#3 Forgiving Trauma & Abuse: Letting Go Without Excusing It | Recovery Secrets Series
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Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching #3 — Forgiveness: Letting Go to Heal
In today’s session, Brad and Kayleen introduce the third pillar of PTSD recovery: processing—starting with forgiveness. They break down what forgiveness isn’t (it’s not condoning, excusing, or letting someone “off the hook”) and what it really is: an intentional, voluntary act of letting go of the negative emotions that keep you stuck.
You’ll hear practical definitions, real-life stories (including Louis Zamperini’s powerful act of forgiveness after WWII), and a step-by-step exercise using visualization to finally set down the “box” of resentment you’ve been carrying. They also cover why forgiveness is ultimately for you, not the other person, and how self-forgiveness and even “forgiving the future” can open the door to peace and healing.
Key Takeaways:
Forgiveness is not condoning, forgetting, or reconciliation.
True forgiveness is intentional, voluntary, and about letting go.
Holding onto anger only hurts you—not the other person.
Visualization exercises (like the “box” method) make letting go tangible.
Progress > perfection: forgiveness can be a process, not a one-time act.
Action Step:
Try the box exercise today: visualize placing your resentment into a box, setting it down, and walking away—while saying out loud why you’re choosing to forgive.
Memorable Quote:
“If you hate somebody, it’s like a boomerang that misses its target and comes back to hit you in the head. The one who hates is the one who hurts.”
Next Up:
Tomorrow, Brad leads a special coaching session on independent thinking and processing chaos. Friday, don’t miss the deep dive into sleep struggles and nightmares.
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
00:36 Welcome and Introductions
01:47 Overview of PTSD Recovery Pillars
02:43 Deep Dive into Forgiveness
03:08 Defining Forgiveness
04:54 The Importance of Forgiveness
21:45 Visualization Exercise for Forgiveness
29:44 Emotional Release and Growth
30:49 Understanding Grief and Ego in Forgiveness
31:44 Forgiveness Exercises and Future Planning
33:03 Q&A Session Begins
33:11 Sharing Personal Experiences and Insights
37:50 Tips for Emotional Processing
45:11 Safe Space and Mind Palace Visualization
50:43 Focusing on Progress and Setting Goals
52:56 Upcoming Topics and Final Thoughts
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#2 Evening Routine for Trauma Recovery: How to Heal While You Sleep | Recovery Secrets Series
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Learn the proven system that’s helped 2,000+ trauma survivors reduce symptoms by 77.9% in just 4.5 months without therapy or medication 👉 https://overcomingptsd.com
Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching #2 — Routines: How a Great Tomorrow Starts Tonight
Download 30 Day Unbreakable Planner Here Free: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12GcQtX1-Xtdz4lJXaiNZdtJt8K-3cEsh/view?usp=drive_link
Yesterday we kicked off with gratitude as the mindset foundation. Today, Kayleen shows how to cement that mindset with an evening routine so your brain (and life) stop running on chance. You’ll learn why a set bedtime regulates brain chemistry, how tiny nightly steps compound into big change, and how the Unbreakable Planner locks in consistency. The goal: design nights that set you up for success tomorrow—on your terms.
Key Takeaways
A great tomorrow starts tonight: evenings are the keystone, mornings are the follow-through.
Set, consistent bedtime → stabilizes sleep/wake chemicals and improves processing capacity.
Include one relaxation/recovery tool at night (breathing, journaling, grounding, etc.).
The Unbreakable Planner (filled out at night) boosts clarity, momentum, and follow-through.
Progress > perfection. Miss a day? Give yourself grace and get back on track.
Do This Tonight (Action Steps)
Choose a set lights-out time and protect it (weekends too).
Add one wind-down tool (5–10 min).
Fill out the Unbreakable Planner:
3 gratitudes
Tomorrow’s to-do list
3 things that would make tomorrow great
End-of-day review: 3 wins + 1 small improvement
Optional: set a 7:30 PM “wind-down” alarm to start closing loops.
Memorable Lines
“What’s easy to do is easy not to do.”
