Bonita Ackerman du Preez
Bonita Ackerman du Preez
#47 Trauma Bonds: Why We Stay in Toxic Relationships
#47 Trauma Bonds: Why We Stay in Toxic Relationships
#47 Trauma Bonds: Why We Stay in Toxic Relationships
Sunday 4th May 2025
Explore the addictive cycle of trauma bonds and learn why we stay in toxic relationships. Discover how past trauma shapes your interactions.
5 minutes
Informative
Eye-opening
Supportive
Compassionate
Engaging
About this podcast
Author:
Bonita Ackerman du Preez
Overview:
Categories:
Recovery from Trauma
Healing from Sexual Trauma
Mindful Recovery
Healing Relationships
Entrepreneurship for Personal Growth
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Episodes:
83 (View all)
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Get the buttons here!Breaking Free from Trauma Bonds: Understanding Toxic Relationships
Episode Overview
- Trauma bonds are rooted in cycles of pain and reward.
- Childhood experiences can influence adult relationship patterns.
- These bonds affect various types of relationships, not just romantic ones.
- Manipulation can distort your perception of reality.
- Breaking free requires recognising harmful patterns.
These bonds don't only affect toxic relationships; they ripple out and shape how you interact with new relationships, even with yourself.
Ever wondered why some people remain stuck in toxic relationships despite the obvious harm? This episode of The Trauma Recovery School tackles the complex issue of trauma bonds, exploring how these emotional ties can form in various types of relationships, not just romantic ones. Bonita Ackerman du Preez, the award-winning master trauma recovery therapist, unpacks the dynamics behind trauma bonds and their impact on your life.
She explains that these bonds are rooted in cycles of pain and reward, rather than genuine love or respect. The episode reveals how our brains can get wired to associate pain with connection due to past traumas. When a toxic person alternates between cruelty and kindness, it creates an addictive cycle of emotional highs and lows.
This push-pull dynamic can leave you feeling conflicted and stuck, affecting not just your toxic relationships but also your interactions with others, including colleagues and friends. Bonita highlights how childhood experiences of conditional love can lead to tolerating these harmful patterns in adulthood. The discussion delves into the psychology of trauma bonds, illustrating how they can make you feel unworthy of healthy love and drive you to seek approval from others.
The manipulation involved can diminish your self-worth and distort your perception of reality, making you feel trapped. Bonita shares insights on recognising these patterns and offers guidance on breaking free from them. If you're curious about how trauma bonds might be influencing your life or if you're seeking strategies to break free from these damaging cycles, this episode provides valuable perspectives.
Tune in for an engaging conversation that might just shine a light on some hidden corners of your emotional world.