The Healing Nest

09/03/2026

09/03/2026

Therapy tip: sometimes the answer is boundaries… sometimes it’s cake 🍰

08/03/2026

Healing often begins quietly.

It begins the moment a woman starts listening to her own voice again.
The moment she realises her needs matter.
The moment she decides she no longer has to abandon herself to keep the peace.

So today I want to acknowledge the women doing the brave, invisible work of healing.

The women learning to set boundaries.
The women questioning old patterns.
The women slowly rebuilding their self-worth after years of doubting themselves.

That work matters more than you know.

Happy International Women’s Day.

— Andrea
The Healing Nest

06/03/2026

As survivors of childhood trauma, we often project our parents onto other people — especially our partners.

When early wounds aren’t fully processed, the intimacy we seek from others can actually be a longing for something we never received as children.

In trauma work, one of the most important steps is learning to develop intimacy with ourselves first.

Because when that inner relationship is missing, we can unconsciously look to a partner to become the parent we needed.

It can show up as feeling like it’s their job to:
• take responsibility for our pain
• understand every trigger
• comfort and soothe us when we feel overwhelmed

This response often comes from a very young, wounded part of us — the inner child who was never properly comforted.

That part of us may carry the belief:
“They should know better.”

But originally, that feeling belonged to our parents.

Our parents were the ones who should have known how to care for a child.

When those early needs weren’t met, the pain doesn’t disappear. It simply gets carried into adult relationships.

Sometimes we then look to our partners to repair wounds they didn’t create.

Of course, relationships are complex. Sometimes a partner does behave poorly or contributes to the conflict. But when trauma projections are present, it can become difficult to see clearly what belongs to the past and what belongs to the present.

Real healing often begins when we learn to care for the wounded parts of ourselves.

When we start reparenting our inner child — offering the safety, comfort, and validation we once needed — we protect both ourselves and the relationships around us.

Because our partners can support us, but they were never meant to carry the role our parents failed to fulfil

05/03/2026

“Is this hunger…
or is this emotional avoidance?” Either way I am getting the cakes 😋

03/03/2026

Butterflies are a red flag!

02/03/2026

When you’re a child in a dangerous world, fighting isn’t an option.
The people with the power are the adults.

So children learn to adapt instead.
They become quiet, pleasing, hyper-vigilant, invisible… or “strong.”

None of this is a flaw.
It was survival.

If you still find yourself freezing, fawning, or over-functioning in adult relationships, your nervous system may be remembering what once kept you safe.

Healing isn’t about “trying harder.”
It’s about helping your body learn that now… you have choices

02/03/2026

Monday morning rituals: coffee, water, tissues at the ready… and a full heart for a week of clients. Grateful to do this work ❤️Monday let’s go …

01/03/2026

Today is Self-Harm Awareness Day (1st March).
This year’s theme is “Connection is coping.”

If you’re struggling, you don’t have to carry it alone.
Reaching out, being heard, and feeling understood can be powerful steps towards healing.

Connection doesn’t have to mean big conversations — it can start with one safe person, one honest moment, one small step.

If this post resonates, please know support is available.
You matter, and help is out there.