Reflections Counselling Bolton

27/02/2026

Cortisol is a hormone your body releases when you feel stressed or under threat. It’s part of your built-in survival system. When something feels dangerous, cortisol helps your body focus on getting through it by putting less important jobs — like digestion, reproduction and parts of the immune system — temporarily on hold.

This response is meant to be short-term. It’s designed to help you deal with a stressful moment and then switch off once you’re safe again.

But with PTSD and C-PTSD, the body can struggle to switch that alarm system off. It can stay stuck in “threat mode”, even when there’s no immediate danger. That means cortisol levels can remain out of balance — too high for some people, and too low for others.

The connection between the mind and body is very real. When your mental health is suffering, your body feels it too. Over time, living with disrupted cortisol levels can start to affect your physical health in ways that feel confusing, unexpected, and sometimes worrying — such as:

❗️Your skin may scar more easily
❗️Your ears might ring
❗️You might gain weight around your tummy
❗️You might develop digestive issues like bloating, gas or IBS
❗️You might get frequent joint and muscle pains
❗️It can be difficult to gain muscle
❗️Your feet and hands might be icy cold
❗️You might yawn more
❗️Allergies may flare up, or you may develop new ones

If you’ve experienced any of these, you’re not imagining them.
PTSD and C-PTSD are not “just in your head”. They are whole-body conditions.

When your nervous system has been on high alert for a long time, your body adapts in ways that were once protective - but that can become exhausting and damaging over time.

When we live in survival mode, the body prioritises immediate threat over long-term health.

That’s why digestion, immunity, hormones and even temperature regulation can become disrupted. Your body isn’t broken - it’s trying to protect you.

Find out more about how PTSD and C-PTSD can physically affect your body in our blog article here:
https://www.ptsduk.org/10-unexpected-physical-symptoms-of-ptsd/

Find out more about how cortisol and PTSD and C-PTSD are linked (and how you can balance cortisol levels) here:
https://www.ptsduk.org/the-link-between-cortisol-and-ptsd/

PLEASE NOTE: These symptoms listed can also be an indication of other conditions - so if you experience any of these symptoms, you should speak to your GP to rule out anything more serious.

25/02/2026

When you are empathic, you can easily sense the emotions of others. Which means you can pick up on their insecurity, anxiety, and trauma wounds.

Oof. That doesn’t feel so good. 😮‍💨

So it makes sense to do what one can to alleviate those insecurities, right?

Even if that means handing over your worth, dignity, or self-respect.

After all, they don’t yet have an intact sense of self-worth or dignity.

The only way they get a sense of worth or respect is by feeling bigger, better, or more important than other people.

Which means, your sense of personal worth feels like a threat to them.

So, if you want the relationship to work (whether it’s with a family member, partner, boss, or friend), you gotta hand over your worth.

Which they’ll “help” you do by constantly putting you down, making you feel inferior, or criticizing you.

That way the relationship can…”work.”

For them, anyway.

But how’s it working out for you? ❤️‍🩹

❤️
Molly
Therapist-turned-boundaries-guide

Get the free mini-course (because it’s time to shift this pattern for good):
Https://boundaried.com/breakthrough ✨

23/02/2026

🌼 A Gentle Reminder: What You See Isn’t Always What’s Felt 🌼

It’s natural to assume that someone’s outward appearance reflects how they’re feeling inside, but the truth is often much more complex. Many people are carrying unseen struggles, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), even if they look okay on the outside.

PTSD and C-PTSD affect people in deeply personal ways, and their symptoms aren’t always visible. If you or someone you care about is living with PTSD or C-PTSD, here are some of the challenges they may be facing:

✨ Re-experiencing Symptoms
Flashbacks that feel as though the trauma is happening again.
Intrusive thoughts, memories, or distressing dreams.
Sudden waves of fear, panic, or physical discomfort.

🌿 Avoidance Symptoms
Avoiding places, people, or conversations.
Feeling emotionally numb or disconnected from others.
Struggling to remember details of the trauma.

🔥 Alertness and Reactivity Symptoms
Always being on high alert, feeling unsafe even in safe places.
Difficulty sleeping or concentrating.
Feeling irritable, overwhelmed, or easily startled.

