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PTSD and Beyond Partner | She’s Birdie Dr. Deb has personally carried a Birdie personal safety alarm for years and is now a proud She’s Birdie Ambassador. She’s Birdie ships internationally. PTSD and Beyond listeners receive 10% off their purchase through Dr. Deb’s ambassador link: shesbirdie.com/DEBRA59359 Affiliate Disclosure: This is an affiliate partnership. If you make a purchase through Dr. Deb’s link, she may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Your purchase helps support PTSD and Beyond. Grief Is Love: Relearning the World with Dr. Thomas Attig What if grief isn't something we need to get over, but an invitation to relearn how to live while continuing to love? In this deeply meaningful episode of PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Debra Lindh welcomes internationally recognized grief scholar, philosopher, and author Dr. Thomas Attig, whose groundbreaking work has helped reshape how we understand grief, loss, and the enduring connections we share with those who have died. Drawing on decades of philosophical inquiry, teaching, and lived experience, Dr. Attig introduces his perspective of grieving as relearning the world. Together, Dr. Deb and Dr. Attig explore why grief has no prescribed timeline, how love continues beyond physical separation, and why healing involves more than managing sorrow. In this episode, we explore: Why grief is more than a series of stages or emotional reactions. What it means to relearn the world after the death of someone we love. The difference between grief reactions and intentional grieving responses. How memories, wisdom, and legacies sustain our connections. Why listening, patience, and compassion matter when supporting someone who is grieving. How acceptance, uncertainty, and impermanence contribute to living wisely. Dr. Attig also shares insights from his book, Seeking Wisdom in Death's Shadows: Collected Writings on How We Grieve, and introduces four profound questions about the human experience. At the heart of this conversation is a hopeful reminder: Love does not end when someone's physical presence does. Connect with Dr. Thomas Attig Website: https://griefsheart.com Book: Seeking Wisdom in Death's Shadows: Collected Writings on How We Grieve Book discount code: AUFLY30  If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond.  💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

PTSD and Beyond Partner | She’s Birdie Dr. Deb has personally carried a Birdie personal safety alarm for years and is now a proud She’s Birdie Ambassador. She’s Birdie ships internationally. PTSD and Beyond listeners receive 10% off their purchase through Dr. Deb’s ambassador link: shesbirdie.com/DEBRA59359 Affiliate Disclosure: This is an affiliate partnership. If you make a purchase through Dr. Deb’s link, she may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Your purchase helps support PTSD and Beyond. TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains information and a topic of sensitive nature.  Worst T**s Ever: A Memoir – Quarantine at Sea with Angela Harger Thompson What happens when life takes an unexpected turn and the story becomes one you never imagined telling? This week on PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb welcomes Angela Harger Thompson, actor, filmmaker, storyteller, and author of Worst T**s Ever: A Memoir. Join us as we introduce Angela and her memoir, Worst Tit$ Ever, including its quarantine-at-sea premise and the experiences behind her storytelling. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond.  💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Connect with Angela Harger Thompson: Website: AngelaHargerThompson Instagram: @messengeroftruth Course: Craft Your Story Book: Worst T**s Ever Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

PTSD and Beyond Partner | She’s Birdie Dr. Deb has personally carried a Birdie personal safety alarm for years and is now a proud She’s Birdie Ambassador. She’s Birdie ships internationally. PTSD and Beyond listeners receive 10% off their purchase through Dr. Deb’s ambassador link: shesbirdie.com/DEBRA59359 Affiliate Disclosure: This is an affiliate partnership. If you make a purchase through Dr. Deb’s link, she may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Your purchase helps support PTSD and Beyond. What does meaningful support after loss actually look like? This week on PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb welcomes Kelly Edmondson, founder of Timely Presence, for a conversation about grief, joy, remembrance, leadership, and what it means to continue forward after loss. Drawing from her experience as a nurse, healthcare executive, grief counselor, and bereaved mother, Kelly shares the story of her son Darius and the experiences that led to the creation of Timely Presence. She also introduces a beautifully simple framework for supporting people through grief: Regulate. Respond. Remain. Together, Dr. Deb and Kelly explore how grief and joy can coexist, what meaningful support can look like beyond the immediate days following a loss, the role leaders and organizations can play, and the importance of remaining present through life's transitions. The conversation also explores purpose, remembrance, connection, and Kelly's powerful idea of living with an “intimacy of today.” If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond.  💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Connect with Kelly and Timely Presence: Website: thetimelypresence.com LinkedIn: Kelly Edmondson Instagram: @thekellyedmondson Instagram: @TheTimelyPresence Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

