Overcoming PTSD with Brad Schipke

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
 
In this episode, Brad guides you through simple yet powerful tools to build awareness of your body — a foundational skill for healing trauma and regulating your emotions. You’ll learn how your body signals stress and how to use specific practices to calm your nervous system, release tension, and prepare for deeper processing work.
Brad breaks down three essential relief tools: breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and body scans. These simple methods can reveal where your body is still holding trauma and help you access deeper layers of healing. He also explains why it’s normal to resist relaxation at first — and how to use that awareness to move toward peace instead of away from it.
If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body or struggled to calm down after triggers, this episode will show you how to reconnect and find relief, even in just a few minutes a day.
 
💡 What You’ll Learn
How to use breathing to deactivate your stress response system
The difference between shallow and diaphragmatic (belly) breathing
Why tension in your body reveals where trauma still lives
A quick two-minute muscle relaxation method for fast relief
How to scan your body to build emotional and physical awareness
Why deep breathing can sometimes feel uncomfortable — and what that means
The connection between relaxation, emotional release, and processing
How to develop calm, focused energy throughout your day
Practical weekend exercises to prepare for deeper trauma work
🧠 Key TakeawayWhat’s easy to do is easy not to do — but these simple body awareness tools can change everything when you actually use them.
 
🔗 Next StepsSubscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.
 
CHAPTERS:00:00 Welcome and overview01:30 Why body awareness matters for trauma recovery03:00 The three body awareness tools: breathing, PMR, and body scan08:00 How breathing impacts your stress response12:00 Releasing trauma through breath and body relaxation18:00 How to do a body scan effectively22:00 Progressive muscle relaxation explained26:00 The two-minute version for busy days30:00 Why resistance to deep breathing happens34:00 Q&A on tension, stress, and emotional release40:00 Applying awareness tools to daily life44:00 Preparing for next week’s processing bootcamp
 
Topics Covered:PTSD recovery • trauma healing • body awareness • emotional regulation • nervous system regulation • trauma processing • breathing exercises • progressive muscle relaxation • body scan meditation • trauma coping tools • stress response system • mindfulness for PTSD • somatic healing

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
In this Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching session, Brad breaks down what it really takes to stay sober while you’re still in the thick of PTSD, pain, and triggers. Instead of waiting to be “fully healed” before getting sober, he shows you how the sobriety journey and the healing journey run side by side—and why you can’t afford to postpone one for the other.
Brad explains the crucial difference between the habit of using and the underlying trauma and pain that drive it. Whether your “thing” is alcohol, drugs, food, TV, pornography, spending, video games, or codependent relationships, he helps you validate it as a real addiction or compulsion so you can finally take it seriously and start changing it.
You’ll walk through the addiction cycle of pain–use–pain, why your brain can literally create anxiety and problems just to push you back to the addiction, and how self-talk becomes the deciding factor between relapse and sobriety. Brad also lays out the phases of recovery—from “recovery rehearsal” to the first 90 days to building a life of long-term sobriety.
Most importantly, you’ll learn how to plan for pain, build healthy replacement behaviors, and use commitment, dedication, and moment-by-moment choices to stay sober even on days when it feels like you’re fighting for your next breath.
 
💡 What You’ll Learn
Why addictions and compulsions so often show up alongside PTSD and trauma
The difference between the habit of using and the underlying pain or trauma
How to use self-talk to interrupt the pain use pain addiction cycle
How to validate your “thing” as a real addiction or compulsion so you can change it
How to map the real-life consequences of your addiction and use them as motivation
A practical way to think about the first 90 days of sobriety with PTSD
How to plan healthy replacement behaviors for your triggers and urges
Why commitment and single-minded dedication are crucial for getting and staying sober
How to use everyday recovery tools to ride out urges without relapsing
🧠 Key Takeaway
You don’t have to wait until you’re fully healed from trauma to get sober—your brain can learn to stay sober even while you’re still in pain.
 
