Overcoming PTSD with Brad Schipke

Struggling with trauma/PTSD and need help? Join my private recovery community here and get my 9 best relief tools 100% FREE: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
In today’s Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching session, Brad breaks down one of the most confusing PTSD symptoms: dissociation. Many trauma survivors feel like triggers come “out of nowhere” — they zone out, disconnect, or lose awareness before they even realize something happened.
Brad explains what’s actually happening in the brain during a trigger, why your survival system reacts as if you’re facing real danger, and how dissociation is not a malfunction — it’s protection. Using the “dinosaur brain” metaphor, he shows how the nervous system prioritizes survival over awareness, logic, and memory.
Most importantly, this episode becomes a practical workshop on how to reverse-engineer dissociation. Brad walks through step-by-step awareness exercises to help you identify hidden triggers by working backward from the moment you “snap back” into reality. Over time, this builds the awareness needed to catch triggers earlier and regain control.
If dissociation feels invisible, random, or impossible to understand — this episode gives you a roadmap.
💡 What You’ll Learn
Why dissociation is a protection response, not a failure
What your brain is doing during a PTSD trigger
The “dinosaur brain” survival system explained simply
Why logic shuts down during perceived danger
How to track triggers you didn’t consciously notice
A journaling method to reverse-engineer dissociation
How to build awareness in the moments before a trigger
Why fighting your brain makes triggers stronger
How to work with your nervous system instead of against it
🧠 Key Takeaway
Your brain isn’t broken — it’s protecting you. Awareness is the bridge that turns dissociation from mystery into something you can work with.
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
01:10 Today's Topic: Triggers and Dissociation
01:37 Community Engagement and Announcements
02:50 Understanding Triggers and Dissociation
05:08 The Brain's Response to Danger
08:39 Identifying and Managing Triggers
22:16 Understanding Dissociation and Triggers
23:22 Identifying the Trigger Points
24:43 Journaling to Build Awareness
25:23 Working Backwards to Find the Cause
25:58 Approaching from a Different Angle
26:44 Building Awareness and Gathering Data
29:55 Managing Triggers in Real-Time
34:16 The Lazy River vs. The Rapids Analogy
36:22 Finding Moments of Relief
38:50 Strengthening Your Control Muscle
43:21 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Sessions
 
Topics Covered:PTSD triggers • dissociation • trauma brain • survival response • nervous system regulation • awareness training • emotional triggers • trauma protection mechanisms • PTSD recovery tools • grounding and presence • reverse engineering triggers • journaling for healing • dinosaur brain metaphor • trauma education • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Struggling with trauma/PTSD and need help? Join my private recovery community here and get my 9 best relief tools 100% FREE: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
In this Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching session, Brad and Kayleen walk through a powerful 4-step framework for healing abandonment and betrayal — and explain why most people try to process pain too early and accidentally stay stuck.
They show how the mind naturally obsesses over the other person after betrayal, replaying questions, scenarios, and imagined futures. Instead of fighting obsession, they teach you how to redirect it toward gratitude, hope, and belief in your own capability. This shift builds the psychological foundation needed for real trauma processing to work.
The episode breaks down why turning focus inward, creating space, enforcing boundaries, and only then processing pain creates momentum instead of burnout. Through practical examples and exercises, they demonstrate how to transform destructive thought loops into constructive ones that support recovery.
💡 What You’ll Learn
The 4-step framework for healing abandonment and betrayal
Why obsessing is natural — and how to redirect it productively
How external focus keeps you trapped in pain
The difference between negative and positive obsession
How to build hope without forcing fake positivity
Why mindset must come before trauma processing
How gratitude works even in painful situations
How imagined futures shape emotional reality
Why boundaries are essential before healing work
How to stop spinning your wheels in recovery
🧠 Key Takeaway
You don’t stop obsessing after betrayal — you retrain obsession to work for you instead of against you.
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
01:35 Recap of Yesterday's Session
10:22 Framework for Abandonment and Betrayal
11:37 Step 1: Turn Your Focus Inward
12:20 Step 2: Take Time and Space
12:33 Step 3: Enforce New Boundaries
13:03 Step 4: Process the Pain
28:13 Focusing on Positivity
28:22 Steps to Gratitude and Belief
29:00 Importance of Incremental Steps
29:44 Turning Focus Inward
30:03 Taking Time and Space for Yourself
31:54 Avoiding Rash Decisions
36:59 Setting and Adjusting Boundaries
42:35 Enforcing Boundaries
45:06 The Power of Honesty
50:48 Creating a New Reality
54:50 Conclusion and Announcements
 
