The Trauma You Can't Remember

Writer Martin Laird shares this story…

While on a walk, he came across a man with four Kerry Blue Terriers.

Three of the dogs would run wild through the open fields in front of him, but one stayed behind,

running in tight circles next to its owner.

Laird finally stopped and asked about this odd behavior.

The owner explained it was a rescue dog that had spent most of his life locked in a cage.

Even though the dog is now free, the dog continues to run in circles as though contained inside a tight box…

There are physiological cages.. changes in our baseline cortisol levels, gaps in our memories, changes to how we reflexively react to things…

(The impact of trauma on the brain, and how to untangle its effects physiologically were the topic of my first workshop on trauma…)

Then there are psychological and social cages. These often show up in unexplained ways…

You’re supposed to be connecting with someone you love Maybe a spouse, a child, or a gathering of friends, but instead, you feel depressed or irritable, or nothing at all…
You experience suspicion and anxiety out of nowhere Without knowing what triggered it…
You keep running into the same problem over and over Yet you can’t figure out why…
Relentless anxiety and stress That is impervious to logical explanations
You’re constantly being misunderstood, betrayed, or let down And maybe you blame yourself for how others respond to you…

No matter what the case may be…

When these scenarios show up in our lives…

1. We try to get control

Picking apart every bad thing we do…

Berating ourselves for our faults, mistakes, and regrets… People pleasing to control other’s opinions of us…

Losing our temper with the people we love, saying things we don’t mean or nagging even when we don’t want to…

Or…

2. We avoid, numb out, or disassociate

That feeling of being a million miles away…

Those moments when we are SUPPOSED to feel something…but feel nothing at all.

Those moments when it feels like our emotions just black-out…

We do our best to forget our problems, and along with them our dreams and hopes!

But there’s good news:

I recorded a workshop on the subject of trauma. I’m calling Trauma Workshop - A Free Mind.

We talk about the dynamics that keep us stuck and prevent us from engaging in the meaningful process that brings real healing.

Specifically, we’ll break down the architecture of traumatic wounds and their effect on the psyche. We’ll discuss both (1) the stories we tell ourselves and the world around us as a result of a past wound or trauma, and (2) the protective strategies we employ that are informed by those stories.

Often, the coping strategies we use to protect a wound wind up unintentionally reinforcing the wound. Let’s discuss how to make healing changes to that story and approach the wound in a new way.

That’s what this workshop is designed to help you unpack…

What are the cages that bind your mind and keep you stuck in grasping for control or avoidance/numbing?

What’s keeping you from experiencing all the things in life you want to experience?

What stops you from feeling the warmth of relationships closest to you?

How could you better approach dynamics like stress, triggers, hard memories, and the emotions that are attached?

In the workshop, we will:

1. Help you better understand the story that keeps you stuck

(And how to engage with it in a more meaningful way)

2. Show you how to “update” both the story and its resulting protective strategies

(So you don’t unintentionally reinforce the wound and keep spinning your wheels)

You’ll walk away with tools and strategies designed for breaking through the hidden cages in your mind that act as a glass ceiling on your happiness and fulfillment.

You’ll better understand why you’re reacting the way you do.

And you’ll know what you can do in response to excessive self-criticism, unexplained emotions, and other ways your mind’s protective response can disrupt your sense of calm.

My teaching style is approachable, not filled with psychobabble, inspired by the latest research, and offers step-by-step instructions.

You don’t need a master’s degree to understand and put it to use.

To help you decide if it’s for you…

➜ The first step to understanding and updating the stories that keep us locked up (Once you’re able to see your mind’s protective strategies for what they are, you can begin to untangle yourself from them)

➜ How to interact with the wounded part of you in a more meaningful way (Unless you do this, you’re likely to get stuck in patterns of behavior that are hindering your progress)

➜ How to break down the components of the story that animate your protective mechanisms (Understanding these will empower you to better evaluate whether your decisions – or reactions – are based in old wounds, or values that align with you as a person)

➜ How to make subtle shifts in your thinking that open the door for bigger breakthroughs (Bring these to a mentor or therapist to introduce new opportunities for healing)

➜ Tools to dialogue with the part of you that holds your trauma (The cage that surrounds your mind was built to protect you…here’s how to reassure the parts of you that need reassurance)

➜ A new way to approach healing from past wounds (Also, why “trying harder” to get yourself in order might be making the problem worse)

➜ Why the story we write about a traumatic event can have a deep imprint in the body (And a suggested list of therapies that help “get at” these physiological triggers)

➜ Control or avoid: two categories of protection you need to know about (And how to avoid getting caught up in them without noticing)

➜ Key questions you must ask yourself to get in touch with the origins of psychological “cages” (This includes finding the root of the protective mechanisms that hold you back)

➜ A simple exercise designed to raise your awareness of the story you live within (We’re likely to relive [the story that animates your mind’s protective strategies] without a sophisticated understanding of this story.)

