Have you ever noticed how easy it is to find "proof" that you're unlovable, unsafe, or destined to be abandoned—while your brain somehow overlooks all the moments you were actually cared for and supported? That's not you being dramatic or broken. That's confirmation bias, and after trauma, it becomes a powerful filter that keeps you stuck in old pain.

In this episode of Beyond Survival: A Pathway to Peace, Naomi unpacks how confirmation bias works in a trauma-impacted brain, how it feeds beliefs like "Everyone always leaves me," and why your nervous system clings to those stories as a form of protection. You'll hear a personal example from Naomi's own life, plus relatable everyday scenarios in relationships, work, and friendships where this bias quietly shapes how you see yourself and others.

Most importantly, you'll learn gentle, practical tools to start shifting it. Naomi walks you through:

• A simple CBT "proof list" journaling exercise to test your painful beliefs and collect evidence for new, truer ones

• Compassionate ways to honor how those beliefs once kept you safe, without letting them run your adult life

• Somatic practices like progressive muscle relaxation, resourcing (creating an internal safe place), and grounding movement to help your body feel the safety your mind is relearning

This episode is for you if you:

• Feel stuck in cycles of "I knew this would happen" and worst-case thinking

• Struggle to trust others, even when they've shown up for you

• Want to understand why your brain does this and how to gently retrain it without shaming yourself

By the end, you'll have both language and tools to notice your confirmation bias in real time, question whether it's telling the whole truth, and slowly teach your brain and body to look for evidence of safety, love, and support. One thought, one breath, one list at a time, you can move from surviving old stories to living in a fuller, kinder reality.

Tired of affirmations that feel like lies? In this episode of Beyond Survival: A Pathway to Peace, trauma-informed coach Naomi Stanchfield reveals Stepping Stone Thoughts—her gentle, body-honoring adaptation of CBT's thought ladder.

Discover why trauma-wired thoughts like "I don't deserve love" trigger anxiety spirals, how your body reveals believable next steps, and practical ways to build from pain to self-worth—one micro-shift at a time. Through personal stories, somatic check-ins, and examples like Sarah's relationship breakthrough, you'll learn to:

• Spot the CBT triangle in real life

• Test thoughts for body-truth

• Create your own stepping stones (with free worksheet link!)

• Embrace neuroplasticity without perfectionism

Perfect for anyone healing self-doubt, relationship wounds, or negativity bias. No leaps required—just compassionate steps forward.

Download the Stepping Stone Thoughts worksheet and start today.
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Do you struggle to remember the good times but replay every argument, mistake, or potential disaster on repeat? You're not broken—this is negativity bias at work, your brain's evolutionary survival tool that prioritizes threats over joy. In this expanded episode of Beyond Survival: A Pathway to Peace, we explore why negativity bias feels especially intense after trauma, how it fuels anxiety, depression, poor sleep, and even physical health strain—and most importantly, gentle ways to retrain your brain toward balance.​

From caveman survival instincts to modern-day spirals (like scanning for rejection in every text), hear personal stories of mistaking hypervigilance for a "superpower," plus research on how trauma heightens threat detection and PTSD symptoms. You'll get trauma-informed tools including Stepping Stone Thoughts (CBT bridges to kinder self-talk), somatic grounding, mindful movement, body scans, and realistic gratitude practices that honor your pain without toxic positivity.​

Discover neuroplasticity's hope: small, consistent shifts create new pathways for safety, resilience, and noticing goodness again. Perfect for trauma survivors ready for compassion over perfection—no tiger-chasing required.​

Key takeaways: Awareness as step one, why your body signals bias first, health impacts from amygdala overdrive to weakened immunity, and proof your brain can heal.​

Listen if you're tired of "Negative Nancy" loops and want embodied skills for peace. Share with someone scanning for danger today.

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