Topics Covered:
PTSD recovery • abandonment trauma • betrayal healing • emotional regulation • trauma processing • mindset training • obsession loops • gratitude practice • boundaries after betrayal • relationship trauma • nervous system healing • recovery routines • internal focus • trauma framework • self-trust • emotional resilience • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Struggling with betrayal or abandonment trauma? Join my private recovery community and get my 9 best relief tools 100% FREE: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
In today’s Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching session, Brad and Kayleen tackle one of the most requested topics from their audience: betrayal and abandonment trauma. They explore how these wounds don’t always look like obvious cheating or physical abandonment — sometimes they show up as emotional rejection, not being heard, or repeatedly feeling unseen in relationships.
Kayleen shares how betrayal and abandonment were the hardest part of her entire healing journey — even harder than other traumas — because the trigger lived inside her own thoughts. Avoiding people and places didn’t work. The pain followed her everywhere. The breakthrough came when she realized the real battlefield was her mind.
Instead of trying to suppress thoughts (which makes them stronger), she built a new mental path: consciously directing attention toward growth-focused thinking. Brad and Kayleen introduce a simple but powerful framework for healing betrayal by obsessing over three anchors — gratitude for now, hope for the future, and the plan that connects the two. This approach doesn’t numb pain; it builds inner strength so healing becomes permanent rather than temporary.
💡 What You’ll Learn
Why betrayal and abandonment feel uniquely devastating
The hidden emotional forms of betrayal people often miss
How rumination keeps trauma alive
Why suppressing thoughts makes them stronger
The difference between coping and real healing
How to redirect your mind without forcing it
The 3-anchor framework: gratitude, hope, and direction
How to stop triggering yourself with your own thoughts
Why inner strength is built through this process
How this journey creates the strongest version of you
🧠 Key Takeaway
Healing betrayal isn’t about avoiding pain — it’s about training your mind to walk a stronger path until pain loses control over you.
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
01:15 Today's Topic: Betrayal and Abandonment
02:06 Personal Experiences and Emotional Impact
04:00 Engagement and Audience Interaction
04:57 Understanding Emotional Betrayal
06:09 The Journey of Healing
12:53 Identifying and Managing Triggers
16:16 Mindset and Thought Control
20:17 Creating a New Path Forward
25:20 Gratitude and Hope for the Future
28:12 Bridging the Gap: From Pain to Hope
28:31 The Power of Self-Affirmation
30:03 Daily Rituals for Healing
30:51 The Impact of Obsession
31:51 Understanding the Belief Cycle
36:24 Applying the Framework to Life Challenges
37:25 The Ultimate Self-Development Journey
45:21 Concluding Thoughts and Next Steps
 
Topics Covered:
betrayal trauma • abandonment wounds • PTSD recovery • emotional healing • rumination • mindset training • trauma processing • emotional triggers • trust rebuilding • self-worth • inner strength • relationship trauma • healing frameworks • nervous system regulation • thought control • recovery routines • accelerated healing • trauma coping tools • emotional resilience • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
 
 
 

