offers free resources and support groups)
• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
• Trauma Stewardship by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky

Coming Up Next

Next episode, we tackle the inner critic—how to recognize its voice, understand its protective origins, and gently transform it into an ally for your healing journey.

📩 Have questions or want to share your experience? Reach out at cptsd@senseofthisshit.com.
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