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction to Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
00:36 Recap of the Week's Topics
00:49 Understanding Sobriety and PTSD
01:31 Addiction vs. Compulsion
05:30 The Two Journeys of Sobriety
13:39 Breaking the Cycle of Addiction
15:50 The Power of Self-Talk
22:49 Commitment and Dedication to Sobriety
29:30 Breaking the Addiction Cycle
29:55 Exploring Healthy Alternatives
32:07 Understanding Recovery Phases
34:03 Navigating the 90-Day Challenge
37:59 The Power of Self-Talk
41:52 Empowerment and Commitment
53:23 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
 
Topics Covered:
PTSD recovery • PTSD sobriety • trauma healing • trauma and addiction • compulsions and PTSD • breaking the addiction cycle • self-talk for PTSD • nervous system regulation • emotional regulation • trauma coping tools • recovery toolbox tools • 90 days sober • neuroplasticity and trauma • codependency and trauma • addiction recovery coaching

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
 
In this episode, Brad and Kayleen walk you through how to grieve in a wholesome, non-destructive way after trauma, PTSD, or any major loss. Whether you’re grieving a loved one, a pet, your childhood, your sense of self, or “lost years,” you’ll learn a simple process that helps you come out feeling lighter instead of more broken.
They break grief down into practical steps: honestly releasing built-up emotions and then intentionally shifting into gratitude and a more supportive perspective. You’ll hear real-life examples of how this process has helped them move through the loss of people, health, time, and dreams with grace instead of collapse.
You’ll also learn why unprocessed grief compounds over time, creating more triggers, fights, and problems—and how to stop “accumulating losses” and start offloading pain. By the end, you’ll see grief not as something to fear or avoid, but as a powerful healing skill you can practice and even feel confident using for the rest of your life.
 
💡 What You’ll Learn
How to grieve in a way that is wholesome, safe, and non destructive
Why trauma and PTSD can feel like losing years of your life and how to process that loss
The two core steps of healthy grief release emotions and shift into gratitude
How to recognize when you’re truly processing versus when you’re just digging deeper pain
The role of acceptance in grief and why you can’t win a fight with reality
How to spot unhelpful thoughts like never again and I wish it were different before they spiral
Why no loss is too small to matter and how to validate your emotions without judgment
How pain can become a compass that shows you exactly what still needs to be healed
Ways to start building the “grief muscle” now so future losses don’t completely knock you down
🧠 Key Takeaway
Grief becomes healing when you let yourself honestly feel the pain, then choose to focus on what you’re genuinely grateful for instead of what you can’t change.
 
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.
 
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction to Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
00:36 Starting the Live Coaching Session
01:03 Understanding Wholesome Grieving
03:23 Personal Stories of Grieving
07:02 The Process of Releasing Emotions and Shifting to Gratitude
11:31 The Importance of Acceptance and Honesty in Grieving
29:28 Addressing Emotional Beliefs
29:51 The Importance of Emotional Control
30:30 Grieving with Grace
31:07 Upcoming Topics: Sobriety and Addictions
32:39 Building Emotional Control
33:25 The Healing Process
41:01 Processing Trauma
49:34 Combining Physical and Emotional Healing
54:35 Conclusion and Upcoming Events
 
Topics Covered:
PTSD recovery • trauma healing • how to grieve after trauma • grieving lost time with PTSD • emotional regulation • nervous system regulation • healthy grief process • releasing emotions safely • gratitude practice after loss • trauma coping tools • processing grief and regret • acceptance and letting go • inner healing work • recovery secrets daily coaching • non destructive coping skills

