Self-Regulating & Recovering From Childhood PTSD
With Anna Runkle
Anna Runkle, also known as The Crappy Childhood Fairy, shares how our lives get impacted by the traumas caused in childhood and how to reverse those effects with practices that will make you more resilient, heal your brain and nervous system, and heal your life.
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Try these simple, twin techniques that can help calm brain dysregulation and other symptoms of Childhood PTSD. It takes less than an hour to learn and try my "Daily Practice" in this free course.
About Anna Runkle
My name is Anna Runkle, and I teach people to recognize and heal the symptoms of CPTSD and Childhood PTSD. I’m not a doctor or therapist. I’m just someone who grew up with several alcoholics in the family, and all the dynamics that tend to go with that — broken cars in the yard, welfare, emotional neglect, violence and an environment of deep stress. When I grew up, the telltale signs of Childhood PTSD were all there — chronic health problems, depression and anxiety, struggles with relationships — but traditional therapies never seemed to help me.
When I found what DID help, my whole life changed. For 26 years I’ve been teaching people my practical techniques and principles that anyone can use, whether or not they have access to professional help. I focus not so much on what happened in the past, but on healing brain and emotional dysregulation. From there, I help people change the self-defeating behaviors that are common for people who had trauma as kids. I offer courses, coaching and many free tools you’ll find on my website at https://crappychildhoodfairy.com
I loved the interview with Anna and look forward to learning about her daily practice. It sounds like it’s very effective, and certainly very necessary, especially these days. It’s also intriguing because Anna said it was so simple that a 5 year old can do it. And Richa, you are a wonderful interviewer — so present with your guest. Anna’s company name is priceless!
Thanks for your kind comments Bev. And agreed — Richa has a gift for drawing others into a great conversation!
Thank you Anna! You are so interesting and have so much wisdom to share, it made it easy! 🙂
Bev, thank you for your reflection and kind words! I am so glad Anna’s interview brought valuable insights to you, she is amazing!!!
This was insightful I have newly entered a relationship that has put in close contact from children with forms of ptsd and an adult living with the residue of childhood trauma. I will be watching her YouTube to help me understand.
You are awesome for taking the time to learn about it. That is a wonderful gift for those who who have PTSD.
Anna
Her YouTube channel is incredible! You will find even more great content and value. So glad you found what serves, thank you for being here.
Anna – you mentioned a book that you said pilled it all together for you. What was the book?
Hi Dian — the book is “The Body Keeps the Score” by Bessel van der Kolk. Well worth the read (and a good audiobook too)
Anna
GREAT BOOK!!!
I definitely have to laugh when i can about my crappy childhood… people sometimes comment, at least you can laugh about it! But then things got really bad.. But my best days are talking about the crazy days with a childhood friend who also had a very dysfunctional family. And laughing and making her laugh. Also i have had awful experiences with therapists. . . Im so grateful for the work Anna does. And its heaetwarming to hear her share her own struggles and pain. Blessings.
Laughing at our own lives? I am SO WITH YOU on that. Humor is a powerful perspective to have (when it’s not deflection). I am so glad that this interview is serving on your journey. Thank you for your reflections here Elisabeth!
Having reached the end of the hour i just wanted to add that i love the idea of people who do not have access to professional therapists (or dont find them helpful) can try out Anna’s daily writing/letting go technique And perhaps benefit. And use with family or friends. There is such a need for mental health care but not enough available therapists, or money, or impetus to try that route (still a lot of stigma…), in our overly traumatizing world. Especially for underserved populations and communities. I admire Anna for the free videos and weekly live sessions (i didnt know about those) that anyone can check out. Virtual pat on the back for the kind spirit!
Yes yes yes! Her YouTube Channel is a BIG GIFT just by itself! And then there are her practices. She is an incredible mentor and resource. So glad that this interview is serving you on your journey. 🙂
Thank you Elisabeth! In my opinion, laughing is a state of advanced healing!
You are awesome for taking the time to learn about it. That is a wonderful gift for those who who have PTSD.
Anna
Refreshing !
Insightful.
A Breath of fresh air.
Love that laugher is value.
Your childhood sound so similar to mine .
I’m way up there on the ACE score.
The violence etc was one thing the neglect was soul destroying.
The culture of normalising horrific
conditioning.
Thank you
💓
Such a beautiful reflection. Thank you Tina!
Thank you, the courage, the content, the caring is soooo important.
Yes yes yes. So well said – Courage, Caring & Content! All so important. Thank you for being here Maggie!
This was incredibly interesting to me. Thanks for sharing your wisdom! I am really looking forward to try your technique.
So happy that you found this interview helpful, thank you for sharing your reflections here with us and receiving Anna’s gift.
Anna thank you so much. Your balance of humor and authenticity touched my heart and funny bone! Thank u for your heart and for sharing! I look forward to checking out your Daily Practice and YouTube channel. Thank you Richa for putting this program together
Oh Manuela, you are SO welcome. It has been my pleasure, privilege and honor to create this safe and sacred container for healing to happen. I am so happy to see that this conversation is serving you on your journey of transformation. So much love!
Really enjoyed this talk (just like I enjoyed your online bootcamp). Very helpful to hear at 42′ the reasons and mechanisms behind why our gifts are suppressed when we are dysregulated. I’m so glad you are doing this work! Thank you!
Oh Uta, so well said. It is NEVER too late to learn who we are and why we are who we are. Here is to getting our “true” self “online” with the help of experts like Anna, AKA Crappy Childhood Fairy! We love her too!
Thank you for a wonderful interview and amazing insight!
I have one question (or three) that came to my mind during the interview:
How do you (Anna) view people that are already challenge by being a highly sensitive person?
Do their recovery look any different from a person with a more “normal” nervous system?
Is it harder to recovery from trauma if you are higly sensitive?
I had counselling earlier this year (it ended just when the pandemic caused a national lockdown) and just like Anna and alot of people it made me feel worse but the shining light was I heard the words CPTSD. Inputted this into google and found ‘The Crappy Childhood Fairy’ . I have followed Anna ever since and my healing journey began, after all the years questioning what is wrong with me, I finally had the answers and Anna, the word dis regulation was a light bulb moment for me. I also like the word ‘Journey’, as it means that for me, its long or short depending our own goal and I WILL get there in my own time. I have made alot progress. Have been in a relationship for 16 years and my dis regulation meant that every month we were having problems with my 0 to 10 mood swings, flash backs etc but they seldom happen now as I can identify it and say ‘ok your not angry at him, your reacting to your thoughts etc. I have released the anger, resentment, shame and the why me. Just wanted to thank you so much Richa for your amazing work in creating a unique community in bringing all of these speakers together, including yourself. I truly believe that our ‘suffering’ if I can call it that, gives us a gift and what I find is lacking with some people is ’empathy’. We see what others don’t see and I find myself able to recognise those who need help and reach out and hopefully make a difference. Was laughing at Anna saying that her followers were pleased about the isolation the pandemic brings as I posted a comment saying just that as people are my trigger lol. Sorry for the long post. Want to wish you all peace, love, happiness and positive healing x