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Re-Regulated: Set Your Life Free from Childhood PTSD and the Trauma-Driven Behaviors That Keep You Stuck
Introducing a radical healing approach for the adult symptoms of Childhood PTSD—from the creator of the Crappy Childhood Fairy program and YouTube channel.
Conventional trauma treatments (talk therapy and medication) simply don't work for many trauma survivors, and now we know why. Researchers have identified the core symptom that drives most other symptoms—neurological dysregulation. It's an injury to your nervous system triggered by abuse and neglect in childhood, and it can profoundly impact your physical health, damage your ability to learn and focus, and hold you back from forming caring relationships.
The good news is that healing is possible, and in Re-Regulated, author Anna Runkle (aka the Crappy Childhood Fairy) shows you how. Chapter by chapter, she teaches you practical steps to identify signs of dysregulation, quickly re-regulate, and then stay regulated more of the time. Drawing from her own experience healing Childhood PTSD symptoms, and her decades of work coaching and mentoring thousands of others working to heal from abuse and neglect in the past, Anna helps you calm triggers, break out of isolation, and change the self-defeating behaviors that are so common for traumatized people. From a regulated state, things can move forward rapidly in every area of your life so you can become your full and real self at last.
You'll learn:
Practical techniques to release trauma-driven thinking and strengthen focus
Principles to overcome trauma-driven thinking and behaviors that hold you back
Strategies to manage overwhelming emotions before they hurt relationships
A process to build your capacity to connect with other people
A "Daily Practice" to help you start each day regulated and energized
Anna's tools can be used on your own or as a complement to professional therapy. With her help, you can achieve calmness and clarity you never imagined possible.
Conventional trauma treatments (talk therapy and medication) simply don't work for many trauma survivors, and now we know why. Researchers have identified the core symptom that drives most other symptoms—neurological dysregulation. It's an injury to your nervous system triggered by abuse and neglect in childhood, and it can profoundly impact your physical health, damage your ability to learn and focus, and hold you back from forming caring relationships.
The good news is that healing is possible, and in Re-Regulated, author Anna Runkle (aka the Crappy Childhood Fairy) shows you how. Chapter by chapter, she teaches you practical steps to identify signs of dysregulation, quickly re-regulate, and then stay regulated more of the time. Drawing from her own experience healing Childhood PTSD symptoms, and her decades of work coaching and mentoring thousands of others working to heal from abuse and neglect in the past, Anna helps you calm triggers, break out of isolation, and change the self-defeating behaviors that are so common for traumatized people. From a regulated state, things can move forward rapidly in every area of your life so you can become your full and real self at last.
You'll learn:
Practical techniques to release trauma-driven thinking and strengthen focus
Principles to overcome trauma-driven thinking and behaviors that hold you back
Strategies to manage overwhelming emotions before they hurt relationships
A process to build your capacity to connect with other people
A "Daily Practice" to help you start each day regulated and energized
Anna's tools can be used on your own or as a complement to professional therapy. With her help, you can achieve calmness and clarity you never imagined possible.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2024
412 people are currently reading
902 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
September 28, 2024
A.R. has a bunch of good advice mixed in with a probably equal amount of crappy advice. She is not qualified to advise people suffering from PTSD in any form. She has made up a category of PTSD that doesn’t exist except in her business. She is a business, by the way. I’ll get to that later. There exists a category of PTSD called complex PTSD. It’s not in the DSM, but it is diagnosed by real professionals. AR has made up a category called Childhood PTSD. It shares an acronym with Complex PTSD: CPTSD. She’s not a mental health professional, is not licensed. But she does have lived experience, which is not nothing.
If you read a book by Pete Walker, a mental health professional who also has lived experience with CPTSD (the legit diagnosis that stands for Complex PTSD), you will find a wealth of helpful explanations for understanding your dis-regulation. Pete Walker is an author and an experienced professional who does not have a membership business that earns revenue by portraying himself as an an expert qualified to treat people for “Childhood” PTSD masquerading as a legit disorder (Complex PTSD).
Why is it a problem that AR misrepresents herself? I mean, lots of people have found her approach to offer relief, right? Leave her alone, you may say. Ask yourself: Would you say this about your neurologist? Food for thought.
If you have survived child abuse, abandonment, and/or neglect, you are likely to be struggling with emotional dis-regulation that is sometimes crippling and often self-sabotaging. AR’s protocol for re-regulation will not injure you any more than attending al-alon would injure you. Like they say, take what you like and leave the rest. She’s right that individual psychotherapy sometimes isn’t effective. Conveniently for her, this implies that you should save your money and spend it on her membership fees, courses, group and individual coaching, and all the rest that she offers.
Another avenue may be to find a better therapist, one who is trauma informed. You could do that and you could also take a meditation course online from Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, which is free, google it. And you could attend al anon which is also free. Take yoga classes or other stress relieving activities. Write in your journal (also free). But if you have money to spare and don’t mind giving it to someone who is misrepresenting herself and making up a diagnosis, then go for it. If you stick to her program you might find that you feel a bit better, or even significantly better. Great.
Just beware that you are being sold a semi-religious program (not a cult) that strongly implies that it is a legitimate treatment for a (made up) psychological disorder based on a layperson’s understanding of neurological scientific findings. This book is a marketing method. AR is now a published author in addition to being a business owner, YouTuber, and survivor of something she calls “Childhood PTSD”. Insurance would not pay for this program because it is not delivered by a licensed professional and is not evidence based. (It’s based on anecdotal evidence and a thin reading of neuroscience and sociological research (ACES study)).
AR will probably end up on Oprah and get her own show like Dr. Phil. This book actually reminds me of that book Oprah promoted: remember “The Secret”? Re-regulated will get you intrigued by AR’s membership community, and coaching services. You will spend gobs of money. You may even enjoy the Facebook group. Buyer beware: this is not mental healthcare. Keep handy a crisis hotline because no one at The Crappy Childhood Fairy will take your call if you become more dis-regulated than you can safely handle on your own.
If you read a book by Pete Walker, a mental health professional who also has lived experience with CPTSD (the legit diagnosis that stands for Complex PTSD), you will find a wealth of helpful explanations for understanding your dis-regulation. Pete Walker is an author and an experienced professional who does not have a membership business that earns revenue by portraying himself as an an expert qualified to treat people for “Childhood” PTSD masquerading as a legit disorder (Complex PTSD).
Why is it a problem that AR misrepresents herself? I mean, lots of people have found her approach to offer relief, right? Leave her alone, you may say. Ask yourself: Would you say this about your neurologist? Food for thought.