PTSD and Beyond Partner | She’s Birdie Dr. Deb has personally carried a Birdie personal safety alarm for years and is now a proud She’s Birdie Ambassador. PTSD and Beyond listeners receive 10% off their purchase through Dr. Deb’s ambassador link: shesbirdie.com/DEBRA59359 She’s Birdie ships internationally. Affiliate Disclosure: This is an affiliate partnership. If you make a purchase through Dr. Deb’s link, she may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Your purchase helps support PTSD and Beyond. In this episode of PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb welcomes Christine Dickson, C.Ht. for a conversation about the experiences that shape us, the stories we carry, and what becomes possible when we begin to see ourselves and our lives through a different lens. Together, they explore personal growth, self-awareness, resilience, and the process of moving beyond the experiences that have defined our past. Their conversation reflects on listening to ourselves, recognizing patterns, navigating change, and creating space for new possibilities. At the heart of the conversation is a reminder that growth does not require us to erase where we have been. Our experiences can become part of a larger story of learning, connection, purpose, and transformation. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond.  💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Connect with Christine Dickson, C.Ht. - Website - www.christinedicksonmentor.com Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/CMD727/ https://www.facebook.com/ChristineDicksonOnThePath/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/onthepath_mentor/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-dickson/ TikTok - Onthepath1 https://www.tiktok.com/@onthepath1?lang=en The Path to Freedom Membership - https://christine-dickson.mykajabi.com/the-path-to-freedom-practice    Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Ko-Fi Store - Buy a Cuppa Coffee Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

What happens when an awareness day, week, or month ends? How do we carry what we have learned into the days that follow? In this episode of PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb explores the connection between September 11, Suicide Prevention Month, and the idea of Always Remember. Drawing on research in language and cognition, belonging and social connection, and workplace suicide prevention, Dr. Deb considers how awareness can become something we carry forward through our conversations, relationships, workplaces, and communities. She also shares insights from her decades of work with stress, trauma, critical incidents, mental health, leadership, and workplaces, along with practical ways we can continue to notice, listen, ask, connect, and show up for one another. Awareness gives us an opportunity to begin. The invitation is to carry it forward. Always remember. Continue the conversation. Continue connecting. Continue showing up. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond. Join us on Ko-Fi to help keep these conversations going. 💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Ko-Fi Store - Buy a Cuppa Coffee Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

The Power of Yet What happens when we add one small word to the stories we tell ourselves? Yet. I haven't achieved my goal…yet. I haven't learned how to manage this…yet. I haven't found where I belong…yet. I haven't met my person…yet. In this episode of PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb explores how the word yet can interrupt finality and create space for hope, possibility, and what comes next. Drawing from the work of psychologists C. R. Snyder, Carol Dweck, and George Bonanno, we explore the research behind hope, growth mindset, resilience, and flexibility—and what these ideas can mean for trauma recovery. Hope isn't about pretending everything will work out exactly as planned. Sometimes it's simply recognizing that where we are today doesn't have to determine where we'll be tomorrow. We also explore the stories we continue to carry from our past. Trauma, loss, disappointment, and experiences that didn't turn out the way we hoped are chapters in our lives—but they don't have to become the whole book. We can stop rereading old chapters and expecting them to end differently while making room for pages that haven't been written yet. In this episode, we explore: How “yet” changes the language of possibility The difference between hope and toxic positivity Snyder's Hope Theory and the role of agency and pathways Growth mindset and the power of “not yet” Resilience, flexibility, and different paths through trauma recovery How absolute language like “never” and “always” can turn today's experience into tomorrow's prediction Practical ways to begin noticing and shifting our own language Why moving beyond doesn't mean forgetting what happened Making room for the parts of our story that are still unwritten Trauma gets chapters. It doesn't automatically get the whole book. There are people we haven't met, places we haven't been, things we haven't discovered, and versions of ourselves we haven't encountered. Our story is still being written. And some of the best pages of our lives may not have been lived… yet. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond. Join us on Ko-Fi to help keep these conversations going. 💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Ko-Fi Store - Buy a Cuppa Coffee Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

The Value of Lived Experience Lived experience is reshaping conversations across mental health but what does it really mean, and where does it belong? In this episode of PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb Lindh explores the growing role of lived experience, the relationship between peer support and professional care, and why collaboration, not competition, is essential for the future of mental health. Join us for an evidence-informed conversation that invites you to reflect on the wisdom your own experiences may hold. What value do you believe lived experience brings to mental health care? If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and share PTSD and Beyond. Your support helps bring trauma-informed conversations to more people around the world. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond. Join us on Ko-Fi to help keep these conversations going. 💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Ko-Fi Store - Buy a Cuppa Coffee Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