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
 
Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
In this powerful session from the Boundaries Bootcamp Bash series, Brad and Kayleen walk you through one of the most transformative exercises in trauma recovery: creating your personal Book of Law. This isn't about controlling others or demanding change from anyone else. It's about defining your standards, writing them down, and committing to enforce them no matter what.
Brad shares how this exact exercise helped Kayleen transform abusive relationships into some of the healthiest ones in her life — without the other people doing a single thing differently. When you change one variable in the equation, the outcome changes. That's the magic of boundaries.
This episode breaks down the difference between negative and positive relationships, teaches you how to write clear boundaries, and most importantly, shows you how to visualize and practice enforcing them before you ever need to. Because when the moment comes, you want your boundary to be second nature — not a negotiation.
💡 What You'll Learn
How to identify negative vs positive relationships in your life
The three things you can do with any negative relationship
How to write your Book of Law with clear, enforceable standards
Why enforcement matters more than the boundary itself
How visualization builds the skill of boundary-setting before you need it
Why staying calm during enforcement means the boundary hasn't been breached
How one person changing the equation transforms the entire relationship
Why "no" is a complete sentence that requires no justification
🧠 Key Takeaway
You don't need anyone else to change in order to transform your relationships. When you respect yourself enough to set and enforce boundaries, others begin to respect you too — and the entire dynamic shifts.
🔗 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 Boundaries Bootcamp Bash
01:57 Understanding and Setting Boundaries
08:04 Identifying Negative Relationships
11:28 Transforming Relationships with Boundaries
17:30 Creating Your Book of Law
30:24 Recognizing the Need for Change
30:56 Setting Boundaries and Visualizing Outcomes
31:55 Handling Feedback and Staying Firm
33:16 The Emotional Impact of Setting Boundaries
35:48 Developing Boundary-Setting Skills
37:26 The Book of Law Exercise
39:06 The Ripple Effect of Boundaries
43:08 Final Thoughts and Q&A
Topics Covered: PTSD recovery • trauma healing • setting boundaries • relationship boundaries • self-boundaries • Book of Law exercise • enforcing boundaries • toxic relationships • negative relationships • positive relationships • self-respect • trauma survivor tools • boundary visualization • emotional regulation • healing relationships • personal standards • communication skills • walking away from conflict • self-care for trauma survivors

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
In this episode, Brad and Kayleen walk you through one of the most important pieces of long-term PTSD recovery: your healing routine. Instead of relying on short bursts of effort or waiting for the next therapy session, you’ll learn how to create a consistent, realistic processing schedule that actually moves you toward full healing.
They break down the three pillars of recovery—mindset, routines, and processing—and show how your daily schedule should be built around them. You’ll hear real examples of clients who committed to regular processing time and resolved some of their worst lifelong traumas in just a few months.
You’ll also discover why “not having time” is usually a signal to redesign your days, not give up on healing. Brad and Kayleen share simple ways to anchor your healing routine to habits you already have, make it more enjoyable, and stop the exhausting cycle of yo-yo progress where you feel better for a bit and then crash again.
Whether you already know processing tools or you’re just getting started, this episode gives you practical ways to start chipping away at your “healing hours” goal so you can reclaim your sleep, your relationships, and your life from PTSD.
 
💡 What You’ll Learn
How to design a realistic healing routine that fits your life
The three pillars of recovery and how they guide your daily schedule
Why consistency in processing beats occasional “big pushes” every time
How to estimate the “100 hours” of trauma processing and chip away at it
Simple ways to pair your healing routine with habits you already do
What to do in your routine if you don’t know formal processing tools yet
How to use rewards and environment to make processing feel safer and more enjoyable
Why “I don’t have time” is really a mindset and prioritization problem
How to stop beating yourself up and build consistency one small win at a time
🧠 Key Takeaway
Consistency in healing is the only magic pill—and every minute you show up to process is a payment toward your freedom from PTSD.
 
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.
 
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction to Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
00:37 Welcome to the Live Session
00:45 Upcoming Processing Bootcamp
01:17 The Importance of a Healing Routine
02:55 Three Pillars of Recovery
06:06 Consistency in Healing
08:09 Real-Life Success Stories
21:59 Overcoming Resistance to Processing
29:50 Creating a Relaxing Processing Routine
30:32 Incorporating Rewards into Your Routine
33:19 The Importance of Consistency and Anchors
38:17 Addressing Sleep Issues Through Processing
44:17 Making Time for Processing and Healing
55:23 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
 
Topics Covered:
PTSD recovery • trauma healing routine • healing routine for PTSD • trauma processing tools • mindset routines processing • emotional regulation • nervous system regulation • trauma coping tools • PTSD and sleep problems • consistency in trauma recovery • overcoming avoidance in PTSD • daily PTSD healing habits • grief and PTSD • sobriety and PTSD • self-coaching for PTSD • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
 
Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
 
In this episode, Brad and Kayleen unpack why compassion is not “soft” work, but a core pillar of PTSD recovery. They show how shifting from judgment to understanding—first toward yourself, then toward others—creates the internal safety your brain needs to heal from trauma.
You’ll hear real stories about family dynamics, difficult parents, and moments of feeling like a “bad mom” or “bad partner,” and how compassion helped reframe those beliefs. Instead of seeing yourself as broken or beyond repair, you’ll learn to see your reactions as a natural response to pain and trauma, not evidence that something is wrong with you.
Brad and Kayleen also explore the difference between compassion and condoning harmful behavior. They talk about boundaries, ongoing abuse, forgiveness, and why the work always starts with you—not the other person changing. By the end, you’ll have a practical, grounded way to bring warmth, understanding, and self-respect into your healing journey.
 
