Complex PTSD: When Single-Trauma Frameworks Fail
60% of Complex PTSD patients no longer met diagnostic criteria after phase-based treatment, a 2025 study found—not the standard single-trauma PTSD protocol.
Mar 24, 2026 Matthew Sexton, LCSW
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Tag · Complex Trauma
All complex trauma posts.
Sorted newest first. Each post links primary sources and methodology.
Narcissistic Abuse: Frequently Asked Questions
Recovery from narcissistic abuse follows a rough arc — weeks 1-4 acute withdrawal, weeks 4-12 fog lifting. A clinical FAQ on trauma bonds, no contact, and C-PTSD.
Jan 15, 2025 Matthew Sexton, LCSW
Dark Triad vs. Light Triad
The Dark Triad (Paulhus & Williams, 2002) and the Light Triad (Kaufman, 2019) explain why naming a narcissistic pattern helps survivors stop the self-blame.
Jan 05, 2025 Matthew Sexton, LCSW
Why People Miss Their Narcissist: The Withdrawal Paradox
Why survivors of narcissistic abuse often miss their abuser — and why the missing is trauma-bond withdrawal, not a sign of weakness or unresolved love.
Dec 15, 2024 Matthew Sexton, LCSW
No Contact on Valentine's Day After Narcissistic Abuse
Holidays are the most predictable breaking point in no contact: the nervous system still expects the old reward window, and narcissists reliably hoover on schedule.
Nov 28, 2024 Matthew Sexton, LCSW
Mirroring: When Vodka on the Rocks Thinks It's a Martini
Narcissistic mirroring activates the same dopaminergic reward circuitry as substance craving (Fisher, 2004) — why it feels intoxicating, then like a hangover.
Nov 20, 2024 Matthew Sexton, LCSW
Narc Face: The Fleeting Feigned Confusion
The split-second micro-expression when a narcissist's mask slips: dead eyes, a calculating pause, a performance reset — and the clinical empathy research behind it.
Nov 15, 2024 Matthew Sexton, LCSW
The Narcissistic Abuse Cycle: From Belief to Awakening
The same circuits that fire in substance withdrawal fire during a narcissistic abuse discard — the full cycle, idealization to awakening, explained clinically.
Nov 10, 2024 Matthew Sexton, LCSW
Narcissistic Abuse Awakening: Not a Sudden Epiphany
Narcissistic abuse awakening isn't a sudden epiphany. It's a nervous system shift, and most survivors need three to twelve months of no contact to stabilize.
Nov 05, 2024 Matthew Sexton, LCSW
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