What Your Nervous System Does After Betrayal and How to Calm It
When trust is broke through infidelity, deception, or another form of betrayal, the impact goes far beyond than just hurt feelings. Betrayal disrupts your entire nervous system, often leaving the betrayed feeling unsafe in their own bodies long after the event. Many of my clients describe the experience like they “living on the edge” or that they no longer feel like themselves. These reactions are not overreactions. They are survival responses! Understanding what your nervous system does in the aftermath of betrayal can help you begin to make sense of your response and how to take steps towards healing.
Why Hyperfixations Can Be Healing: Turning Passions Into Coping Skills
Have you ever found yourself diving deep into a hobby, TV show, or niche interest - so much so that it feels like your whole world for a period of time? That’s what many people call a hyperfixation. While the word is often associated with ADHD, autism, and neurodivergence communities, hyperfixations aren’t exclusive to any one group! In fact, they’re a completely human experience, and they can be fun, therapeutic, and even a valuable coping skills.
Finding Belonging When You Feel Like the “Black Sheep”
In every family, workplace, or social circle, there often seems to be a “black sheep” - meaning a person who doesn’t quite fit the mold, who unapologetically questions traditions, loudly or quietly challenges the narrative, or who feels slightly removed from everyone else. If you’ve ever carried that label (or quietly felt it), you know it can be isolating and painful.
But here’s the truth: being the “black sheep” isn’t really about being flawed or unworthy. It’s often about having the courage, or the necessity, to be different.