“Your life happens in the little moments—each one is a decision point.”
“Set your brain up for success, and it will do the work.”
Episode Guide
Why evenings beat mornings for consistency
Set bedtime & brain chemistry 101
Simple wind-down tools for PTSD recovery
Using the Unbreakable Planner step-by-step
Progress over perfection (grace > guilt)
Q&A highlights
Next Up
Tomorrow: Forgiveness — what it is, what it isn’t, and a step-by-step framework to start.
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
00:43 Starting the Day with Gratitude
02:14 The Three Pillars of Recovery
03:10 The Importance of Evening Routines
05:18 Setting Up for Success: Evening Routine Tips
19:21 The Unbreakable Planner: A Transformational Tool
27:28 Q&A and Final Thoughts on Evening Routines
28:40 Morning Routines and Live Trainings
29:28 The Power of 1% Change
30:36 Planner Tips and Overcoming Perfectionism
31:12 Consistency and Grace in Daily Routines
35:24 Evening Routines and Sleep Optimization
48:43 Forgiveness and Setting Up for Success
51:21 Conclusion and Upcoming Topics
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#1 How Gratitude Rewires Your Brain After Trauma | Recovery Secrets Series
Want to coach with me? Book a free no pressure consultation call here: https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation
Learn the proven system that’s helped 2,000+ trauma survivors reduce symptoms by 77.9% in just 4.5 months without therapy or medication 👉 https://overcomingptsd.com
Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching #1 — Gratitude: The Fastest Way to Rewire a Negative Brain
In the kickoff to Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching, Brad and Kayleen lay the mindset foundation of recovery and show how a simple gratitude practice can flip your brain from automatic negativity to automatic positivity. You’ll learn how repeated choices carve “neural pathways,” why early mindset work feels like “manual labor,” and how five daily gratitudes weaken the old route while strengthening a new, healthier default. They share personal stories, address “toxic positivity” concerns, and give you a concrete daily plan that compounds over time. Stick with it and you’ll hit the tipping point where positivity becomes your path of least resistance.
Key Takeaways
Gratitude is the easiest entry point to mindset work—easy to do, easy not to do; consistency wins.
Repetition builds positive neural pathways and weakens negative ones.
Expect it to feel unnatural at first—that discomfort means you’re changing.
Use topic-specific gratitudes (self, family, work, health) when you’re stuck.
Catch the decision point; if you slip, choose again. Progress > perfection.
Do This Today (Action Steps)
Do 5 gratitudes (morning or night).
Add a brief “why” to each (“I’m grateful for sleep because…”).
When negativity hits, list 3–5 gratitudes about that exact situation.
Bonus: share one gratitude with someone to reinforce the habit.
Memorable Lines
“What’s easy to do is easy not to do.”
“Your life happens in the little moments—each one is a decision point.”
“You’re not ignoring pain; you’re choosing focus so you can heal.”
Episode Guide
Welcome & series intro → why daily coaching
Mindset = foundation → “manual labor” in the brain
Neural pathways → the two paths in the woods
How to practice gratitude (what/when/how deep)
Handling ‘toxic positivity’
The decision point → catch and switch
Progress over perfection → stop the beat-yourself-up loop
Today’s action plan → 5-gratitudes challenge
What’s next this week: Routines (Tue), Processing (Wed), Special Topic (Thu), Tools (Fri)
Next Up
Tomorrow: Routines & Consistency—systems that make your mindset work stick.
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NEW LIMITED SERIES: 100+ Daily Episodes Start TOMORROW
Want to coach with me? Book a free no pressure consultation call here: https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation
Learn the proven system that’s helped 2,000+ trauma survivors reduce symptoms by 77.9% in just 4.5 months without therapy or medication 👉 https://overcomingptsd.com
PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast Website: https://www.overcomingptsd.com/
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-overcoming-ptsd-podcast/id1444342036
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4rQm0kZjQukx9nKAd2KcQH?si=8e9SjnuIQdG45Skmzn48Iw
– RSS: https://feed.podbean.com/overcomingptsd/feed.xml
FOLLOW & CONNECT:
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OvercomingPTSD?sub_confirmation=1
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The 10 Biggest Mistakes People Make in PTSD Recovery
Want to coach with me? Book a free no pressure consultation call here: https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation
Learn the proven system that’s helped 2,000+ trauma survivors reduce symptoms by 77.9% in just 4.5 months without therapy or medication 👉 https://overcomingptsd.com
In this episode I lay out 10 critical mindset shifts that separate people who stay stuck from those who fully recover. From moving out of dependence to owning your recovery, to befriending pain and playing bigger—this episode is a practical blueprint to get back in control.