Struggling with trauma/PTSD and need help? Join my private recovery community here and get my 9 best relief tools 100% FREE: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
n this solo coaching session, Brad walks listeners through a practical, no-excuses framework for moving forward in trauma recovery. Instead of abstract motivation, he focuses on measurable accountability: identifying the single biggest trauma or belief to work on, and committing specific hours to processing it.
This episode functions like a one-on-one coaching call. Brad guides you to pinpoint the one issue creating the most emotional disturbance, extract the core belief attached to it, and plug that data into the processing tools. He explains why trying to heal everything at once leads to scattered progress—and why focusing on one target creates momentum and visible wins.
The core message is simple: healing is driven by time spent processing. Just like building muscle requires time under the bar, recovery requires consistent time in the tools. Brad also introduces a practical planning system—what / when / where—to remove excuses and turn intentions into scheduled action.
💡 What You’ll Learn
How to identify the single trauma that will create the biggest breakthrough
How to extract the belief attached to a painful memory
Why pain signals where healing work is needed most
How scattered focus slows recovery
The power of working one trauma to completion
Why recovery is a discovery process (you don’t need all answers to start)
How to set a weekly processing hour goal
The “what / when / where” planning framework
How to remove mental loopholes that sabotage follow-through
Why consistency beats intensity
How confidence builds by starting with manageable targets
The accountability metric that predicts long-term healing
🧠 Key Takeaway
The people who heal are the people who put in the time. Focus on one trauma, schedule your processing, and execute consistently.
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction and Session Overview
00:53 Setting the Stage for Personal Accountability
02:17 Identifying Your Biggest Challenge
04:28 Focusing on One Trauma and Belief
07:10 The Importance of Processing Time
12:05 Interactive Q&A and Real-Life Examples
20:40 Planning Your Processing Routine
26:39 Understanding Macro and Micro Distress Levels
27:13 Tracking Distress and Accountability
28:06 Focusing on Processing Time
28:29 Simplifying the Healing Process
29:07 The Power of Consistency and Focus
30:07 Engaging with Processing Tools
41:39 The Importance of Sleep in Healing
44:16 Overcoming Challenges in Recovery
51:10 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
 
Topics Covered:
PTSD recovery • trauma processing • emotional healing • accountability in recovery • belief work • introspective healing • protector work • bilateral processing • challenging beliefs • healing routines • recovery planning • trauma focus • emotional pain processing • mindset for recovery • healing structure • consistency in healing • self-guided trauma work • recovery coaching • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Struggling with trauma/PTSD and need help? Join my private recovery community here and get my 9 best relief tools 100% FREE: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
In today’s workshop-style coaching session, Brad and Kayleen teach three foundational mental skills that directly shape trauma recovery: gratitude, self-talk, and affirmations — but with a twist. Instead of using these tools in a general way, they show how to apply constraints to make them more powerful in moments of pain, abandonment, betrayal, or emotional stress.
The core idea is simple but profound: you cannot stop thinking about something by force — you replace it by choosing what to think about. Avoidance strengthens fear. Directed focus builds strength.
Through live exercises with the audience, they demonstrate how to find gratitude inside difficult situations, how to use future-focused self-talk to build hope, and how intentional thought patterns can become a trained skill rather than a random emotional reaction. This episode is less lecture and more mental workout — a practical training session for strengthening the “thought muscle” that determines how fast and how well you heal.
💡 What You’ll Learn
Why trying not to think about pain actually makes it stronger
How to redirect focus instead of fighting your thoughts
A workshop exercise for finding gratitude inside hardship
Why constraints increase mental power and creativity
How to train your brain like a muscle
The link between gratitude and emotional resilience
Future-focused self-talk that builds hope
How to turn challenges into growth instead of shutdown
Why pain can become a source of strength and perspective
The mental habits that accelerate trauma recovery
🧠 Key Takeaway
You don’t heal by suppressing thoughts — you heal by choosing better ones and practicing them until they become automatic.
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Starting the Live Session
01:10 Upcoming Workshop Preview
01:58 Introduction to Key Skills
04:40 The Power of Thoughts
08:17 Gratitude Exercise
21:16 Self-Talk Techniques
24:28 Patch Sharing Insights
24:33 Humanity and Self-Talk
25:11 Positive Self-Talk About the Future
29:19 Affirmations and Bridging the Gap
36:33 Final Exercise: Gratitude, Self-Talk, and Affirmations
45:44 Conclusion and Next Steps
 
