When C-PTSD Therapy Makes You Feel Worse

If C-PTSD therapy has stirred everything up and you feel worse instead of better, it can be terrifying.

You might think:

• "Therapy is breaking me."
• "I was coping better before."
• "Maybe I am too damaged for this to work."

Feeling worse for a while can be part of normal trauma work, but it can also be a sign that the pace or approach needs adjustment. This guide walks through both sides: what is expected, what is not, and what you can actually do between sessions to survive the process.

This is information and support only, not medical or psychiatric advice. If you think you might hurt yourself or someone else, contact emergency services or a local crisis line immediately.

Why can C-PTSD therapy make you feel worse at first?

Trauma therapy asks you to do things your nervous system has spent years avoiding. That can include:

• Remembering or naming events that were never acknowledged
• Noticing body sensations you learned to ignore
• Challenging beliefs like "it was all my fault" or "I should not exist"

When you do this, protective strategies like numbness, shutting down, or overworking may loosen a little. That can make symptoms feel louder:

• More intense flashbacks or nightmares
• Stronger shame, self hatred, or fear
• Increased body symptoms like tension, stomach issues, migraines
• Feeling more irritable, emotional, or fragile

This can be a sign that suppressed material is surfacing. The key question is whether you are still within a tolerable range most of the time, or whether you are constantly overwhelmed and unsafe.

Normal pain vs red flag: how to tell the difference

Some discomfort is expected. Persistent crisis is not.

Common but usually expected reactions:

• Feeling more emotional or tired the day or two after sessions
• Occasional spikes in flashbacks or nightmares that then settle
• Temporary increase in anxiety when you start new skills or topics
• Feeling vulnerable or raw but still mostly able to function

Possible red flags that need attention:

• Regular urges to self harm or not exist that are new or much stronger
• Several days where you cannot work, study, or do basic care after sessions
• Feeling unsafe with your therapist, dreading sessions, or leaving every time in pieces
• No focus on grounding or stabilization, only re telling trauma details
• Boundary violations, for example, shaming, dismissing, or ignoring your stated limits

If you recognise the second group, it does not always mean "therapy is bad" or "you are failing." It usually means the pace, method, or relationship needs to change.

What you can do between sessions when you feel worse

You cannot fully control how your nervous system responds, but you can give it more support. Think in terms of a between sessions care plan, not just coping in emergencies.

1. Name and track what is happening

Instead of "Everything is awful," write down simple observations:

• When symptoms spike (same night, next day, randomly)
• What you worked on in the session
• What helped, even slightly (grounding, talking to someone, sleep)

Use a notebook or an app. This is not about perfection. It gives you concrete data to bring to therapy instead of trying to remember while overwhelmed.

2. Reduce demands around therapy days

If possible:

• Book trauma heavy sessions at times that allow some recovery
• Keep the rest of that day and the day after lighter where you can
• Avoid stacking big tasks, confrontations, or major social events right after sessions

If you cannot adjust your schedule much, at least protect small pockets of time before and after therapy for grounding, rest, or a short walk.

3. Use a small, repeatable regulation toolkit

Do not rely on memory when you are in distress. Choose two or three tools and write or store them where you can see them. For example:

• 5-4-3-2-1 grounding script for when you feel unreal or foggy
• Box breathing for 60 to 90 seconds when panic spikes
• A sensory routine, such as cool water on hands and a warm drink
• A short movement pattern, like pressing your feet into the floor or walking around the block

Apps like Unpanic can help here. You can:

• Tap "triggered right now" instead of hunting for tools
• Follow guided 5-4-3-2-1 or box breathing when your brain cannot remember steps
• Use built in crisis links if you need more than self help

The goal is not to erase symptoms, it is to give your nervous system scaffolding between sessions.

4. Decide how much to talk about therapy with others

Some people feel better sharing what they are going through. Others feel exposed and regret it later. Prepare one or two standard lines:

• "Therapy stirred up some hard stuff, I am a bit fragile this week."
• "I am doing trauma work so I am tired and not very social right now."

You can choose one or two trusted people who get more detail, and keep it brief with everyone else. You do not owe anyone the full story.

5. Bring your experience back into the therapy room

If therapy is making things worse, your therapist needs to know. You can literally read from your notes:

• "After last session, I could not function for two days."
• "Talking about this memory gives me flashbacks every night."
• "We spend so much time on the past that I do not feel grounded enough between sessions."

Concrete asks you can make:

• More time at the end of sessions to regulate before you leave
• A slower pace with more focus on stabilization and skills
• Specific between session support, for example, a plan or brief check in options
• Clarifying boundaries and what will and will not happen in sessions

If your therapist becomes defensive, shaming, or refuses to adjust, that is important information too.

When is it time to slow down or consider a different therapist?

It might be time to change something if:

• You repeatedly leave sessions overwhelmed and cannot recover
• You feel pushed to talk about details you are not ready for
• Your therapist minimises your distress or blames you for not "trying hard enough"
• There is no focus on safety, coping skills, or present day functioning
• You consistently feel less safe after sessions than before

Options include:

• Shifting to a slower pace with the same therapist, if they are responsive
• Changing the type of therapy to something more stabilisation focused
• Seeking a second opinion or new therapist who is explicitly trauma informed and C-PTSD aware

You are allowed to protect yourself while you heal. Stopping or changing therapy is not a moral failure.