Exercises for Healing Complex Trauma & PTSD
Understanding Complex PTSD & Trauma Recovery
PTSD and CPTSD (complex PTSD) are mental roadblocks and dysfunction after a traumatic event. While PTSD typically results from a single incident, CPTSD stems from repeated, prolonged trauma, often from childhood trauma, although it can occur in adulthood by domestic abuse, repeated losses and grieving, and war. Those with CPTSD face the same symptoms of PTSD with additional challenges including emotional dysregulation, meaning how you process emotions is dysfunctional, most commonly seen in intimate relationships.
the Role of Physical Exercise in Healing Complex PTSD
Trauma is stored in the body, and while talk therapy only addresses the prefrontal cortex, it may not be enough. Physical exercise not only helps alleviate stress, depression, and anxiety, but also impacts brain regions like the hippocampus, which governs memory and learning. By promoting neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, exercise supports the brain in forming new neural connections.
How to heal complex PTSD:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) exercises for PTSD helps reframe limiting beliefs that have become a stronghold in your mind. After a traumatic event, the brain will create these beliefs as a way to protect yourself from engaging in the same type of trauma. Thoughts with “all” “every” or “never” are sweeping statements that do not allow room for logic or growth. Through CBT, you and your clinician will challenge your limiting beliefs with the goal to overcome your negative thoughts – not with false positives, but with truth and grace.
Mind-Body Exercises for PTSD
Beyond mental exercise, there are many forms of physical exercise that encourage the rewiring of your mind through neuroplasticity. Where to begin depends on your fitness level. General recommendations of exercise to receive healing benefits are at least 90 minutes per week for aerobic (cardio) based exercises, and 50 minutes per week for strength training exercises. The key to either form of physical exercise is mind-body connection, through breathwork and activity engaging your desired muscle groups. Below are some guides to specific exercise modalities to help you along your healing journey:
Beginner’s guide to yoga and calisthenics training: calm your nervous system and ease PTSD
How to train low-intensity cardiovascular system for ptsd relief
Training for Trauma Recovery
At Drip Training, we recognize that trauma and healing are personal experiences. Our tailored programs not only consider your fitness level and goals but also align with your PTSD triggers. Although, we do not talk through your issues as one does in therapy, exercise elicits the same fight-or-flight response in mentally or emotionally triggering situations. By controlling the intensity of your workouts, we stimulate stress responses in a safe environment, teaching you to manage your triggers effectively. This reduces recovery time from stress and raises your resilience to emotional triggers.
Conclusion
Healing from complex PTSD may include more than one modality. Whether you engage in therapy or exercises for PTSD or both, is dependent on your personal needs. Combining physical exercise with therapy or CBT will accelerate and provide a well rounded trauma recovery due to neuroplasticity, which encourages the mental changes you are working on in therapy to hold ground. For more resources on finding and therapists and support groups, click below:
Links to therapists and support groups (found at the bottom of the page)
Links for minority specific resources in mental health (found at the bottom of the page)
Start your coaching from someone who’s lived through PTSD and has now overcome.
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About the Author: Coach Dee
Deborah Park, known as Coach Dee, is the owner of Drip Training LLC and an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach. With a background in architecture and kinesiology from the University of Virginia, she has extensive experience in personal training and athletic coaching in a clinical (physical therapy) setting. Coach Dee combines her scientific knowledge with years of hands-on experience and generational knowledge of food as medicine to create programs that empower clients to regain control over their bodies and minds.
Her journey into personal training was deeply influenced by her personal struggles, including recovering from a life-changing car accident that led to PTSD and pain from scoliosis. This experience gave her a unique understanding of the connection between mental health and physical well-being. Coach Dee is committed to helping clients develop resilience, build strength, and rediscover their confidence—no matter the challenges they face.
