Friendship For Trauma Survivors

A workshop for people who really value friendship and also find it challenging because of their early life experiences.

If adult friendship is sometimes hard for you, you’re not alone.

I’ll guide you through a process using parts work to feel more resilient and get more of what you want and deserve in your friendships.

Tuesday, September 15th 9 to 10:30 am PT/ 12 noon to 1:30 pm ET

$36

Recorded in case you can’t make it live.

Register

Close friendships have been necessary to my survival and growth.

And as someone with early attachment wounds, friendships are sometimes challenging for me.

I’m specifically creating this workshop for folks with complex trauma, but this topic resonates with people who identify has having small-t traumas as well. Friendship is challenging for a LOT of us.

All are welcome at this workshop.

Here are some of the struggles people share with me around creating and maintaining friendships:

Feeling anxious and even panicky when a friend is less in touch
Feeling overwhelmed by the needs or demands of a friend
Feeling confused about how much need is too much to ask of a friend or for a friend to ask of you
Avoiding initiating time with friends because it takes energy to be with people
Avoiding initiating time with friends because of fears of rejection
Discomfort about being either being the main talker or the main listener
Discerning when it’s time to let a friendship go as opposed to when it’s worth staying
Feeling left out when friends get together without you or seem to have closer friendships with others
Ruminating about something you said in an exchange with a friend
Discerning when to give a friend feedback about their behavior and when to just accept them as they are
Feeling defensive or confused when a friend has feedback for you about your behavior
Being ghosted and not knowing why
Not finding the right new people to start friendships with

This workshop will not provide advice for each of those specific struggles.

Instead, we’ll look at why friendship is so important for trauma survivors, normalize why friendship is sometimes difficult, and tap into a process to feel more grounded and centered as you navigate ANY friendship issue.

Who’s Annie?

I’m Annie Schuessler-Zam. I help trauma survivors with healing and nervous system regulation in San Francisco and online everywhere through Brainspotting and Internal Family Systems informed healing. I created a podcast where practitioners tell their own personal stories of healing.

I’ve was a licensed therapist for 20 years, and now I work outside the medical model.

I’m a white, queer, neurodivergent person, a parent to 2 kids who are teens and older, and I’ve got imperfect earned secure attachment with my partner and a few close friends/chosen family.

What this workshop covers:

Some reasons close friendship is important to people with complex trauma AND why it can be so challenging
What parts work is and how it can transform your friendship challenges
Getting to know the parts of you that get activated in your friendship challenges
Identifying some of the patterns you find yourself in that hold you back from having more of what you want
Optional experiential exercises to work with your own parts

Frequent Questions:

Will the workshop be recorded?

Yes. Folks who register will receive a recording and will have access for 30 days.

Can I attend and stay quiet?

Yes. There will be some space for questions and discussion, but most of that will happen over written chat. You are not expected to share out loud.

What happens in the optional experiential exercises?

I’ll guide you through some questions to reflect on and to write silently. You’ll be guided through an optional visualization and you can choose to do this with your eyes closed or open and to engage in the way that feels right to you.