We've all heard the advice: "Just let it go." But what if the struggle isn't your willingness to heal? What if it's the language we've been using? In this episode of PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb Lindh explores a different approach to healing: setting it down. Through research-informed insights from mindfulness, neuroscience, embodied cognition, and trauma psychology, you'll discover how old beliefs and emotional burdens can become part of our identity—and how we can begin to release them with compassion. This episode also includes a guided mindfulness practice designed to help you visualize setting down a burden that no longer belongs to you. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "let it go" can feel frustrating and ineffective How invisible beliefs become emotional burdens What embodied cognition teaches us about healing The role of neuroplasticity in changing long-held beliefs Why the body often recognizes healing before the mind A guided mindfulness exercise to help you gently "set it down" Whether you're carrying self-doubt, shame, perfectionism, grief, or an old story that no longer serves you, this episode offers a compassionate invitation to begin your next chapter a bit lighter. If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and share PTSD and Beyond. Your support helps bring trauma-informed conversations to more people around the world. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond. Join us on Ko-Fi to help keep these conversations going. 💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Ko-Fi Store - Buy a Cuppa Coffee Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

What if our zodiac sign could offer a new way to reflect on self-care? In this episode of PTSD and Beyond, we explore astrology as a creative lens for understanding our mental and emotional wellbeing. While the stars don't determine our mental health, they can invite us to pause, reflect, and consider what helps us feel more grounded, connected, and well. Together, we'll journey through each zodiac sign and explore themes of stress, resilience, compassion, and self-care—all through an inclusive, thoughtful, and trauma-informed perspective. Whether we're passionate about astrology or simply curious, this episode encourages us to reflect on what truly restores our minds, bodies, and spirits. Reflection Questions What helps us feel grounded? What restores us when life feels overwhelmed? How can we take what we learned today and apply it? If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and share PTSD and Beyond. Your support helps bring trauma-informed conversations to more people around the world. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond. Join us on Ko-Fi to help keep these conversations going. 💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Ko-Fi Store - Buy a Cuppa Coffee Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

What comes after rest? In this episode of PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb Lindh explores a question we rarely ask: What if enjoyment isn't something we earn, but something we intentionally cultivate? Drawing on the work of positive psychology pioneers Barbara Fredrickson, Martin Seligman, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, this episode explores the science behind positive emotions, flourishing, and the power of being fully present. Learn the difference between entertainment and enjoyment, why positive emotions are essential to well-being, and how allowing ourselves to experience enjoyment can become part of the healing process. Healing isn't only about recovering from difficult experiences. It's also about rediscovering the moments that remind us what it means to be fully alive. If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and share PTSD and Beyond. Your support helps bring trauma-informed conversations to more people around the world. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond. Join us on Ko-Fi to help keep these conversations going. 💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Ko-Fi Store - Buy a Cuppa Coffee Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

Why do so many trauma survivors carry blame while the people who caused the harm seem to avoid accountability? In this episode of PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb Lindh explores the powerful distinction between blame, accountability, and healing. Drawing from trauma psychology, family systems, moral injury, and current PTSD research, this conversation examines why survivors often become the ones left carrying the emotional weight when accountability is absent. Together, we'll explore: The difference between blame and accountability Why self-blame is so common after trauma How scapegoating operates within families, organizations, and communities The impact of moral injury when justice and acknowledgment never come Why healing does not require another person's accountability How to begin returning responsibility to its rightful owner If you've ever found yourself asking, "Why am I still carrying this?" this episode offers a compassionate and empowering perspective. Remember: You are responsible for your healing—not for the harm someone else chose to cause. If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and share PTSD and Beyond. Your support helps bring trauma-informed conversations to more people around the world. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond. Join us on Ko-Fi to help keep these conversations going. 💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Ko-Fi Store - Buy a Cuppa Coffee Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

Why do so many of us believe we have to earn the right to rest? In this episode of PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb Lindh explores how trauma, family systems, workplace culture, and societal expectations can quietly teach us that our worth is measured by how much we carry. Together, we'll examine why exhaustion has become a badge of honor and how ancient Greek philosophy, modern neuroscience, and organizational psychology all point toward a different path—one rooted in balance, flourishing, and living fully. If you've ever found yourself saying, "I'll rest when..." this episode is for you. Join us as we explore: Why we often confuse surviving with living How trauma keeps the nervous system stuck in survival mode What Greek philosophers taught about flourishing and living a meaningful life Why organizations, families, and society often reward exhaustion How small moments of joy help rewire the brain for safety and resilience Practical ways to create space for life while life is still happening You don't have to wait until everything is finished to begin living. Healing isn't about earning rest...it's about remembering that a well-lived life includes it. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond. Join us on Ko-Fi to help keep these conversations going. 💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Ko-Fi Store - Buy a Cuppa Coffee Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