Topics Covered:
PTSD recovery • trauma healing • gratitude practice • self-talk • affirmations • mental resilience • emotional regulation • abandonment trauma • betrayal trauma • thought patterns • nervous system healing • focus training • mindset shifts • healing workshops • recovery tools • introspective healing • coping skills • trauma processing • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Struggling with trauma/PTSD and need help? Join my private recovery community here and get my 9 best relief tools 100% FREE: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
In today’s session, Brad and Kayleen unpack anger through a trauma lens — not as a character flaw, but as a protective response sitting on top of deeper emotions like fear, hurt, and loss. Using real relationship examples and a vivid story about fear turning into anger in seconds, they explain why anger is a top-level emotion and how misunderstanding it can damage self-worth, relationships, and healing.
They explore both sides of anger: being the one who explodes and being the one on the receiving end. The conversation shows how insecurity, guilt, ego, and compassion all play a role — and how learning to see anger as protection (instead of personal attack) creates space for healthier responses.
The key shift is learning to bring compassion first, check the ego, and avoid absorbing someone else’s pain as your identity. This episode gives a practical mental framework for de-escalating conflict, protecting your self-concept, and responding to anger without shame, guilt, or escalation.
💡 What You’ll Learn
Why anger is usually covering fear, pain, or insecurity
The “iceberg model” of anger and trauma
How guilt and low self-worth form when you absorb others’ anger
Why anger often isn’t about the present moment
How ego fuels escalation on both sides
The difference between compassion and submission
How to step back without abandoning yourself
Why shame about anger makes recovery harder
How to protect your identity during conflict
A practical sequence: compassion → humility → space
🧠 Key Takeaway
Anger is rarely the real emotion — it’s a shield protecting pain. When you see that clearly, you stop fighting the person and start understanding the wound.
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
01:05 Celebrating Kayleen's Birthday
01:22 Today's Topic: Understanding Anger
02:08 Personal Experiences with Anger
05:45 The Story of Shiloh and the Seal
14:09 Compassion and Ego in Anger Management
26:31 Choosing the High Road in Conflict
27:15 Understanding Anger and Its Triggers
29:18 The Importance of Perspective in Relationships
30:13 Recognizing and Controlling Anger
39:53 Behavior Change and Progress
44:20 Final Thoughts and Announcements
 
Topics Covered:
PTSD anger • trauma and relationships • emotional regulation • anger management • trauma triggers • shame and guilt • ego in conflict • nervous system protection • healing communication • compassion in relationships • trauma defense mechanisms • self-worth and identity • emotional triggers • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Struggling with trauma/PTSD and need help? Join my private recovery community here and get my 9 best relief tools 100% FREE: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
In today’s Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching session, Brad and Kayleen talk about comparison — and why it quietly destroys confidence, healing momentum, and self-worth in trauma recovery.
Most comparison is based on a snapshot. A sliver of someone else’s life. A highlight moment with none of the backstory. We see someone laughing with their family, succeeding financially, looking healthy, or appearing confident… and we subconsciously assume their life has always been that way.
But we’re comparing our behind-the-scenes struggle to their polished moment.
Kayleen shares a powerful real-life story about meeting a stranger who envied her family dynamic after seeing one joyful night — without knowing the years of pain and work it took to build those relationships. That moment becomes the foundation for a deeper lesson: comparison without context creates false conclusions.
Instead of using comparison as a weapon against yourself, the episode reframes it as data. Information you can study. Inspiration you can learn from. A roadmap rather than a verdict.
💡 What You’ll Learn
Why comparison is based on incomplete information
How highlight moments distort reality
The danger of pedestal thinking
Why success and happiness are earned, not accidental
How to turn jealousy into curiosity
A healthier measuring stick for progress
Why everyone is ahead in some areas and behind in others
How humility accelerates growth
How to use other people’s success as instruction instead of proof you’re failing
🧠 Key Takeaway
You are not behind. You’re in a different chapter. And chapters are written, not assigned.
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction to Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
00:36 Welcome to the Live Coaching Call
01:06 Mindset Monday: The Dangers of Comparison
02:33 Understanding the Impact of Comparison
08:00 Personal Story: The Importance of Context
13:54 Lessons from the Weekend
17:11 The Value of Hard Work and Persistence
24:57 Embracing Humility for Personal Growth
25:42 The Power of Asking for Guidance
26:51 Finding the Right Environment for Growth
27:56 Creating Connections Through Shared Experiences
29:24 Admiring and Learning from Others
32:12 Celebrating Others to Elevate Yourself
33:47 The Impact of Positive Thinking
39:03 Final Thoughts and Challenges
 