💡 What You’ll Learn
Why compassion is a turning point in PTSD recovery and not a weakness
How seeing yourself from a different perspective reduces shame and self-hate
The difference between understanding someone’s behavior and excusing abuse
How compassion supports forgiveness without abandoning your own needs
Why PTSD is a normal, protective response to trauma—not proof that you’re broken
How to talk to yourself the way you’d talk to a loved one or even your dog
Why healing must start with self-compassion before extending it to others
How compassion makes it easier to set and hold healthy boundaries
Simple ways to let emotions move through the body because “feeling is healing”
🧠 Key Takeaway
You are not broken—PTSD is a natural response to trauma, and when you meet yourself with compassion instead of judgment, real healing finally becomes possible.
 
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.
 
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction to Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
00:36 Starting the Week with Excitement
00:59 The Importance of Compassion
02:43 Personal Anecdotes on Compassion
04:05 Understanding Others' Perspectives
07:13 The Wave: A Lesson in Human Behavior
16:42 Self-Compassion and Healing
23:00 Normalizing PTSD Responses
32:13 Embracing Emotions for Healing
32:33 Q&A Session Begins
32:46 Upcoming Topics and Schedule
33:56 The Power of Self-Talk and Apologies
36:19 Forgiving Yourself and Healing Relationships
44:33 Setting Boundaries and Self-Compassion
59:44 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
 
Topics Covered:
PTSD recovery • trauma healing • self compassion for trauma survivors • PTSD and self forgiveness • emotional regulation • nervous system regulation • trauma coping tools • PTSD triggers and reactions • healing family trauma • boundaries and PTSD • gaslighting and emotional abuse recovery • sobriety and PTSD • grief processing after trauma • inner child healing • protectors and parts work • letting go of shame • recovery mindset • feeling is healing • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
Beating Depression: 5 Practical Tools for PTSD Recovery and Daily MomentumFrom Hopeless to Hopeful: How to Rebuild Energy After TraumaPTSD and Depression: 5 Simple Habits to Lift Your Mood FastTrauma Recovery Toolkit: The “How Can I?” Mindset That Changes EverythingSmile, Move, Heal: Body-Based Tricks to Break PTSD’s Depressive SpiralFrom Stuck to Starting: Goals and Gratitude That Rewire Trauma ThinkingPTSD Morning Rescue: Tiny Wins to Get Out of Bed and Into MotionDepression Demystified: Nervous System Shifts for Trauma SurvivorsThe Momentum Method: Force (Without Self-Shame) for PTSD HealingTrauma and Energy: 5 Daily Moves That Restore Hope and Action
Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
 
In this episode, Brad breaks down five simple, repeatable tools to lift yourself out of a depressive state and back into forward motion. You’ll learn how to create energy on low-motivation days, apply gentle “force” without beating yourself up, and use quick mindset shifts that reliably change your state.
Brad explains why depression often pairs with hopelessness and how to rebuild hope through small, believable goals. He shows how gratitude, future-focused thinking, and a playful “smile exercise” can interrupt negative spirals and get the boulder rolling again.
You’ll also hear real client wins and practical examples—like swapping “I can’t” for “How can I…?”—that turn stuck moments into solvable problems. Expect calm, actionable coaching you can put to work today.
 
💡 What You’ll Learn
Use gentle force to create energy and momentum without self-criticism
Practice daily gratitude to rebuild hope and counter hopelessness
Set believable goals that spark motivation and compound wins
Try the 30-second smile exercise to change your physical and emotional state
Redirect negative rumination into constructive, positive thoughts
Apply the “How can I?” mindset to find solutions in any situation
Leverage body posture and movement to influence mood
Choose enjoyable exercise to boost mood and consistency
Design tiny morning actions that make getting out of bed easier
🧠 Key Takeaway
You can’t wait for motivation—create it with small, kind force and watch momentum do the rest.
 
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.
 
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction to Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
00:36 Welcome to the Live Coaching Call
00:46 Understanding and Overcoming Depression
04:32 The Power of Energy and Force
12:53 Gratitude: A Simple Yet Powerful Tool
15:11 Setting Goals and Building Hope
20:48 The Smile Exercise: Changing Your State
23:58 Positive and Negative Thinking
26:55 The Power of 'How Can I?' Mindset
27:39 Client Success Story: Embracing 'How Can I?'
31:28 Exercise: A Key to Mental and Physical Health
33:48 Q&A: Overcoming Mental Barriers
34:05 Upcoming Sessions and Final Thoughts
39:00 Community Success Stories
42:13 Addressing Repeating Thoughts and Non-Serving Beliefs
49:29 Conclusion and Next Steps
 
Topics Covered:
PTSD recovery • trauma healing • overcoming depression • emotional regulation • nervous system regulation • trauma coping tools • PTSD mindset shifts • gratitude practice • goal setting for trauma survivors • positive self-talk • “How can I?” attitude • body-based mood regulation • exercise for mental health • trauma processing tools • sobriety and PTSD • daily routines for recovery • resilience building • mental fitness habits • reducing rumination • hope and motivation after trauma

Struggling with PTSD and ready to FULLY recover? Join my recovery program here (costs less than a single therapy session): https://www.skool.com/brokentounbreakable
Host: Brad Schipke • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
 
In this Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching session, Brad and Kay tackle a rarely discussed part of healing: grieving lost dreams and missed opportunities caused by PTSD. Instead of only focusing on the original trauma, they explore the hidden grief that shows up as anger, frustration, and sadness when life didn’t go the way you hoped.
You’ll learn a simple, repeatable two-step process: first, release emotions honestly and safely; then, shift beliefs and perspective to accept reality and refocus on the future. Brad shares how acknowledging the loss of time and chances was key to moving from rumination to rebuilding.
The episode also highlights practical tools to regulate emotions, build honest self-expression, and cultivate gratitude and opportunity-spotting. By the end, you’ll know how to stop self-blame, shorten rough days, and transform “what I missed” into momentum for what comes next.
 
💡 What You’ll Learn
Identify and name the grief of lost dreams and missed opportunities
Use a safe, honest process to release anger, sadness, and frustration
Shift from past-fixation to future-focus with acceptance
Reframe beliefs to find opportunities and gratitude after trauma
Shorten the length of bad days by ending self-criticism
Build the muscle of emotional control in real-life situations
Apply case-by-case grief work without overwhelm
Leverage recovery tools like journaling and bilateral processing
Create hopeful goals that make your future bigger than your past
🧠 Key Takeaway
Grieve what you lost, then choose a new meaning—release the pain, reframe the past, and rebuild a future you’re excited to live.
 
🔗 Next Steps
Subscribe for new weekday episodes from the Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching archive.
To go deeper or work with Brad directly, visit https://overcomingptsd.com/consultation.
 
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction to Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching
00:36 Welcome to the Recovery Secret Sail Coaching Session
00:42 Understanding Grief and Loss
03:01 The Impact of PTSD on Life Opportunities
08:25 Processing Grief: Releasing Emotions
19:43 Changing Perspectives and Moving Forward
27:15 Embracing Pain and Growth
27:59 The Journey of Healing
30:29 Building a Future Beyond Pain
33:28 The Importance of Self-Compassion
38:53 Processing Emotions and Thoughts
45:09 Upcoming Topics and Final Thoughts
 
Topics Covered:
PTSD recovery • trauma healing • grieving lost dreams • missed opportunities with PTSD • emotional regulation • releasing emotions • belief and mindset shift • acceptance and reframing • nervous system regulation • trauma coping tools • self-compassion practices • future-focused goals • bilateral processing • journaling for trauma • building resilience after trauma • Overcoming PTSD Podcast • Recovery Secrets Daily Coaching