Key takeaways (the 10 shifts):
Dependence → Independence: stop outsourcing healing; take the wheel.
Blame → Responsibility: no more excuses; own your outcomes.
“No Control” → Self-Control: you can influence thoughts, emotions, choices.
Stuck Loops → Choose a New Path: if the old path fails, change paths—today.
Avoid Pain → Befriend Pain: pain is a signal and a teacher.
Self-Deception → Radical Honesty: feel and say what’s true, so it can release.
Self-Hatred → Self-Love: compassion unlocks closed parts of you.
Suppressing → Releasing Emotions: learn the skill of safe, full expression.
Short-Term Hits → Long-Term Focus: consistency beats quick fixes.
Playing Small → Playing Big: massive action creates outsized results.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to PTSD Recovery
00:55 Dependent vs. Independent Mindset
03:03 Hitting Rock Bottom and Turning Points
04:34 Taking Control of Your Recovery
07:22 From Blaming to Taking Responsibility
15:34 The Power of Change
21:43 Avoiding Pain and Embracing Healing
21:52 Embracing Pain for Growth
24:04 The Power of Honesty
27:48 From Self-Hatred to Self-Love
31:20 Releasing Suppressed Emotions
34:24 Long-Term Thinking for Recovery
38:33 Playing Big for Big Results
40:57 Recap and Final Thoughts
PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast Website: https://www.overcomingptsd.com/
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-overcoming-ptsd-podcast/id1444342036
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4rQm0kZjQukx9nKAd2KcQH?si=8e9SjnuIQdG45Skmzn48Iw
– RSS: https://feed.podbean.com/overcomingptsd/feed.xml
FOLLOW & CONNECT:
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OvercomingPTSD?sub_confirmation=1
Welcome to Overcoming PTSD! I’m Brad Schipke, your host and guide on this journey of healing and transformation. As someone who has walked the path from trauma to recovery, I understand the challenges, fears, and doubts that come with PTSD - and more importantly, I know the way forward.
Each week, I bring you powerful conversations, practical tools, and transformative insights about healing from trauma and PTSD. We explore everything from managing anxiety and depression to rebuilding relationships, conquering addiction, and ultimately creating a life filled with joy, peace, and purpose. Through intimate interviews with survivors, discussions with experts, and sharing of proven healing techniques, this podcast offers both hope and practical guidance for your recovery journey.
My own path has led me from the depths of PTSD and addiction to a life I once couldn’t imagine was possible - one filled with genuine joy, deep connections, and inner peace. This transformation fuels my passion for showing others what’s possible. Every episode is crafted with one goal in mind: to provide you with the knowledge, tools, and inspiration you need to heal completely from PTSD and repair the damage it’s caused in your life.
Whether you’re just beginning to understand your trauma, well along your healing journey, or supporting someone with PTSD, you’ll find valuable insights and practical strategies here. From exploring cutting-edge healing techniques to sharing real stories of recovery, we dive deep into what it truly takes to overcome PTSD and create lasting transformation.
Even if you don’t believe healing is possible for you right now, I do. I’ve witnessed countless individuals transform their lives, and I’m here to tell you that full recovery isn’t just a dream - it’s an achievable reality. You deserve a life free from the weight of trauma, and I’m committed to helping you get there.
Join me every Monday as we explore the path to healing, growth, and transformation. Together, we’ll discover not just how to survive trauma, but how to thrive beyond it.
You can do this. You do deserve this. And you don’t have to do it alone.
Italia