If you have survived child abuse, abandonment, and/or neglect, you are likely to be struggling with emotional dis-regulation that is sometimes crippling and often self-sabotaging. AR’s protocol for re-regulation will not injure you any more than attending al-alon would injure you. Like they say, take what you like and leave the rest. She’s right that individual psychotherapy sometimes isn’t effective. Conveniently for her, this implies that you should save your money and spend it on her membership fees, courses, group and individual coaching, and all the rest that she offers.
Another avenue may be to find a better therapist, one who is trauma informed. You could do that and you could also take a meditation course online from Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, which is free, google it. And you could attend al anon which is also free. Take yoga classes or other stress relieving activities. Write in your journal (also free). But if you have money to spare and don’t mind giving it to someone who is misrepresenting herself and making up a diagnosis, then go for it. If you stick to her program you might find that you feel a bit better, or even significantly better. Great.
Just beware that you are being sold a semi-religious program (not a cult) that strongly implies that it is a legitimate treatment for a (made up) psychological disorder based on a layperson’s understanding of neurological scientific findings. This book is a marketing method. AR is now a published author in addition to being a business owner, YouTuber, and survivor of something she calls “Childhood PTSD”. Insurance would not pay for this program because it is not delivered by a licensed professional and is not evidence based. (It’s based on anecdotal evidence and a thin reading of neuroscience and sociological research (ACES study)).
AR will probably end up on Oprah and get her own show like Dr. Phil. This book actually reminds me of that book Oprah promoted: remember “The Secret”? Re-regulated will get you intrigued by AR’s membership community, and coaching services. You will spend gobs of money. You may even enjoy the Facebook group. Buyer beware: this is not mental healthcare. Keep handy a crisis hotline because no one at The Crappy Childhood Fairy will take your call if you become more dis-regulated than you can safely handle on your own.
October 4, 2024
For those that suspect they over-feel, overthink, overdo, and are generally too much, but, also worry they don’t think things through well enough, or say what they mean to, and are basically never enough: there is relief. There is an actual name for it and now, there’s a whole book about it. This book is the work of the ‘Crappy Childhood Fairy’, a YouTuber who teaches about the symptoms and challenges of Complex PTSD. Happily, she focuses on solutions, and emphasizes calming the Emotional Dysregulation so prominent in those with CPTSD. There are no gruesome case studies, no qualifying traumas, and no trauma porn. This is a book that feels like a friendly conversation while tackling the common symptoms of CPTSD. Most importantly, the solutions are do-able, uncomplicated and specific.
I loved this book!
I loved this book!
December 30, 2024
A low 2.5 stars. TL;DR: A companion product for Anna Runkle's Crappy Childhood Fairy brand and business that offers nothing new in comparison to the free resources on her website and YouTube channel. It could be useful if you've never heard of CPTSD or you're at wit's end seeking mental health treatment for an inexplicable low mood and series of unfortunate events that plague your life. However, you can find the same information on the YouTube channel and with the free "Daily Practice" course available through signing up for the newsletter (be sure to unsubscribe after to save your inbox). Additionally, if you've been in the thick of trauma treatment or you want information from the 2010s about treatment for complex PTSD, skip the book. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone whose primary stress/trauma response is freeze where they have shut down and numbed out. I also wouldn't recommend it for anyone who is already familiar with the Crappy Childhood Fairy and the Daily Practice because there is nothing new. If you are familiar with her content, perhaps the workbook sections might help you, or you can pick up the book if you specifically want a written summary of the core Crappy Childhood Fairy content.
First, the context in which I found this book.
I've watched a lot of the Crappy Childhood Fairy videos on YouTube. I even joined the free course for the Daily Practice (the structured writing and meditation technique that Anna swears by as the solution to dysregulation), which required signing up to the email newsletter—and subsequently getting daily emails encouraging me to take the paid courses through Crappy Childhood Fairy, which I unsubscribed from because it was just too much. I can't give an unbiased review of just the book because it's so intertwined with Anna's business (Crappy Childhood Fairy). I had hoped that this book would add on to the hundreds of hours of content on YouTube (which has gotten repetitive), especially with a list price of 20 bucks for <200 pages of content.
Second, the issues I had.
1. CPTSD, as recognized by World Health Organization's ICD, is *complex* PTSD. It is not childhood PTSD. CPTSD can develop in adulthood. It is absolutely not limited to having a crappy childhood, but because Anna's branding is centered on reaching people who had crappy childhoods, this phrase shift feels like a way to make the brand more cohesive. I think this is harmful for any adults whose CPTSD developed in adulthood. While adults with CPTSD generally did survive abusive childhoods, "childhood CPTSD" is Anna's own phrase.
2. The book on its own is repetitive. Some passages were two paragraphs long where the second paragraph just repeated the same points as the previous paragraph, while other passages were repeated in later chapters.
3. It functions as a written companion to the Crappy Childhood Fairy content available online (YouTube, a website) without adding anything new. Even the metaphors and analogies are the same as the videos (leaves on a windshield, aspirin vs toothbrush).
4. Promoting a single tool, even if it's free and costs nothing more than pen and paper, is not useful for an individual or broadly applicable to a wider audience. Relying on one tool, no matter how helpful it is as you use it, doesn't equip you for the variety that comes with life. Anna refers to one severely traumatic event in her adult life where, when she "stopped doing [The Daily Practice]" she "stopped being fixed." In the book, she upholds this as an example to use the Practice, but I see it as a failure of varied coping skills. What would have happened if she had other skills to regulate emotions?
5. The anti-therapy sentiment is so annoying. Trauma-informed therapy does exist, and while there is a brief overview in an early chapter, Anna tends to contradict herself by both promoting her tool as your treatment saviour while also saying nobody can "give" healing. Maybe it's my own experience, but the last two therapists/counsellors I've seen were incredibly helpful because they didn't present themselves as the key to my healing. Anna presents a stereotype of therapy whereby the client relies on the counsellor to give them answers or heal them without the client doing work or guiding the session.
6. My CPTSD didn't make me the type of person who lashes out all the time, damages my relationships, and stew in anger. It made me self-loathing, filled with shame, and numb. Because of this, I didn't relate to a lot of the examples of dysregulation. The examples for dysregulation focus primarily on "fight" responses (with a bit of "flight" when people avoid and tune out of reality/life), rather than providing a more thorough overview of what dysregulation can look like.
7. The "gifts" concept feels awkward to me. I don't think many neurodivergent folks would appreciate the chapter on finding our "gifts" because it feels too close to the repeated lament that we aren't living up to our potential. It's okay to exist in the world without serving others; this chapter had a lot of Christian undertones that I was uncomfortable with, which is a point of reflection I can take away, but it didn't feel encouraging or uplifting for the "final" stage of healing to be centered on how I serve other people... Especially as Anna notes "excessive focus on others" as a self-defeating behaviour.
8. Because the Daily Practice underpins the entire book, it's not an easy "take what you need and leave the rest" book like some self-help materials are. If you don't want to do the Daily Practice, there is very little else that you can take away from the book. It is one-note in its advice: basically, use the Daily Practice and be mindful if you sense conflict or feel like lashing out.
Finally, things I found useful or enjoyable:
Anna has a way of reassuring her viewer or reader in a very friendly way. The book was generally easy to read (and very quick—the final 25% of the book is an appendix, an index, some sources, and general back matter), and I do enjoy how Anna tells stories. The concept of being "sovereign" over my healing (and life) really resonates with me. I've highlighted a few other passages that resonated, so there are little nuggets of insight.
I'm also going to check out "expressive writing" from James Pennebaker, which Anna mentions in the book as similar to her Daily Practice, to see how I can diversify my journalling. I've tried out the Daily Practice, and while I dislike the rigidity of it, I like connecting with my feelings and being mindful of what's bothering me; it gives a space to try and stop ruminating on them too. I destroy the paper by ripping it up, and this is a classic way of expressing anger in a healthy way. Meditation vibes well with me too.
I appreciated the workbook sections. I'm a big fan of having writing homework, like journal prompts, for my mental health. The workbook sections, while brief, were presented easily on the page and gave practical steps or good reflective prompts.
First, the context in which I found this book.
I've watched a lot of the Crappy Childhood Fairy videos on YouTube. I even joined the free course for the Daily Practice (the structured writing and meditation technique that Anna swears by as the solution to dysregulation), which required signing up to the email newsletter—and subsequently getting daily emails encouraging me to take the paid courses through Crappy Childhood Fairy, which I unsubscribed from because it was just too much. I can't give an unbiased review of just the book because it's so intertwined with Anna's business (Crappy Childhood Fairy). I had hoped that this book would add on to the hundreds of hours of content on YouTube (which has gotten repetitive), especially with a list price of 20 bucks for <200 pages of content.
Second, the issues I had.
1. CPTSD, as recognized by World Health Organization's ICD, is *complex* PTSD. It is not childhood PTSD. CPTSD can develop in adulthood. It is absolutely not limited to having a crappy childhood, but because Anna's branding is centered on reaching people who had crappy childhoods, this phrase shift feels like a way to make the brand more cohesive. I think this is harmful for any adults whose CPTSD developed in adulthood. While adults with CPTSD generally did survive abusive childhoods, "childhood CPTSD" is Anna's own phrase.
2. The book on its own is repetitive. Some passages were two paragraphs long where the second paragraph just repeated the same points as the previous paragraph, while other passages were repeated in later chapters.
3. It functions as a written companion to the Crappy Childhood Fairy content available online (YouTube, a website) without adding anything new. Even the metaphors and analogies are the same as the videos (leaves on a windshield, aspirin vs toothbrush).
4. Promoting a single tool, even if it's free and costs nothing more than pen and paper, is not useful for an individual or broadly applicable to a wider audience. Relying on one tool, no matter how helpful it is as you use it, doesn't equip you for the variety that comes with life. Anna refers to one severely traumatic event in her adult life where, when she "stopped doing [The Daily Practice]" she "stopped being fixed." In the book, she upholds this as an example to use the Practice, but I see it as a failure of varied coping skills. What would have happened if she had other skills to regulate emotions?
5. The anti-therapy sentiment is so annoying. Trauma-informed therapy does exist, and while there is a brief overview in an early chapter, Anna tends to contradict herself by both promoting her tool as your treatment saviour while also saying nobody can "give" healing. Maybe it's my own experience, but the last two therapists/counsellors I've seen were incredibly helpful because they didn't present themselves as the key to my healing. Anna presents a stereotype of therapy whereby the client relies on the counsellor to give them answers or heal them without the client doing work or guiding the session.
6. My CPTSD didn't make me the type of person who lashes out all the time, damages my relationships, and stew in anger. It made me self-loathing, filled with shame, and numb. Because of this, I didn't relate to a lot of the examples of dysregulation. The examples for dysregulation focus primarily on "fight" responses (with a bit of "flight" when people avoid and tune out of reality/life), rather than providing a more thorough overview of what dysregulation can look like.
7. The "gifts" concept feels awkward to me. I don't think many neurodivergent folks would appreciate the chapter on finding our "gifts" because it feels too close to the repeated lament that we aren't living up to our potential. It's okay to exist in the world without serving others; this chapter had a lot of Christian undertones that I was uncomfortable with, which is a point of reflection I can take away, but it didn't feel encouraging or uplifting for the "final" stage of healing to be centered on how I serve other people... Especially as Anna notes "excessive focus on others" as a self-defeating behaviour.
8. Because the Daily Practice underpins the entire book, it's not an easy "take what you need and leave the rest" book like some self-help materials are. If you don't want to do the Daily Practice, there is very little else that you can take away from the book. It is one-note in its advice: basically, use the Daily Practice and be mindful if you sense conflict or feel like lashing out.
Finally, things I found useful or enjoyable:
Anna has a way of reassuring her viewer or reader in a very friendly way. The book was generally easy to read (and very quick—the final 25% of the book is an appendix, an index, some sources, and general back matter), and I do enjoy how Anna tells stories. The concept of being "sovereign" over my healing (and life) really resonates with me. I've highlighted a few other passages that resonated, so there are little nuggets of insight.
I'm also going to check out "expressive writing" from James Pennebaker, which Anna mentions in the book as similar to her Daily Practice, to see how I can diversify my journalling. I've tried out the Daily Practice, and while I dislike the rigidity of it, I like connecting with my feelings and being mindful of what's bothering me; it gives a space to try and stop ruminating on them too. I destroy the paper by ripping it up, and this is a classic way of expressing anger in a healthy way. Meditation vibes well with me too.
I appreciated the workbook sections. I'm a big fan of having writing homework, like journal prompts, for my mental health. The workbook sections, while brief, were presented easily on the page and gave practical steps or good reflective prompts.
October 17, 2024
This book resonated with me so strongly. It explains the complexity of complex PTSD in simple yet extremely authentic terms. I feel genuinely transformed by what I have read and it will be a book I rely on and recommend for a long time!
October 21, 2024
This book, and Anna before the book was published, has been the key that unlocked my healing, after 57 years of looking for it. CPTSD is in fact real (I believe there are plans to include in the DSM) and traditional methods simply don't get to it. Through her own experience, informed by the work of scholars such as Pete Walker, Anna actually discovered this methodology for herself in service of her own healing from childhood trauma. Then set out to share it with others and I'm so grateful that she did.
If it isn't obvious yet I highly recommend this book. But I also strongly recommend that you try her methodology as it is, without skimming through the book or tweaking the methodology, if you really want to explore what it might do for you.
Btw, I read the negative reviews here, and it's clear that the writers didn't read the book enough to understand what it says. Those reviews totally miss the mark.
If it isn't obvious yet I highly recommend this book. But I also strongly recommend that you try her methodology as it is, without skimming through the book or tweaking the methodology, if you really want to explore what it might do for you.
Btw, I read the negative reviews here, and it's clear that the writers didn't read the book enough to understand what it says. Those reviews totally miss the mark.
January 17, 2025
I started this book on a whim because Spotify recommended it for me and I was bored.
I finished this book because Anna offers a refreshingly practical approach to managing the intense emotional spirals that come after childhood trauma.
What I didn't want to read was another book on why I'm messed up. I've honestly grown sick of digging into all my past traumas. I got hurt, it still hurts, and I don't know how to function in a healthy way sometimes. That has been soundly established. No need to continue digging into the bottomless pit of trauma and my "why". What I needed to read was a book on HOW to calm my nervous system in a tangible, practical way when something triggers me, and an answer to the question, "Will this ever go away?"
I got what I needed in reading this book. Highly recommend for anyone maybe partway down the path of healing who is ready to embrace change and action steps to heal.
I finished this book because Anna offers a refreshingly practical approach to managing the intense emotional spirals that come after childhood trauma.
What I didn't want to read was another book on why I'm messed up. I've honestly grown sick of digging into all my past traumas. I got hurt, it still hurts, and I don't know how to function in a healthy way sometimes. That has been soundly established. No need to continue digging into the bottomless pit of trauma and my "why". What I needed to read was a book on HOW to calm my nervous system in a tangible, practical way when something triggers me, and an answer to the question, "Will this ever go away?"
I got what I needed in reading this book. Highly recommend for anyone maybe partway down the path of healing who is ready to embrace change and action steps to heal.
December 16, 2024
I haven't read the whole book yet (I ran out of listening hours on Spotify for the month unfortunately!) but I love Anna's podcast (I listen on Spotify, not sure what other platforms she's on) and it has made a huge difference in my life. I have tried lots of ways to think my way around healing and her openness to try something a little bit simpler has been the greatest gift to me. She also always leaves margin for you to figure it out for yourself, even if you make mistakes. Anna really does her research too. Even though she doesn't have a "degree" so to speak in comparison to other trauma experts, she's a researcher and very well connected to the academic community. Hay House is also worth checking out for more resources if you like her book and/or podcast! I haven't watched as many of her YouTube videos, but I use other platforms more often.
December 22, 2024
Anna’s YouTube channel has helped me so much for the past couple of months. This book has so many tips and tricks as well as explanation for trauma symptoms.
January 7, 2025
This is a very subjective view because I did find the book personally helpful and in consulting other reviews I think I can identify the specific person who will benefit most from this book: someone who likes Runkle's YouTube content but who is absolutely, never ever ever going to buy an internet course. It appears there is a lot of overlap between the information in this book and in her paid courses and the YouTube content, but the video content is hard to sort through whereas the book is generally well organized and presented. Despite my skepticism of the "coaching" business model, I do think Runkle does good work, is honest about her support being peer-to-peer and not unduly establishing herself as an "expert", and deserves to be paid for her work. I am far more comfortable purchasing a book than contributing to the online coaching space, which is full of predatory and uncredentialed con artists, even if Runkle herself is not one of them.
As for the book itself, I thought the exercises were useful. Despite years of therapy (and I do dispute Runkle's mild derision of therapy and therapists), I had never actually sat down and listed my triggers or figured out a systematized way to regulate myself. I experienced a lot of growth and learned many practical tools in this workbook that I was able to implement immediately, which I found extremely valuable. I removed a star because there were a few points where the book was poorly edited, once referring to a list that was not there and another time where an exercise was repeated almost exactly, just with different wording. I don't think this one is for everyone, but it was definitely good for me.
As for the book itself, I thought the exercises were useful. Despite years of therapy (and I do dispute Runkle's mild derision of therapy and therapists), I had never actually sat down and listed my triggers or figured out a systematized way to regulate myself. I experienced a lot of growth and learned many practical tools in this workbook that I was able to implement immediately, which I found extremely valuable. I removed a star because there were a few points where the book was poorly edited, once referring to a list that was not there and another time where an exercise was repeated almost exactly, just with different wording. I don't think this one is for everyone, but it was definitely good for me.
October 1, 2025
If this book spoke to you, that’s great, but everything stated in this book is basic. The coping mechanisms such as journaling, meditation, talking to a friend, removing yourself from a negative situation until your emotions calm down, etc. these are all encouraged in therapy, or even stated in a simple google search when looking for coping mechanisms. The author tries to convey that childhood PTSD is different from complex or regular PTSD, but does not give good reasons as to why. The book honestly reads like someone with a personality disorder, such as borderline personality disorder, who is really in desperate need of more effective therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, instead of talk therapy, which the author allegedly tried 11 times and felt more traumatized afterwards. Instead of seeking a more effective therapy, the author created her own “therapy” method. A little alarming. Would not recommend this book.
December 23, 2024
Some good concepts about the intersection of nervous system and trauma, but pretty prescriptive, not trauma-informed. Seems like the author thinks the one thing that worked for her will work for everyone suffering from complex trauma and cPTSD.
November 26, 2024
My therapist brought up Childhood Emotional Neglect, which led me down a serious rabbit hole of Holy S**t proportions. I’ve been reading a few different books on CEN and C-PTSD and some of them, while informative, are kind of depressing. Anna Runkle’s book is different: it doesn’t hammer you with your own trauma. Instead, it’s like she’s there, talking you through how to heal in a kind yet firm way - which is really helpful for the CEN traumatized brain. Sure, she’s not a PHD, but neither is my therapist, or many other therapists for that matter, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t qualified to help.
Anyway, I’ve found the book to be quite helpful even without subscribing to Anna’s monetized program, and it’s a great supplement to her YouTube videos - which I also enjoy and recommend.
As an aside: in all this rabbit hole spiraling, I’ve come to the realization that I don’t think I know a single person whose emotional needs were adequately met as a child, and that is deeply saddening.
Anyway, I’ve found the book to be quite helpful even without subscribing to Anna’s monetized program, and it’s a great supplement to her YouTube videos - which I also enjoy and recommend.
As an aside: in all this rabbit hole spiraling, I’ve come to the realization that I don’t think I know a single person whose emotional needs were adequately met as a child, and that is deeply saddening.
December 6, 2024
I have mixed feelings about this one. Overall, I’m excited to try some of the practices she described throughout, but I definitely took everything with a grain of salt and I don’t agree or resonate with all of her theories about how people with CPTSD deal with emotions. One thing she is very clear on throughout the book is that her suggestions/methods are not one size fits all and I did appreciate that she was upfront and honest about that.
March 8, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
I liked the fresh layperson perspective here & I think she did a good job with some practical strategies that I’m sure will be helpful to those with CPTSD. That said, much of the book seemed more bespoke for her own personal journey, experience & observation & maybe less applicable in general.
I liked the fresh layperson perspective here & I think she did a good job with some practical strategies that I’m sure will be helpful to those with CPTSD. That said, much of the book seemed more bespoke for her own personal journey, experience & observation & maybe less applicable in general.
February 16, 2025
I am so glad that I found it. Well the author is not a doctor or psychologist, it shows she has done her research into those fields in relation to childhood ptsd. One of her main points throughout the book is that talk therapy and other traditional therapies do not necessarily work for people with childhood ptsd. The program she presents seems, and is very simple. I recommend anyone who experiences dysregulation, or knows someone who does, reads this book to have a better idea of what is happening when someone is dysregulated.
I borrowed this book on Libby as an audiobook. After listening to it in one day, I bought the book. This is definitely not to be read in one day. Also, if you do the program, take the time to do a chapter or section at a time. The author made sure to explain that doing the daily program is not a one and done cure all. This is something that if you suffer from childhood PTSD you must keep up with. She tells of how she stopped the program and found herself getting dysregulated and falling into old patterns all over again. She started her daily program again and was able to return to a better state quicker than the first time around.
Overall, I found this book well written, easy to follow and understand, and well paced.
I borrowed this book on Libby as an audiobook. After listening to it in one day, I bought the book. This is definitely not to be read in one day. Also, if you do the program, take the time to do a chapter or section at a time. The author made sure to explain that doing the daily program is not a one and done cure all. This is something that if you suffer from childhood PTSD you must keep up with. She tells of how she stopped the program and found herself getting dysregulated and falling into old patterns all over again. She started her daily program again and was able to return to a better state quicker than the first time around.
Overall, I found this book well written, easy to follow and understand, and well paced.
March 19, 2025
My first rating was 3 stars because I wasn’t “buying” all the tricks. But as months have gone on, I’m still doing the daily practice, I am still referencing the book for emergency things. It’s been great!
November 1, 2025
Alright so the medication discussion. I was just going to breeze past this. I wanted to just let it go. But I'm familiar with academic text and I know how to research. Hay House and no editor checked for this book so f**k it, let's really look at these sources and citations!
"But in a 2022 study published by the British Medical Association... found that antidepressant drugs don't work for at least 85 percent of people who take them.(2) ...they are just 2 percent more effective than a placebo.(3)--and that's for depression. For healing the effects of trauma from childhood, there is very little evidence they work at all.” (Runkle 2024).
Citation 2: https://www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj-2...
Citation 3: https://www.madinamerica.com/2022/08/...
The main source of citation 3 is the data analysis in citation 2. So let’s move on with citation 2: “Response to acute monotherapy for major depressive disorder in randomized, placebo controlled trials submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration: individual participant data analysis”
The data analysis is looking at the effects of antidepressant use in monotherapy -- where a singular drug is being prescribed --among clinical studies submitted to the FDA from 1979 to 2016. These studies show that some drugs have a greater significant variance with placebos than others. The data analysis seeks to determine antidepressant effectiveness among the participants of the studies using statistical models to control for baseline severity, age, and sex (Stone et al. 2022).
In order to get to Runkle’s claim from the data analysis, we need:
A. What percentage of people who take antidepressants are on a singular antidepressant (the population this claim is actually relevant to) vs what percentage of people take multiple medications (the population implicitly being lumped into Runkle’s claim)?
B. Within the above populations, what then are the antidepressants being prescribed? (If we read the data analysis, we find out that some drugs are more effective than others, something which will certainly impact which drugs are prescribed with more frequency than others.)
So where does Runkle’s 85% statistic come from in the data analysis? (It doesn’t 🙁)
“Conclusion: The trimodal response distributions suggests that about 15% of participants have a substantial antidepressant effect beyond a placebo effect in clinical trials” (Stone et al. 2022).
This does NOT mean that the remaining 85% of participants in the studies had no effect beyond a placebo effect. Runkle has extrapolated far beyond the data analysis to a population of “people who take them [anti-depressants]”, not the monotherapy participants from the study. Runkle’s statement is simply a factually wrong claim.
"But in a 2022 study published by the British Medical Association... found that antidepressant drugs don't work for at least 85 percent of people who take them.(2) ...they are just 2 percent more effective than a placebo.(3)--and that's for depression. For healing the effects of trauma from childhood, there is very little evidence they work at all.” (Runkle 2024).
Citation 2: https://www.bmj.com/content/378/bmj-2...
Citation 3: https://www.madinamerica.com/2022/08/...
The main source of citation 3 is the data analysis in citation 2. So let’s move on with citation 2: “Response to acute monotherapy for major depressive disorder in randomized, placebo controlled trials submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration: individual participant data analysis”
The data analysis is looking at the effects of antidepressant use in monotherapy -- where a singular drug is being prescribed --among clinical studies submitted to the FDA from 1979 to 2016. These studies show that some drugs have a greater significant variance with placebos than others. The data analysis seeks to determine antidepressant effectiveness among the participants of the studies using statistical models to control for baseline severity, age, and sex (Stone et al. 2022).
In order to get to Runkle’s claim from the data analysis, we need:
A. What percentage of people who take antidepressants are on a singular antidepressant (the population this claim is actually relevant to) vs what percentage of people take multiple medications (the population implicitly being lumped into Runkle’s claim)?
B. Within the above populations, what then are the antidepressants being prescribed? (If we read the data analysis, we find out that some drugs are more effective than others, something which will certainly impact which drugs are prescribed with more frequency than others.)
So where does Runkle’s 85% statistic come from in the data analysis? (It doesn’t 🙁)
“Conclusion: The trimodal response distributions suggests that about 15% of participants have a substantial antidepressant effect beyond a placebo effect in clinical trials” (Stone et al. 2022).
This does NOT mean that the remaining 85% of participants in the studies had no effect beyond a placebo effect. Runkle has extrapolated far beyond the data analysis to a population of “people who take them [anti-depressants]”, not the monotherapy participants from the study. Runkle’s statement is simply a factually wrong claim.
December 21, 2024
Hello everyone 👋
I know Annas teaching and i'm a member of crappy childhood fairy.
For me crappy childhood fairy is a life saver and changer. My cptsd brought me to my knees and i didn't know how to continue living.....
When i found Annas teaching on YouTube i tried the daily practice and felt a difference at the first try.
With the book it's clear why the daily practice works and there's a list of the most asked questions, a list of main triggers and how to re-regulate in urgency, i wrote the trigger list by hand and have the paper with me 💕.
Since i practice the daily practice twice a day 7/7 my life shifts in an unexpected way.
For the health system of my country i don't exist and i'm seen as a lost case. The only thing they can do is to give me a hard core medication too protect me from the very high level of stress, maybe saved my life till i found a way too live with my cptsd and improve my life quality in a way i didn't thought possible.
Thinking that a simple practice can help me that much, with all the suffering i went through, is mind blowing and i have no words strong enough to express my gratitude.
Two decades ago i made a bet that i'll find a way to heal or die very educated, trying.
In the book there's informations for anyone who lives with cptsd can relate with and improve their lives like it did for me and a million of others that follows that life style.
With the book and the free course too learn the daily practice there's all what's needed too know if it works for you or not.
I wish that as many survivors of childhood abuse as possible can have access to this amazing book and begin to heal.
Thank you from all my heart ❤️ Anna Runkle for the book and the teaching in it, saves my life and hope that it will help others too know how to work and you know that it works because it WORKS, no need to believe, just practice and the changes happens and for people like me it's an unbelievable relief, can't help me from crying tires of gratitude and relief from hell, i didn't know how to break free from.....
The book is a concentration of her teaching about how to re-regulate and for me it's a good guidance for my healing journey i have all the time with me as audio and e-book i like to work with, because i can add notes easily and work on different goals at the same time, having everything clear and at its place.
Give it a try..... That book may change your life for the best and that's what i wish for you 🧚♀️ 💞
Me
I know Annas teaching and i'm a member of crappy childhood fairy.
For me crappy childhood fairy is a life saver and changer. My cptsd brought me to my knees and i didn't know how to continue living.....
When i found Annas teaching on YouTube i tried the daily practice and felt a difference at the first try.
With the book it's clear why the daily practice works and there's a list of the most asked questions, a list of main triggers and how to re-regulate in urgency, i wrote the trigger list by hand and have the paper with me 💕.
Since i practice the daily practice twice a day 7/7 my life shifts in an unexpected way.
For the health system of my country i don't exist and i'm seen as a lost case. The only thing they can do is to give me a hard core medication too protect me from the very high level of stress, maybe saved my life till i found a way too live with my cptsd and improve my life quality in a way i didn't thought possible.
Thinking that a simple practice can help me that much, with all the suffering i went through, is mind blowing and i have no words strong enough to express my gratitude.
Two decades ago i made a bet that i'll find a way to heal or die very educated, trying.
In the book there's informations for anyone who lives with cptsd can relate with and improve their lives like it did for me and a million of others that follows that life style.
With the book and the free course too learn the daily practice there's all what's needed too know if it works for you or not.
I wish that as many survivors of childhood abuse as possible can have access to this amazing book and begin to heal.
Thank you from all my heart ❤️ Anna Runkle for the book and the teaching in it, saves my life and hope that it will help others too know how to work and you know that it works because it WORKS, no need to believe, just practice and the changes happens and for people like me it's an unbelievable relief, can't help me from crying tires of gratitude and relief from hell, i didn't know how to break free from.....
The book is a concentration of her teaching about how to re-regulate and for me it's a good guidance for my healing journey i have all the time with me as audio and e-book i like to work with, because i can add notes easily and work on different goals at the same time, having everything clear and at its place.
Give it a try..... That book may change your life for the best and that's what i wish for you 🧚♀️ 💞
Me
December 22, 2024
Highly recommended, the methods helped transform my life in personal, professional and spiritual realms.
TL=DR: Highly recommended, very versatile technique of writing+meditation. The meditation only methods are lacking in specificity in problem-solving and can be dissociating, whereas the writing only method like journalling trigger overwhelm(see Dr. James Pennbaker research, he also recommends Anna's book and method). Combining the best of both is what sets Anna's book apart from the sea of similar but not quite effectice methods(katie byron, journalling, just meditation etc. etc).
Warning: The book is seriously going to change life for the better as it did for me, it is not a theoratical or philosophical but is rooted in real-life improvements.
The book addresses the most important issues we face in our life in 3 different realms, the personal, the professional and spiritual (the "why am I here?" existential question) - all 3 of them are accessible through this method, unlike other methods (which I have tried), this is a very adaptable method.
The method is Free in the real sense, no courses or anything need to be bought, and I found that VERY VERY refreshing, this is not an up-sell to anything other than my own healing.
Anna's book is amazing as it comes from real life experiences, and her insights and techniques are what a person in doldrums would WANT to know and see - none of these techniques are armchair people who have not really had a difficult life experiences. I found that this is the single most useful thing I found, the methods work in real difficulty not just ideal settings.
Anna's real life background, the depth of healing, the breadth of life situations where her technique is applicable is what sets this book apart, I have personally dealt with many personal and professional challenges and have used many techniques but *nothing* as versatile and quick acting as this one.
I found the book very engaging eg Anna is a storyteller who weaves her own experiences with the healing method and the book is a real page-turner, the teaching is simple, effective and science backed, see Dr. James Pennbaker endorsement, the writing exercise are balanced (neither too easy or generic, nor too overwhelming).
TL=DR: Highly recommended, very versatile technique of writing+meditation.
TL=DR: Highly recommended, very versatile technique of writing+meditation. The meditation only methods are lacking in specificity in problem-solving and can be dissociating, whereas the writing only method like journalling trigger overwhelm(see Dr. James Pennbaker research, he also recommends Anna's book and method). Combining the best of both is what sets Anna's book apart from the sea of similar but not quite effectice methods(katie byron, journalling, just meditation etc. etc).
Warning: The book is seriously going to change life for the better as it did for me, it is not a theoratical or philosophical but is rooted in real-life improvements.
The book addresses the most important issues we face in our life in 3 different realms, the personal, the professional and spiritual (the "why am I here?" existential question) - all 3 of them are accessible through this method, unlike other methods (which I have tried), this is a very adaptable method.
The method is Free in the real sense, no courses or anything need to be bought, and I found that VERY VERY refreshing, this is not an up-sell to anything other than my own healing.
Anna's book is amazing as it comes from real life experiences, and her insights and techniques are what a person in doldrums would WANT to know and see - none of these techniques are armchair people who have not really had a difficult life experiences. I found that this is the single most useful thing I found, the methods work in real difficulty not just ideal settings.
Anna's real life background, the depth of healing, the breadth of life situations where her technique is applicable is what sets this book apart, I have personally dealt with many personal and professional challenges and have used many techniques but *nothing* as versatile and quick acting as this one.
I found the book very engaging eg Anna is a storyteller who weaves her own experiences with the healing method and the book is a real page-turner, the teaching is simple, effective and science backed, see Dr. James Pennbaker endorsement, the writing exercise are balanced (neither too easy or generic, nor too overwhelming).
TL=DR: Highly recommended, very versatile technique of writing+meditation.
October 23, 2024
To the really verbose and negative review.
Your review is unqualified. I sense a spirit of jealousy. Why not just celebrate her well deserved success?
Anna is not misrepresenting herself. She's not diagnosing anyone, and she's freely sharing a wealth of experience, which, for the record, qualifies as a category of research, while drawing from other research available, and experiences of others, and has every right to string it together uniquely in a way that serves others. And it does. Serve others. I tip my hat to this woman and celebrate her recovery!
You seem bitter because she's accomplishing ground breaking approaches to connection with others. Got projection? It's ok. We all do at times. Maybe you are a prime candidate to benefit from some simple writing techniques she freely shares.? Maybe you could be the first guest on her show?
My initial thought after reading your unqualified review is "this person could greatly benefit from Anna's writing technique," which she shares freely.
Rhetorical.
Listen up! As someone who has decades of healing under my belt, continuing to struggle at times with "talking about my past trauma" as a means to attempt to grow intimacy and connection in friendships, only to sometimes realize it makes me feel crappy, I was beyond relieved to have stumbled on to Anna's mention of this very topic in a way that truly affirmed my instinct. Her words and communication style helped me progress to a new phase of my healing. I say with full conviction and authority that Anna Runkle has a God given GIFT of connecting with people struggling, making us feel seen, and encouraging us toward optimal emotional function, with an understanding that we all backslide sometimes.
I give your review 1/2 star out of 7 because you did take the time to write. I recommend you use Anna's technique to write your resentments and perhaps discover the depth of fear that feeds them. Anna Runkle is a class act, as real as real gets, and she's very deserving of her success. Let's all celebrate with her, for her, and for our own healing.
God bless.
Your review is unqualified. I sense a spirit of jealousy. Why not just celebrate her well deserved success?
Anna is not misrepresenting herself. She's not diagnosing anyone, and she's freely sharing a wealth of experience, which, for the record, qualifies as a category of research, while drawing from other research available, and experiences of others, and has every right to string it together uniquely in a way that serves others. And it does. Serve others. I tip my hat to this woman and celebrate her recovery!
You seem bitter because she's accomplishing ground breaking approaches to connection with others. Got projection? It's ok. We all do at times. Maybe you are a prime candidate to benefit from some simple writing techniques she freely shares.? Maybe you could be the first guest on her show?
My initial thought after reading your unqualified review is "this person could greatly benefit from Anna's writing technique," which she shares freely.
Rhetorical.
Listen up! As someone who has decades of healing under my belt, continuing to struggle at times with "talking about my past trauma" as a means to attempt to grow intimacy and connection in friendships, only to sometimes realize it makes me feel crappy, I was beyond relieved to have stumbled on to Anna's mention of this very topic in a way that truly affirmed my instinct. Her words and communication style helped me progress to a new phase of my healing. I say with full conviction and authority that Anna Runkle has a God given GIFT of connecting with people struggling, making us feel seen, and encouraging us toward optimal emotional function, with an understanding that we all backslide sometimes.
I give your review 1/2 star out of 7 because you did take the time to write. I recommend you use Anna's technique to write your resentments and perhaps discover the depth of fear that feeds them. Anna Runkle is a class act, as real as real gets, and she's very deserving of her success. Let's all celebrate with her, for her, and for our own healing.
God bless.
October 21, 2024
This book has been one of the most practical sources of support I've received for CPTSD (diagnosed by a psychiatrist who insisted I stay on medication for life). What helped first was an understanding of dysregulation. There's a great list of common signs, which were very useful - I now understand more about what's 'going on with me' when dysregulated. Second, there's a list of common triggers and it was very helpful going through it and then considering 'what else?'. They are now something I can track daily or weekly. Third, there are examples of emergency re-regulation tips, which are very practical and gave me something to work with and experiment, to find out if (and when) these work for me. Then there are suggestions for identifying your other triggers of dysregulation. There is also a morning routine that gives you guidance on how to set your day up well. If you are like me, and wake up with anxiety, this is a non-negotiable. The book offers you so many practical ways to work with yourself, starting immediately. There is much genuinely helpful, concrete information, tools and resources! Would highly recommend for anyone who is willing and able to work with themselves during these challenging times of dysregulation.
Read
September 26, 2025DNF at 40%
I like the author's YouTube channel, but this book isn't very good.
She keeps hitting home that her program is different and it works. You just have to do her special "Daily Practice" twice a day every day, followed immediately by 20 minutes of meditation.
You think if I had time to meditate 20 minutes a day, twice a day, I wouldn't need self-help books.
The daily practice is writing every "fear" or worry and who you resent and why, you sign off with a prayer or whatever you believe, and sign your name. Then you shred the paper and meditate.
It might work for some people, but when you have Complex PTSD, meditation can be (it is for me) triggering. It can give your mind time to wander through memory lane and it seems like she should know this, there are plenty of studies on this.
She also goes into what "trauma-informed therapy" can mean. The therapist may have taken a 2h certification or a 6-week certification, there are no standards or checks for what the therapist actually knows. I thought this was interesting.
I found the instance that her Daily Practice was so helpful to be very.... disingenuous. She said she took elements from the 12-step program and you can tell.
All in all, I wanted this to be a really helpful book, but it's just another crappy self-help book.
I like the author's YouTube channel, but this book isn't very good.
She keeps hitting home that her program is different and it works. You just have to do her special "Daily Practice" twice a day every day, followed immediately by 20 minutes of meditation.
You think if I had time to meditate 20 minutes a day, twice a day, I wouldn't need self-help books.
The daily practice is writing every "fear" or worry and who you resent and why, you sign off with a prayer or whatever you believe, and sign your name. Then you shred the paper and meditate.
It might work for some people, but when you have Complex PTSD, meditation can be (it is for me) triggering. It can give your mind time to wander through memory lane and it seems like she should know this, there are plenty of studies on this.
She also goes into what "trauma-informed therapy" can mean. The therapist may have taken a 2h certification or a 6-week certification, there are no standards or checks for what the therapist actually knows. I thought this was interesting.
I found the instance that her Daily Practice was so helpful to be very.... disingenuous. She said she took elements from the 12-step program and you can tell.
All in all, I wanted this to be a really helpful book, but it's just another crappy self-help book.
August 31, 2025
Finally something that actually gives you a systemic pattern of daily habits to help heal from childhood trauma. I was tired of reading the cause and effects of childhood trauma with no resolution or solution (other than EMDR therapy and healing the inner child which is effective and I've done in the past) offered to help sustain the healing. Talk therapy never worked for me, I always felt dysregulated and worse as this book outlines and never felt truly helped. I've signed up for the free program and I've been trying to maintain a steady Daily Practice. The days and times I've committed to the Daily Practice I felt more disciplined with my productivity focused, less anxious, steady and a peace of mind.
Highly recommend this book, it helps break down what your triggers and self-defeating behaviors are and offers techniques and methods you can use to quiet the mind and train yourself to not get easily triggered. It's worth it!
Highly recommend this book, it helps break down what your triggers and self-defeating behaviors are and offers techniques and methods you can use to quiet the mind and train yourself to not get easily triggered. It's worth it!
January 12, 2025
I found Anna from her YouTube channel, The Crappy Childhood Fairy. This is for people with Complex PTSD and or Childhood Trauma. Many of us who have ADHD or are overcoming addictions can also benefit from her approach.
She teaches a Daily Practice that is similar in a lot of ways to the 12-Steps (Alcoholics Anonymous and other groups) 10th step. That is to do a daily inventory of your fears and resentments and let them go.
Anna mentioned some of the other helpful parts of her life and it might be helpful to have more info on how to add these in. For example, planning your day out in advance so you can have a morning routine without looking at your phone or computer.
If you're in the thick of struggling, I'd encourage you to read this. But also find a fellowship in a 12-step program. That way, you can find action partners, sponsors, fellows that are going through the same thing.
She teaches a Daily Practice that is similar in a lot of ways to the 12-Steps (Alcoholics Anonymous and other groups) 10th step. That is to do a daily inventory of your fears and resentments and let them go.
Anna mentioned some of the other helpful parts of her life and it might be helpful to have more info on how to add these in. For example, planning your day out in advance so you can have a morning routine without looking at your phone or computer.
If you're in the thick of struggling, I'd encourage you to read this. But also find a fellowship in a 12-step program. That way, you can find action partners, sponsors, fellows that are going through the same thing.
March 29, 2025
Known as the crappy childhood fairy on YouTube, the author posits that C- PTSD can explain a constellation of mental health symptoms and although there is no cure, cptsd can be managed without medication, without years of therapy and thousands of dollars.
I haven’t read the body keeps score, I wonder how it compares/contrasts with this book.
There are a LOT of mental health books out there, I found this one to be cohesive, well-researched and balanced.
I wish the pdf notes were a little more straightforward, a better cliff notes’ version or checklist for some of the exercises.
I hadn’t heard much about Cptsd until very recently. I have a lifelong fascination in psychology, (I read co-dependent no more and Girl Interrupted in HS), lots of books on neurodivergence, mental health, addiction, motivational interviewing, psychopharmacology, etc, this book is a great addition to the world.
I haven’t read the body keeps score, I wonder how it compares/contrasts with this book.
There are a LOT of mental health books out there, I found this one to be cohesive, well-researched and balanced.
I wish the pdf notes were a little more straightforward, a better cliff notes’ version or checklist for some of the exercises.
I hadn’t heard much about Cptsd until very recently. I have a lifelong fascination in psychology, (I read co-dependent no more and Girl Interrupted in HS), lots of books on neurodivergence, mental health, addiction, motivational interviewing, psychopharmacology, etc, this book is a great addition to the world.
March 25, 2025
Conventional treatments such as talk therapy and medication don't work for many survivors of childhood trauma, because they don't target the core symptom that drives most other symptoms: neurological dysregulation. The good news is that healing is possible if you learn to re-regulate. Anna Runkle (aka the Crappy Childhood Fairy) teaches you how to spot the signs of dysregulation and quickly turn it around with radically fresh, thoroughly practical steps to calm triggers, break out of isolation, and change the self-defeating thinking and behaviors that have held you back. When you're in a regulated state, things can move forward quickly in every area of your life-freeing you to become your full and real self at last.
February 26, 2025
I like that this book offers ideas for how to constructively approach healing on a daily basis. What I don’t like is that it’s being presented as though it’s from a credentialed psychologist or therapist even though the author has none of these credentials. It’s true, she gives that disclaimer on her website, but she doesn’t come right out and say that at the start of her book, which I feel is misleading. I’m frustrated by her approach and struggle to recommend this book. Although the daily practice is beneficial advice, the majority of the book feels more like some suggestions from a friend mixed in with some words of wisdom that she gleaned from her therapist.
March 29, 2025
I discovered Anna Runkle's Youtube channel, Crappy Childhood Fairy, and I was intrigued when I learned she had a book. I have learned to take a little bit here and a little bit there when it comes to people dispensing advice regarding healing trauma. I was hesitant, especially when I realized she isn't a professional counsellor and was giving advice based on her experience. Sure, she is allowed; she isn't the only person who does it. I gave Re-regulated two stars because this method is simply not the path that I am taking, and honestly, I didn't love the method that is taught here. But don't let that deter you from reading it, it might be for you, it's just not for me.
October 10, 2025
My tendency towards credentialism makes this a challenging piece to review since Runkle's methods pull practices from disparate traditions (expressive writing, vedic meditation, 12-step serenity practices) and knits them together into a semblance of self-awareness practice. Does the ritual practice of deepen self-awareness support complex childhood PTSD recovery? Maybe. As Runkle notes, there hasn't yet been an RCT to confirm, or refute the idea. So like many practices you'll have to test it in your own lab and explore the results with your care team. Best consumed with your favorite comfort beverage.
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