Recovery in a toxic environment | Hannah 01 | In Therapy with Alex Howard

[@originalsongsbyadam2883]

I feel for Hannah more than I can put into words. It is so challenging having to navigate unpredictable environments, whether as a child or an adult. Having to revisit those environments again(without much choice) while healing, only to have it compounded by a more global sense of being unseen/unheard/misunderstood/or not respected, truly takes enormous mental strength to navigate, while finding pockets of safety to process feelings amidst it all. I really appreciate Hannah's vulnerability in sharing her story, and am really looking forward to some of the insights and suggestions presented as her healing journey progresses. This is going to be a big victory on so many levels, given how many different areas of life and self are being impacted. I am gaining a lot from each episode, so thank you, Alex, and thanks to each of your clients for all that they are sharing in order to make this happen. It is very helpful seeing a wide variety of people and life circumstances, rather than just seeing generalities of "pushing too much and then getting an infection". Yes, those elements are very important, but seeing the rest of the picture, such as upbringing, and someone's internal world, really brings the rest of the picture together in ways that aren't as commonly presented; and without them being commonly presented, it is easy to think "I am the only one who feels this way. Everyone else just had normal lives, but pushed a little too much and then got an infection". PS Nice job at 16 minutes and 20 seconds. The skyline was a cool transition! Very cinematic.

[@lisamccann1081]

I hope that the "In Therapy" series continues--I have learned so much from these. They have changed my life for the better.

[@Emptynester33]

I resonated so deeply with Hannah that I felt the anxiety well up inside and started to feel sick. With two rather unpredictable parents and then 3 different long-term abusive relationships I seem to always be on "high alert". I have struggled with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and sarcoidosis over 25 years and have gotten somewhat better by overhauling my diet and through therapy but see I still have a ways to go. Thank you for making these videos available to us as they can help many of us and make the world a better place. Thank you Hannah for being so brave!!

[@Skyrunner2]

Very helpful to watch and hear this story. Hannah is very very brave in sharing her story, putting herself out there at different levels and the vulnerability she shares. It gives others strength too. It was resonating to hear from Alex's perspective the explanation of the dynamic in the household. The part of Not having emotional safety resonated for me. I've been on my healing journey for over a decade, I've been finding in recent times that the lack of emotional safety seems to be halting my recovery. It's not all, but that is a big component. Thank you for making this episodes. I like also how cinematic they are. Makes it easier to watch and less triggering for me. 🌸🙏🏽

[@juliafarrants]

Thanks so much for this video. I welcome this topic, it has been a question in my mind as I watched the videos of recovery stories. I had a private fiction in my own head about the recovery stories that I have seen where I saw some ( not all) people who appeared to be well supported, recover relatively quickly. I saw them as being luckier than me. None of this is true. Nobody with ME/CFS has an easy time, being misunderstood is part of the experience. Toxic relationships or families are part of life experience and they drain energy. Most of us have not got the support we would like, or the external environments that are conducive to healing, but we can learn to heal anyway. Hannah is awesome and I appreciate very much indeed what I am learning from these videos. I am rooting for her recovery.

[@daniw.5481]

Awesome, I´m looking forward to following your journey and work around emotions - rooting for you Hannah!!

[@robhasenwinkle]

I can so relate with Hannah's upbringing with her obviously aggressive narcissistic and unstable father - my bio father was very much the same in his instability and unpredictability - he was very controlling and manipulative and like to railroad me and the rest of my bio family into doing what he wanted and he would gaslight us when we talked to him about it. I am proud of my healing journey and in the fact that I am breaking the cycle of abuse

[@spiritualitywithzoe]

I really feel for Hannah it's hard enough to recover in a good home environment nevermind in a toxic environment. This is a brilliant episode and i can't wait to see Hannah's journey

[@xvan9]

I was transfixed by Hannah's story.. Her incredibly challenging recovery circumstances, her CFS story... There is a lot of crossover with my own. Naturally, everyone's story is unique with their own unique challenges, but at 39 years old I was diagnosed with CFS 12 months ago and I spent most of this video nodding my head, saying 'same here!', getting teary and smiling at the things that Alex confirmed Hannah (and myself) have been doing right on our own to help improve our health conditions. I bought Alex's book, signed up to the Fatigue Super Conference and have contemplated becoming a patient at Alex's Optimum Health Clinic because I am beyond desperate to recover myself and get my life on course... I didn't say 'get my life back on track' because I don't believe I was living in a way that benefited my health in the first place. This last year has taught me that. From the outset I would appear to be a high functioning, successful professional, keen creative with a bubbly, brave personality. However, I've managed to live and navigate most of my life living in a state of fear, self doubt and suffering back to back traumas with no proper coping mechanisms or resilience in place. It all adds up over time. Alex if you read this, thank you. After several days, weeks, months of research into my condition I luckily came across an interview you did several years ago with your uncle where you told your own CFS story and all I have found through your work since then has provided me with hope. I so wish hope was enough, but I know I need to learn skills I haven't been practicing before to ensure I can rebuild and protect myself going forward. I don't feel I'm there yet and have quite a journey ahead. Hannah if you also read this, thank you. Your honesty, vulnerability and courage to share your story and help others says a lot about your character. I wish you nothing but good health and strength on your recovery x From Jackie (Melbourne, AUS)

[@kimokeeffe8838]

Thank you Hannah for your eloquence and your vulnerability. Thank you Alex for making this illness less lonely and hopeful!