❤️ Changes in Mood and Emotions
Trouble trusting others or feeling disconnected.
Persistent feelings of fear, sadness, guilt, or shame.
Loss of interest in things that once brought joy.

💙 For those with C-PTSD, additional challenges may include:
Struggles with regulating emotions, leading to intense emotional highs or lows.
A distorted sense of self-worth, often feeling 'not good enough' or broken.
Difficulty forming or maintaining relationships due to trust and attachment issues.

💛 Kindness and understanding go a long way.
Just because someone looks okay doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling. PTSD and C-PTSD can be isolating, but a moment of patience, a listening ear, or a compassionate gesture can mean everything to someone fighting battles you can’t see.

💙 Be kind. Be understanding. You never know how much it might help. 💙

❤️

Find out more about the symptoms of PTSD and C-PTSD here: https://www.ptsduk.org/what-is-ptsd/symptoms-of-ptsd/

20/02/2026

14/02/2026

You are your own best Valentine. Treat yourself with kindness today and every day 💌

13/02/2026

Panic attacks can be scary.

They come on fast.
Your heart races.
Your chest tightens.
Your thoughts get loud.

And even when you know what’s happening, it can still feel overwhelming.

But here’s the truth:
They pass.
You are not in danger.
Your body is reacting, not failing.

Cold water or ice.
Slow, steady breathing.
Grounding your senses.
Finding a safe space.

If you’ve ever had one, you’re not weak, you’re human and you’re stronger than the moment.

12/02/2026

One second a rhino's playing with a baby deer. The next you’re seeing updates about war or famine. It can be overwhelming to experience this level of emotional range in one feed.

Social media can have so many benefits - connection, community, support. But sometimes it turns into doomscrolling. And if it does, it’s okay to take a step back. Breathe. Pause. Go outside and touch the grass.

And if you’re struggling, we’re here for you.

11/02/2026

How to Stop the Negative Thought Loop in Your Mind
https://buff.ly/D3R1kw9

🧠 Ever get stuck replaying the same worries over and over?
Science shows that people who ruminate a lot are more likely to struggle with depression, anxiety, and stress. You can learn to stop the negative thought loop and break free from rumination :
✨ Learn why your brain latches onto certain thoughts
✨ Discover simple tools to interrupt the cycle
✨ Use “self-distancing” to calm your mind
✨ Shift your focus and get back in control

11/02/2026

Some survivors grow up in tricky families where the abuse is quiet and subverted.⁠

And some grow up in families where the parents can't manage their emotions and cause damage to a child's development because a dysregulated adult is terrifying.⁠

Some examples:⁠

-rage fits, verbal abuse, and throwing objects/destruction⁠

-locking oneself in a room, threatening self-harm⁠

-uncontrolled physical abuse of children⁠

-Alcoholic or substance abuse intoxicated episodes and blackouts

-verbal and physical fights between adults inside and outside the family⁠

While these situations cause anyone present to go into survival mode and leave their bodies (especially children), what I feel is more damaging is the following factors:⁠

-not talking about the meltdowns in real and honest ways⁠

-the other adults being complicit and ignoring what happened⁠

-the other adults not using their power to set boundaries, seek resources, and protect children (they have power, and kids don't)⁠

-not engaging in any of the above and therefore normalizing being abusive and dysregulated⁠

⁠
At best, siblings can privately say to each other, "Dad's losing it about your bike; don't come home," or "Mom's trashing the house again," but beyond that, they have to just wait for a storm to pass and move on to Wednesday and get through that too.⁠

Survivors leave such homes vulnerable to similar situations because during their first twenty years of life, they've never seen healthy action and accountability for how a toxic parent behaves around children that they are responsible for in keeping safe and emotionally happy and healthy.⁠

This post is focused on what the children experienced, not the dysregulated parent or partner. Yes, everyone could benefit from resources, but the focus here is what it was like to grow up in such environments and have the behavior be normalized by the other adults.

Credit - Patrick Teahan

-Trauma Aware America, shared from

09/02/2026

For the week ahead...