Authentic Alignment by Anita

16/09/2025

Recognising the signs of childhood trauma in adulthood isn’t always straightforward. Research has found strong correlations between early adversity and later struggles - mentally/emotionally/physically/behaviourally. That said, not every symptom is necessarily caused by trauma, especially once distress is processed, the body is no longer holding and circulating chronic stress. Plus, we are sovereign beings who have the free will to make change. Neuroplasticity shows us so.

I explore these connections in more depth in an article I recently wrote for Bodhi Holistic Hub, where I break down everything you might want to know about childhood trauma. I’d love to hear what resonates with you most after reading it. 🧡

10/07/2025

This series is about the things society has normalised… but probably shouldn’t have.

It’s not about blame, it’s about awareness.

Just because something is common doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

And just because people mean well doesn’t mean it isn’t causing harm. Most of the time, people don’t intend to harm, but they simply lack the self-awareness to see how their behaviour is impacting others.

💌 Send this to someone who might benefit, or who’s ready to see things a little differently.

Comment below with the behaviours you think should be included in the next series 👇🏽

08/04/2025

When our inner voice is all we’ve known, it’s hard to imagine the voice inside us narrating life any different. Neuroplasticity shows how we are able to change and rewire our brains. Just as thought patterns, beliefs and skills are learned over time, a lot of things can also be unlearned. I call this ‘deconditioning’. For some, patterns are more ingrained with deeper emotional ties such as through chronic abuse, which can take a little more genteel and time to unravel.

Through a blend of person-centred counselling, CBT and Somatic EMDR, I help clients map out core wounds, identify and challenge deep-seated limiting beliefs and process them using bilateral stimulation, which is also used in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and trauma work.

An article about how a harsh inner critic shows up in every facet of your life.

28/01/2025

EMDR is a little enigmatic. While it’s gaining popularity, understanding what it really is and how it works can feel unclear. In my latest blog post, I demystify EMDR, explore the benefits clients often report after treatment, and outline potential risks to consider if you’re seeking therapy.

29/11/2024

Almost all trauma involves a violation of boundaries and a robbing of choice. When a person has been traumatised over time, it can become a learned pattern of putting others’ needs before their own, which is often a learned survival response.

In this chapter of your life, can you start putting yourself first through micro practices in your life?

Start small: choose where to focus your energy, the mindset you want to adopt, slowly practice setting boundaries and say ‘no’ when needed.

You are the creator of your life 🤍 You got this!

21/11/2024

Safe, stable relationships that promote healthy coregulation are recommended for everyone, but especially for those who experienced relational trauma in early childhood.

Sometimes it’s difficult to recognise when it’s a dynamic you’ve grown used to. But the more you pay attention to your inner world and sensations, the more you know how much certain people stress and dysregulate you.

Being in a state of chronic dysregulation and stress takes a toll physically and emotionally. Having to tend to your dysregulation to bring yourself back into balance also takes tremendous energy, which could be freed up for healthier pursuits when those points of stress are removed from your life.

04/11/2024

On Boundaries:

There are givers and there are takers, and those who struggle with boundaries are generally givers.

If you struggle with people pleasing, you may feel uncomfortable being able to say no or to speak your truth about how you are feeling. By doing so you are self-abandoning your needs in order to appease someone else. I’d ask, where is this coming from: an old family dynamic of fawning to please a parent, fear of not being accepted/liked, or something else?

It feels scary at first, but like with everything, it is a practice that we get better at. And most people are understanding about another’s needs, they just don’t realise how you may be thinking or feeling.

Recognise yourself as the priority, and acknowledge there will be some deconditioning work to do around beliefs around boundaries.

Let me know what you struggle with or what thoughts come up in situations you feel resistance to set a boundary in the comments below/DM me.

27/10/2024

This is what a somatic approach to healing sounds like. When I first learned about it, it made so much sense. Animals let their bodies tremor to release adrenaline and cortisol when faced with stressful events.

Did you know we have an innate ability to release tension through our psoas muscle during right/flight? This is why so many of us have a tight psoas, because we are in chronic fight/flight or don’t release tension when we needed to.

Have you ever gotten the shivers when talking about something emotionally sensitive? Or suppressed the urge to scream at the top of your lungs? This is an instinctive response. We aren’t always in the right social context to express the charge, and I’m not encouraging tantrums 😅 I’m encouraging to release old energy in a controlled, healthy way.

Sometimes we are able to do it on our own, but if it feels to big to face on your own, please speak to a professional who can hold space for you and monitor your nervous system.

In the meantime, dance, sing, surf, box, play, scream in the ocean, punch a pillow, journal, speak loving affirmations to yourself, hold yourself gently and nourishingly, get a massage, do yoga, ground your toes in the dirt and sand, and learn to listen to the inner compass within 🧭 it will tell you what you need to do.

20/10/2024

Excerpts from my recent article on the importance of pacing your healing.

Read the article - link in bio 🔗

20/10/2024

Excerpts from my recent article on the importance of pacing your healing.

Read the article - link in bio 🔗

15/10/2024

I wrote a new article about ‘The importance of pacing your healing’. It’s about trusting the timing of when you’re ready to meet your emotions, which takes resilience and regulation skills to face, contain, accept, and move through.

Instead of trying to rush through your healing, give yourself time to integrate, and to also enjoy life in the process than to pick yourself apart in the process. In the case of dealing with trauma-sensitive matters, rushing into the unpacking process can risk a person to feel overwhelmed, retraumatised, and feeling generally unstable.

Link to full article in bio 🔗

10/10/2024

We tend to have a signature stress response, and it’s useful to recognise when the signs show so that you can counter the response.

For example, in situations of high stress or confrontation, ask yourself if you shut down and feel spaced out (hypoaroused), OR if you feel your heart start to race and lash back (hyperaroused). These are two generalised ends of the spectrum of the Window of Tolerance.

When in HYPERarousal, it helps to take measures to slow down: through mindfulness activities like belly breathing, meditation, and even avoiding caffeine, which spikes your cortisol and emotional arousal.

When in HYPOarousal, it helps to practice grounding exercises and things that engage the senses since the body is beginning to check out. This can be through any physical movement/exercise, creative arts, and exercises that help you tune into all five senses i.e. a body scan meditation, mindfully listening to music, self-soothing touch.