[@valeriemartin4606]

It makes me happy to see that Hannah has made so much progress and is well on her way to a full recovery! I can relate to her feelings of being unsafe with her father. I have compassion for her father as well, because I know he is reacting from a place of insecurity. I hope he will feel moved to do his own psychological work so they can have a rewarding father-daughter relationship in the future. If he isn't willing to do his own psychological work, I hope Hannah will understand that he is emotionally handicapped and incapable of being the loving father she needs. I hope she will be able to move forward feeling good about herself despite the way he has treated her. Go Hannah!!

[@Fredthemaineswooncat]

Totally relate to difficult parental situation...very much looking forward to hearing rest of journey here. Thank you both for this. Hannah, thank you for your courage and generosity in sharing your story!

[@ruthie5248]

Well done Hannah for your honesty - so glad to see you are coming out the other side. Looking forward to episode 2.

[@lisadennys6045]

Great session! I really relate to the life-long hyper- vigilance pattern/ nervous system fight flight ‘priming’ as a way of being, due to unpredictable/ unsafe feeling induced by parental behaviour. I am working on this type of issue as well, as part of my own chronic Lyme recovery. I am very grateful for these very real and validating videos. Great job, Alex & Hannah!

[@annec8842]

Hannah - thank you immensely for sharing your story and work with us. You are incredibly brave and courageous young woman! You have come a long way on your journey and I look forward to watching how your recovery process continues to unfold. And many thanks to Alex and his crew for bringing us yet another fascinating In Therapy session. Namaste :)

[@kellyjackson30]

Sending healing vibes and hugs to you Hannah

[@AnneFabienneRaven]

This is so moving, I am really touched by Hannah’s story, especially as she is so eloquent and vulnerable in describing and expressing her story. I look forward too, to watching how you help her Alex 🙏❤️🌻❤️🙏

[@monikalowe4771]

Another amazing video Alex, thank you. Hannah, you are such a brave and intelligent woman at such a young age. My heart goes out to you, I very much resonated with your experience of being highly attuned to unpredictable parental behaviour and subconsciously doing things in order to feel emotionally safe. I was also so ashamed of being unwell when reentering the online dating world, but my experience was actually very similar to Hannah’s and quite healing in the sense that people reacted in a very positive and compassionate way. Don’t be afraid to bring positive relationships into your life! The right people will accept you! 🌸💗🌱

[@samsattick]

really enjoed this, thank you. Am a CFS recoverer and resonate with all these experiences Hannah describes. Thank you for the work you are doing to hear and help CFS patients

[@waynewiddowson2692]

Very well done. I appreciated the honesty and how well you, Alex listened to Hannah and enabled her to explore her feelings, etc.

[@MelissaVRamos]

Thank You, Alex and Hannah for this. After watching the Trauma Super Conference 2020 Edition (Day 1) with the Conscious Life annual membership, this is a great tie in with all the speakers on mind and body theme. I learned so much with the 15 guest speakers that I am feeling better, not self-loathing but increasing self love and respect for me, and seeing a forgiveness energy develop for me and all. This is only Day 1!! I had been looking for works like this to help me out for awhile. What a calling!! Listening to Hannah helped me unravel my toxic bully setbacks that I couldn't talk about. I see it from a cultural point of view. But. Seeing Hannah helped me humanized and normalized the stress to setbacks as challenges then trauma to disclose the build up to a diagnosis of mental illnesses. I have been doing work around trauma but this helped me a lot especially Day 1 of TSC 2020! Can't wait to do more work. What a start! Great job on the Conscious Life Annual membership Conferences!

[@jacksrecoverycfs4643]

This is really great! I can relate to her a lot :)

[@frankievalentine6112]

Wow! Hooray for you Hannah. I'm a lesbian also and I really needed to hear your story today

[@DaniellaFagan]

This is such a great story. I recently overcame years of chronic pain with just emotional work. I'd love to feature your work on mytmsjourney.com my chronic conditions recovery website, if you're OK with that? It's refreshing to find professionals don't this kind of work and sharing this content in Britain! OK gonna watch the rest of the episodes now, great job. ❤️❤️