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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Healing Is a Journey: The Spiral Beyond "Fixed"

Healing after trauma is so often sold as a finish line: one day you'll be "over it," never triggered, never overwhelmed again. In this episode, Naomi gently unpacks why that expectation keeps you stuck—and offers a much more honest, hopeful map. You'll explore healing as a journey and a spiral, not a destination, so you can stop wondering "Why am I not better yet?" and start noticing the real progress you're already making.

Naomi shares her own story of chasing the "fixed" fantasy, then discovering the spiral of change: stages like pre‑contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and revisiting old patterns. You'll learn why it's normal to hit plateaus, feel like you're getting worse, or circle back to behaviors you thought you'd "dealt with," and how neuroplasticity and your nervous system make healing non‑linear by design.

From there, you'll get concrete, trauma‑informed tools to support you on the path. Naomi walks you through somatic practices like 4‑7‑8 breathing, orienting, and gentle movement, paired with CBT‑style thought tracking and reframes to calm your body and rewire old stories. You'll also try a short guided "Journey Reset" practice you can return to whenever you feel overwhelmed.

Finally, this episode explores why healing isn't meant to be done alone. Naomi talks about the power of co‑regulation, safe relationships, therapy, coaching, and community support—and invites you to see reaching out as wisdom, not weakness. If you've ever felt behind, broken, or frustrated with your progress, this conversation will remind you that you're not failing; you're walking a very human, very courageous spiral of healing at your own pace.

Trauma-Informed New Year's Resolutions: Goals That Actually Stick

Tired of resolutions crashing after days or weeks? Trauma survivors face unique barriers—perfectionism traps, failure avoidance, decision fatigue, and time blindness that blur progress. Discover why traditional goals derail post-trauma and get your complete toolkit for 2026 success: values-aligned SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound), minimum viable steps for low-capacity days, brain-rewiring celebrations, and somatic body checks for nervous system safety first.​

Real examples: Transform "start healing" into "therapy 1x/week, Feb-July." Map bite-sized roadmaps that respect your energy. Counter negativity bias with dopamine-boosting wins. No perfection pressure—just flexible progress that builds confidence and momentum.

Episode Highlights:

• Spot past patterns (rigid? vague? shame quits?)

• Align goals with YOUR values (family, learning, kindness, helping)

• Beat decision fatigue with pre-planned paths

• Celebrate tiny wins to rewire neural pathways

Perfect for trauma survivors ready to thrive beyond survival. Free New Year's Resolutions Worksheet in show notes.

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Ever catch yourself thinking, "Why does this always happen to me?" or feeling like life is happening to you, not with you? In this episode of Beyond Survival: A Pathway to Peace, Naomi unpacks what victim mentality really is, how it often grows out of trauma, and why it can quietly keep you stuck in cycles of blame, resentment, and helplessness. You'll learn how to tell the difference between trauma responses (your nervous system trying to protect you) and a victim mindset (a learned way of thinking and feeling about your life).

Naomi shares parts of her own story, plus Sarah's transformation from blaming her partner in every argument to owning her defensiveness and creating a safer, more connected relationship. You'll explore behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and relational signs of victim mentality, then walk through practical tools to shift into a survivor mindset: stepping-stone thoughts (why big affirmations don't work and what to do instead), thought records, gratitude and strength inventories, body-based practices, and self-compassion.

This episode is for you if you're tired of feeling powerless and are ready to gently reclaim your agency—without denying your pain, minimizing your trauma, or forcing "good vibes only." You'll leave with concrete, trauma-informed practices to start moving from victimhood to surviving, and eventually, to thriving.

From Numb to Noticing: Safely Reconnecting With Your Emotions

Emotions are not the enemy—they're survival tools. But if you've lived through trauma, your nervous system may have learned that feelings equal danger, leading to numbness, overwhelm, or a total disconnect from what you feel. In this episode of Beyond Survival: A Pathway to Peace, Naomi gently unpacks why so many survivors avoid their emotions and how this protective strategy shows up in the body, mind, and relationships.​

You'll learn the real purpose of emotions like fear, anger, sadness, and joy, and how childhood messages such as "stop crying" or "be a man" shape lifelong patterns of emotional suppression. Naomi then shares trauma-informed CBT and somatic tools—thought awareness, body mapping, body scanning, mindful breathing, journaling, and safe self-touch—to help you start noticing, naming, and processing emotions at a pace that feels safe for your nervous system.​​

This episode is for you if you feel numb, "too much," or terrified of what might happen if you let yourself feel. You'll walk away with practical practices, compassionate reframes, and the reminder that emotions are not obstacles but guides on your healing journey beyond survival and toward peace.

In this episode of Beyond Survival, we explore the profound role gratitude can play in healing from trauma. Discover how simple gratitude practices can shift your brain, calm your body, and open a pathway from pain to peace.

Learn about the many benefits of gratitude—from boosting self-esteem and emotional resilience to improving relationships and physical health. We also address the challenges of gratitude, including toxic positivity, avoidance, and minimizing needs, to ensure your practice is compassionate and authentic.

Join us as we share practical tools like gratitude journaling, self-appreciation, and gratitude letters to help you nurture healing at your own pace. Embrace gratitude as a gentle guide on your journey beyond survival toward true peace.