➜ Simple routines and habits to help you improve parts of the brain you need to function better as a whole

➜ An innovative idea that has the potential to change your life (When I first encountered this, something unlocked for me; I felt less tempted to argue with, dismiss, or perform for the wounded part of me)

➜ And much more…

That’s just a taste of what you’ll discover in the workshop.

It runs one hour long, and you’ll walk away with actionable information you can use right away to better process how a past trauma may be affecting you — and move forward in a more meaningful way.

Today, you can get instant access to this workshop for just $99 $49.

“1000% recommended”

"Very insightful and valuable. I gained more insight and value from this course than my few sessions with my actual therapist. 1000% recommend."

-Kimberly

“A Godsend!”

"I found the workshop very helpful. I live in a small community with limited resources on mental health. So the ability to get the information online and have the added material to work through has been a godsend!"

-Kelli

“Life changing”

"The information in this workshop is life changing. I have never had it explained to me in this manner. It is insightful and easy to follow. I am forever grateful I put myself first and am so excited to see where my future takes me after learning the knowledge that I learned here."

-Ellen

“Accessible, effective and meaningful”

I found this to be a very accessible and effective workshop. I appreciated the format because I could stop and think about what I had heard and be mindful of my response. The content was very meaningful and helpful. I have actually re-watched and taken many notes. I feel like it is something that I can go back and revisit and draw something new from. I found it to be very helpful.

-Jennifer

“also gives you methods to calm your mind and breathing exercises”

Matthias approaches many many trauma issues from a nonjudgmental, non-bias, very helpful general way. I like that he does try to focus on one issue (trauma) that won't relate to everyone. But it also gives you methods to calm your mind and breathing exercises. I would recommend it to other ppl.

-Nicole

This workbook is meant to be a personal inventory you can bring into counseling to get the most out of therapy.

Depending on where you are in your journey, it can also be used as a tool to gain further clarity and insight into your healing process.

It contains simple explanations and examples, as well as an exercise you can do to better understand the story you live within, its origins, and the resulting protective strategies keeping you from living life on your terms.

A $35 value, you'll be able to download the digital workbook with your order today.

In this revealing bonus module, we’ll delve into the four different parenting styles that lead to neglect, and how these can affect mental and physical health well into adulthood - even if you don’t remember any traumatic events, or you don’t think your childhood was that bad.

You’ll discover:

The 4 different parenting styles and their lasting effects on mental health (These can manifest in ways that may surprise you; from an excessive need to control, to approval-seeking, self-criticism, avoidance, and more)
The “trauma cycle” and how it perpetuates itself, leading to further mental and emotional consequences (When you better understand your mind’s protective response to unmet needs in childhood, you can begin to break the cycle)
How emotional neglect can cause you to suppress your emotions, leaving you feeling disconnected from yourself and others (And why the most common coping strategies deepen these feelings of emptiness and alienation)
The role of self-compassion and self-care in healing from childhood neglect (You’ll gain practical tools to cultivate these qualities in your daily life, which can help increase self-esteem, self-reliance, and overall wellbeing)
And much, much more!

A $50 Value, you’ll receive this special bonus module and live experience with Matthias FREE with your order today.

So if you’re interested, fill out the order form below (which takes just a few minutes) right now...

The Trauma You Can't Remember

Explore and Work Through The Effects of Trauma on Your Mind and Open New Pathways for Healing

Discover How Emotional Neglect Could Be Impacting
Your Mental and Physical Health Today

Wounds From Past Traumas Bind Us

We Typically Fall Into One of Two Responses…

There Is Another Way…

Here’s A Sample Of Topics Covered Inside ‘A Free Mind’ Trauma Workshop: