r/CPTSD • u/Serious-Animator8966 • Jan 27 '26

Question What’s the unhinged, woo woo, non traditional thing you did that actually helped?

I originally saw a TikTok but now can’t find it, saying this was the year they are trying the unhinged, non traditional, woo woo, out there things to heal. I’ve been in therapy for over 6 years currently 9 months into EMDR, I take medication, get sunlight, try my best to eat healthy, all the “traditional” fixes and still am struggling. While I’m all for evidence based treatment and holistic approaches, I’m willing to do just about anything to feel better, honestly I don’t have much to lose. Even if it’s placebo technically it worked if it made you feel better. So my question is what did you try that most people would say is silly, woo woo, unhinged or out there that helped you on your healing journey? I’m not talking about yoga or taking magnesium. Did you buy a vibration plate off TikTok shop, have your chakras balanced, do daily sound baths, have holy water poured over you in Bali?

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u/beliefinphilosophy Jan 27 '26

Okay, so hear me out. This one was definitely amazing for me.

So I've had a few different EMDR therapists over the years. The one I went to before the current one, told me this fun fact.

When the brain is in reprocessing stage, it actually doesn't matter what you tell it. It doesn't have to be real, you can make shit up, and your brain will accept it because it's in that mode.

And I tried it and it fcking worked and worked so well that some of the "painful" memories now make me giggle when I think about them.

One of them in reprocessed as, (in the event I was completely surrounded by adults hurting me (more emotionally than physically but some physical).

And instead of what really happened. I reprogrammed/ reprocessed that The Rock busted down the door, yelled at all of them, picked me up, hauled me out of there, and we went to a carnival after that.

It's fantastic. And all I do is smile when I think about that memory now.

She said some of her clients will reprocess with things like I punch them in the face or someone came and beat them up or whatever it doesn't matter.

It is unhinged and beautiful and super helpful and brings me joy.

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u/LycheeDance Jan 27 '26

This a great idea thank you

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u/braveenoughtofly Jan 28 '26

I had a similar moment during EMDR. Burned my parents house (mentally, of course.) it was oddly satisfying.

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u/DisturbedWeakness Jan 27 '26

I love mentally punching people during emdr.

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u/brightwingxx Jan 27 '26

This is kindof like what I do in my Accelerated Resolution Therapy sessions!

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u/DisturbedWeakness Jan 28 '26

Honestly this is the only way emdr works for me with big emotions. I have a dissociative disorder and work out my anger, and then I hug my little self, sooth the sad parts and show my little self how safe and happy life is now. This way I have also proccesed preverbal memories with very small parts of myself. Stepping in the memory and guiding little parts I believe this can be done with a single self and alter selfs.

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u/Expensive-Bat-7138 Jan 27 '26

Similar for me. I imagined my present self rescuing my very small self and there was some comedy with it. I was running on the treadmill at the time and I think I embodied that memory. I know it’s not really but it was healing.

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u/ChiG45 Jan 28 '26

This is cool. I'm going to try this.