Mansi Poddar- Trauma Informed Psychotherapist Working Globally

psychotherapist in India by Mansi Poddar

@mansitherapy | www.mansitherapy.com

When we hear the word “trauma”, we often think of a single overwhelming event—an accident, assault, or natural disaster. But trauma isn’t always loud and dramatic. Sometimes, it’s the quiet, ongoing erosion of safety, connection, and self-worth. This is the realm of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD)—a condition that arises from chronic, repeated interpersonal trauma over time, often in childhood or within relationships.

What Is C-PTSD?
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) is a form of trauma response that goes beyond the symptoms of traditional PTSD. While PTSD is often linked to a single traumatic event, C-PTSD stems from prolonged exposure to relational or developmental trauma—such as emotional neglect, abuse, domestic violence, or growing up in an invalidating or unsafe environment.
C-PTSD is not yet recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) but is included in the ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases) by the World Health Organization. Despite this, many trauma-informed therapists and practitioners recognize C-PTSD as a distinct and critical lens through which to understand long-term emotional suffering.

Symptoms of C-PTSD
While C-PTSD shares many symptoms with PTSD—such as flashbacks, hypervigilance, and avoidance—it also includes additional features that make it more complex: • A deep, chronic sense of shame or guilt • Persistent emotional dysregulation (feeling overwhelmed or numb) • Difficulty trusting others or forming healthy relationships • Negative self-beliefs (feeling “broken,” “unworthy,” or “too much”) • Dissociation or feeling disconnected from your body/self • A sense of powerlessness or ongoing threat, even in safe situations
These symptoms often reflect the survival adaptations people made in the face of ongoing, inescapable harm—especially in childhood when the brain and nervous system are still developing.

What Causes C-PTSD?
C-PTSD typically results from ongoing trauma within relationships where there’s a power imbalance or emotional dependency—such as: • Childhood emotional, physical, or sexual abuse • Chronic neglect or invalidation • Growing up with a parent who was emotionally unavailable, mentally ill, or addicted • Domestic violence or controlling relationships • Living in war zones, refugee situations, or systemic oppression
These experiences often erode a person’s sense of identity, safety, and agency, leaving long-term imprints on the nervous system, body, and sense of self.

Healing from C-PTSD
Recovery from C-PTSD is possible—but it requires more than just talk therapy. Because trauma lives not only in the mind but in the body and nervous system, healing must be holistic, somatic, and relational.
At Mansi Therapy, I use an integrative approach—including Somatic Psychology, Attachment work, Narrative Therapy, and Compassionate Inquiry—to help clients: • Build safety within the body • Reconnect with and regulate emotions • Rewrite limiting trauma narratives • Cultivate self-compassion and new relational patterns
Healing is not linear, but with the right support, C-PTSD can become a portal to deeper self-understanding, resilience, and transformation.

If this resonates with you, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to navigate this journey on your own.
📞 Contact me at 9830015724 or visit www.mansitherapy.com to schedule a session.

Disclaimer- the narrations are not based on a particular persons life. They are the descriptions of how trauma and healing manifest in first person voice.

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