What if the bravest thing you ever do isn't crossing the finish line—but taking the very first step? In this episode of PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb explores the quiet, often unseen moment that begins every journey of healing, growth, and transformation. Before the new habits, the new career, the therapy session, the workout, or the life changes, there is a decision—a moment of courage when we choose that the life we've been living is no longer the life we want. Whether your journey began because of trauma, burnout, grief, anxiety, a health challenge, or simply a deep knowing that something had to change, this episode is a reminder that every path starts with one brave choice. You'll discover: Why the decision to change is often the bravest step of all. The connection between trauma, identity, and transformational change. How authenticity is less about becoming someone new and more about coming home to yourself. Why every beginner deserves compassion—not comparison. A reminder that wherever you are on your journey, you belong. The first step isn't about having all the answers. It's about believing you're worth taking the journey. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond. Join us on Ko-Fi to help keep these conversations going. 💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Ko-Fi Store - Buy a Cuppa Coffee Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

Who—or what—is occupying your mind? In this solo episode, Dr. Deb explores the powerful metaphor of "No Vacancy" and what it means to reclaim psychological ownership after trauma. Drawing from neuroscience, organizational psychology, and mindfulness, she discusses how fear, shame, self-doubt, and unresolved experiences can quietly occupy our mental and emotional space. Listeners will learn how chronic stress affects the brain, why boundaries protect more than relationships—they protect the nervous system—and how healing begins by deciding what deserves access to our minds. The episode concludes with a brief guided mindfulness practice to help you reclaim your inner space and reserve it for healing, peace, and hope. In this episode, you'll learn: What "psychological ownership" means in trauma recovery How trauma can occupy our thoughts, emotions, and identity The neuroscience of attention, allostatic load, and neuroplasticity Why boundaries are essential for protecting your nervous system A simple mindfulness practice to help you reclaim your inner space Remember: Your mind is not public property. You have the right to decide what enters, what stays, and what leaves. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is available 24/7 and free and confidential. Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to support PTSD and Beyond. Join us on Ko-Fi to help keep these conversations going. 💖 If This Episode Resonated Listen, subscribe, and share PTSD and Beyond® with someone who might need this message today. Join our community where we remind one another: We’re better together. We’re stronger together. Take what resonates and go beyond. In Love and Healing, Dr. Deb Listen, Subscribe, & Share: ✨ Remember to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! 💬 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today. 🌟 Leave a review! It helps us reach more people on their healing journey. 💌 Connect with us: Website - Dr. Deb Lindh Website - PTSDandBeyond Ko-Fi Store - Buy a Cuppa Coffee Insta - @DrDebraLindh Insta - @PTSDandBeyond X (formerly known as Twitter) - @DebraLindh

In this thought-provoking episode of PTSD and Beyond, Dr. Deb welcomes author, researcher, keynote speaker, and former corporate executive Doug Johnston, author of Choosing Emotions: Thinking with Your Head and Acting with Your Heart. Together, they explore the powerful connection between emotions, language, healing, and human experience. Doug shares the deeply personal story that inspired his book: a conversation with his teenage daughter during her struggle with depression that led him on a nearly decade-long journey researching emotions and collecting thousands of quotes from philosophers, psychologists, scientists, leaders, and everyday people. What began as a father's desire to help his daughter became one of the most comprehensive consumer-facing resources on emotions. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Deb and Doug discuss: • Why emotions are not obstacles to overcome but tools that help us navigate life • The role of language in healing, self-awareness, and emotional growth • How finding the right words can help us better understand ourselves and others • The connection between emotional literacy, emotional coherence, and wellbeing • Why emotions are foundational to reasoning and decision-making • The importance of naming experiences, especially trauma, as part of the healing process • How quotes, journaling, reflection, and storytelling can support emotional growth and recovery • The difference between being stuck in an emotional experience and learning from it • Why making friends with our emotions may be one of the most important skills we develop throughout life Whether you are navigating trauma recovery, personal growth, leadership, emotional wellbeing, or simply looking for a deeper understanding of yourself, this episode offers practical wisdom and meaningful insights into the role emotions play in shaping our lives. Guest: Doug Johnston Book: Choosing Emotions: Thinking with Your Head and Acting with Your Heart Website: Choosing Emotions