Topics Covered:
comparison mindset • PTSD recovery • trauma healing • self-worth • emotional resilience • jealousy and healing • growth mindset • confidence rebuilding • nervous system recovery • trauma perspective • personal progress • mental reframing • healing journey • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Struggling with trauma/PTSD and need help? Join my private recovery community here and get my 9 best relief tools 100% FREE: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
In this Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching session, Brad breaks down one of the most powerful and long-lasting skills from the trauma recovery journey: visualization. Unlike many tools that fade once healing is complete, visualization is a skill Brad still uses every day to stay focused, grounded, and in control of his mind.
The session explores how visualization isn’t something you “learn” from scratch—it’s something your brain already does constantly. From daydreaming to worst-case-scenario thinking, your mind is visualizing whether you realize it or not. The key to recovery and emotional regulation is learning how to take conscious control of that process instead of letting it run automatically.
Brad explains how visualization strengthens the mental muscle of control, helping you interrupt negative thought loops, reduce PTSD triggers, improve focus, and even prepare your brain for success before the day begins. Through practical examples—from managing nausea on a turbulent flight to improving sleep and productivity—this episode shows how visualization becomes a foundation for long-term trauma healing and daily life mastery.
💡 What You’ll Learn
Why visualization is one of the most important long-term PTSD recovery skills
How your brain constantly visualizes even when you aren’t aware of it
The difference between negative, neutral, and positive visualization
How visualization builds the mental muscle of control and focus
Why practicing visualization before you need it makes it more effective
How visualization helps stop worst-case-scenario thinking
Using safe space visualization for triggers, flashbacks, and anxiety
How visualizing your day improves sleep and daily performance
Why visualization works even for people with ADHD or racing thoughts
🧠 Key Takeaway
Visualization isn’t about imagining a perfect future—it’s about training your brain to go where you choose instead of where trauma pulls it.
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit: https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
01:26 Engagement and Announcements
02:53 The Power of Visualization
05:44 Practical Applications of Visualization
09:06 Harnessing Focus and Control
12:46 Challenges of Multitasking
15:18 Strategies for Effective Focus
25:41 Balancing Multiple Tasks
26:23 The Importance of Discipline
26:48 Visualization Techniques for Focus
27:33 Training Exercises with Shiloh
30:23 Visualization in Daily Life
40:38 Planning and Organizing Projects
43:11 Visualization Tools and Techniques
44:55 Interactive Q&A Session
45:04 Upcoming Events and Birthdays
48:34 Final Thoughts and Farewell
 
Topics Covered:
PTSD recovery • trauma healing • visualization techniques • mental control • emotional regulation • nervous system regulation • safe space visualization • trauma coping tools • focus and mindfulness • ADHD and trauma • negative thought patterns • worst case scenario thinking • PTSD triggers • anxiety management • sleep and trauma • productivity after trauma • recovery routines • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching