Rephonic
Artwork for The Complex Trauma Podcast

The Complex Trauma Podcast

Sarah Herstich
Trauma
Mental Health
Body Image
Money
Perimenopause
Eating Disorders
Capitalism
Election Anxiety
Post-Traumatic Growth
Hormonal Changes
Disordered Eating
Nervous System
Complex PTSD
Self-Compassion
Shame
Athletes
College Mental Health Resources
Slavery
Housing Market
Wisdom Practices

A podcast for anyone healing from complex PTSD, childhood emotional neglect, and the patterns you've been carrying without knowing what to call them.

Hosted by EMDR and somatic trauma therapist Sarah Herstich, each episode gets into nervous system healing, trauma responses, and what it actually takes to stop living in survival mode.

If you've spent years people-pleasing, apologizing for existing... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes124Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EducationSelf-ImprovementMental HealthHealth & Fitness

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Complex Trauma Podcast

Latest Episodes

In today's episode, I'm sitting down with Libby Ward, creator, speaker, and author of Honest Motherhood: On Losing My Mind and Finding Myself, to talk about what it really looks like to wake up mid-motherhood and realize you never actually knew yours... more

You might not call it shame. But if you were emotionally neglected, there's a chance it's been running the show.

Most people who grew up emotionally neglected don't have a name for what they carry. They just know that asking for help feels wrong, th... more

Sex and complex trauma. It's one of those topics that doesn't get nearly enough airtime, and yet it comes up so frequently in the therapy room.

In this episode I'm talking with Rachael Garner, a certified sex therapist and EMDR clinician who works w... more

If you've ever gone completely blank in the middle of a hard conversation, or found yourself frozen, heart hammering, unable to say a single thing, this episode is for you.

A listener wrote in asking why she shuts down instead of getting upset. Why ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Adult Child
Adult ChildAndrea Ashley
Trauma Rewired
Trauma RewiredElisabeth Kristof & Jennifer Wallace
The Trauma Therapist
The Trauma TherapistGuy Crawford Macpherson

Recent Guests

Rachael Garner
Licensed Professional Counselor, EMDR-certified therapist, and certified sex therapist; specializes in complex trauma
Independent practice in Jackson, Mississippi; EMDR consultant in training
Episode: How Complex Trauma Shows Up in Your Sex Life— with Rachael Garner
Dr. Danica Harris
Somatic-experiencing practitioner, counseling psychologist, and complex trauma expert.
Empowered Healing Dallas
Episode: Childhood Emotional Neglect with Dr. Danica Harris
Joe Sanok
Host of the Practice of the Practice podcast and author of the book 'Thursday is the New Friday', which explores how to work smarter, not longer.
Practice of the Practice
Episode: Betrayal Trauma and Learning to Trust Again with Joe Sanok
Dr. Janina Fisher
Licensed Clinical Psychologist and International Expert on Trauma Treatment
Former Instructor at Harvard Medical School
Episode: Understanding Dissociative Parts with Dr. Janina Fisher
Cassidy DuHadway
Trauma therapist, EMDR approved trainer, and author of "Becoming Me, Unraveling and Healing the Sacred Wounds of Religious Trauma"
Purple Sky Counseling
Episode: Religious Trauma is Complex Trauma with Cassidy DuHadway
Thomas Zimmerman
Mental health therapist and consultant specializing in EMDR therapy for complex trauma
Reclaim Therapy
Episode: The Beauty and the Work of Complex Trauma Recovery with Thomas Zimmerman
Abby Albright
Therapist and new yoga teacher at Reclaim Therapy, focusing on deep healing work.
Reclaim Therapy
Episode: Invisible Rules of Dysfunctional Families with Abby Albright
Dr. Judith Herman
Psychiatrist who gave the framework for understanding complex PTSD back in 1992.
Episode: CPTSD vs PTSD (And, Why You Keep Getting Misdiagnosed)
Heather Rudalavage
Registered dietitian specializing in intuitive eating and body image work.
Practicing outside of Philadelphia
Episode: What Body Image Work Actually Looks Like with Heather Rudalavage

Host

Sarah Herstich
Licensed trauma therapist focusing on EMDR and somatic approaches; specializes in complex trauma and nervous system regulation.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 27 ratings
  • My New Safe Place

    Discovered Sarah on TikTok and immediately felt safe and seen. Came over here for more of the same and added education on cptsd and the plethora of challenges living with it.. This place calms my nervous system- you can hear the kindness and authenticity in the voices here… Grateful to have found it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    C & L mom
    United States4 months ago
  • High quality listen

    Sarah really loves her know but is also so relatable the way she breaks it down. Must listen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dswimm
    United States4 months ago
  • 🫶Compassionate, Kind and Helpful

    I love the way Sarah and her team talk about some tough topics in such a compassionate and kind way. They know their stuff!! Definitely recommending this to all my clients and their parents (teen therapist here 👋)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mallory Grimste
    United States3 years ago
  • Highly recommend!

    Are you looking to shake diet culture and heal your relationship with food and your body? If so this is the podcast for YOU!! Sarah and her team and knowledgeable, warm, thoughtful and fun to listen too! If you have a chance give them a listen!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gabrielle Alyse aka Gabby
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The content is high-quality, relatable, and helpful for clients and therapists alike, with practical insights.
Overall, the podcast is viewed as a trusted resource for those seeking honest, trauma-informed conversations.
Audiences appreciate the warmth, expertise, and the ability to translate trauma science into actionable tips.
Praise for challenging diet culture and body image conversations alongside trauma topics.
Listeners describe the show as a safe, compassionate space with knowledgeable hosts who break down tough topics clearly.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why You Freeze or Shut Down When Things Get Hard
Q: Why do I go blank instead of getting upset?
The host explains that blanking can be a dorsal vagal shutdown response, a protective strategy that reduces pain and energy use when threat feels inescapable. Grounding alone may not help during shutdown because the thinking brain is offline; instead, very small, safe activations can help nudge the system back toward regulation, and understanding that this is a learned, adaptive response reduces shame.
How Complex Trauma Shows Up in Your Sex Life— with Rachael Garner
Q: What keeps coming up for clients around sexual desire, and how do you help them disentangle trauma from biological arousal and interest?
She explains the distinction between subjective arousal and physiological arousal, the role of external and internal cues, and the need to slow things down, reframe beliefs about sex, and gradually reintroduce safe, non-demanding experiences to rebuild desire.
How Complex Trauma Shows Up in Your Sex Life— with Rachael Garner
Q: To start, could you share how you got into sex therapy and complex trauma work, and what drew you to this niche?
Rachael describes starting as a sex therapist right after grad school, her cultural upbringing around sex, and how EMDR training led her to focus on complex trauma rather than single-incident cases, seeking specialized training to better support clients with intricate trauma histories.
3 Dissociation Questions Everyone's Asking (Answered)
Q: Why do I feel nothing when I talk about my trauma?
The absence of emotion during trauma narratives is common and is a sign that the nervous system is still processing the traumatic experience behind a protective wall.
3 Dissociation Questions Everyone's Asking (Answered)
Q: How do I know if it's dissociation or I'm just zoning out?
Zoning out is passive and can be easily returned from, while dissociation is triggered by an activation in the nervous system causing a protective distance from the experience.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Complex Trauma Podcast

What is The Complex Trauma Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A focused show for people healing from complex trauma, CPTSD, and childhood emotional neglect, with a lens on nervous-system education, somatic practices, and trauma-informed therapy. Conversations center on how trauma shapes responses like hypervigilance, people-pleasing, and shame, and how to move from survival to safety through evidence-based approaches such as EMDR and somatic work. Episodes blend expert insights, practical strategies, and personal stories, making complex concepts accessible for listeners seeking deeper healing and actionable steps. A standout aspect is the host's commitment to avoiding bypassing and offering authentic, practitioner-grounded guidance, often featuring trauma professionals and researchers who illuminate b... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Complex Trauma Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Complex Trauma Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Complex Trauma Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Complex Trauma Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Complex Trauma Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Complex Trauma Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Complex Trauma Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Complex Trauma Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Complex Trauma Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Complex Trauma Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Complex Trauma Podcast:

1. Adult Child
2. Trauma Rewired
3. The Healing Trauma Podcast
4. The Crappy Childhood Fairy Podcast with Anna Runkle
5. The Trauma Therapist

How many episodes of The Complex Trauma Podcast are there?

The Complex Trauma Podcast launched 3 years ago and published 124 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Complex Trauma Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Complex Trauma Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Complex Trauma Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Complex Trauma Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Complex Trauma Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Complex Trauma Podcast?

Recent guests on The Complex Trauma Podcast include:

1. Rachael Garner
2. Dr. Danica Harris
3. Joe Sanok
4. Dr. Janina Fisher
5. Cassidy DuHadway
6. Thomas Zimmerman
7. Abby Albright
8. Dr. Judith Herman

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days