Ep. 507 Feel Disconnected? The Most Overlooked Symptom of Childhood Trauma & How to Heal It with Anna Runkle

Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+

Cynthia Thurlow

Alternative Health, Nutrition, Science, Life Sciences, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 8 October 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

I am thrilled to connect with Anna Runkle today. Anna is known to more than a million subscribers across many platforms as the Crappy Childhood Fairy. For the last 30 years, she has shown people how to heal the symptoms of childhood trauma to live happier, freer, and more fulfilling lives. In her work, Anna almost always noticed a haunting sense of disconnection from others as an adult symptom of childhood trauma. Today, she shares her story, and we dive into complex PTSD and shame, exploring the adverse childhood event study, dysregulation, and how neglect affects the brain and impacts emotional regulation, memory, and learning. We discuss disconnection as a trauma response, obstacles to isolation, and finding your voice in complex PTSD and menopause. Anna also shares her daily practice and explains how writing helps to regulate the nervous system. You will love this invaluable conversation with Anna, also known as The Crappy Childhood Fairy, who is a fantastic resource for thousands, if not millions. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: How Crappy Childhood Fairy originated The differences between Complex PTSD and PTSD What does dysregulation look like? Unseen aspects of emotional dysregulation affect daily life Ways that childhood traumas can impact the brain How early trauma often leads to a chronic sense of disconnection Ways those with CPTSD can learn to cope with the stress of dealing with others and start connecting Anna shares her daily practice technique for emotional regulation Why the transition to menopause can be particularly hard for trauma survivors The importance of addressing trauma in healthcare and the need for better education and support for trauma survivors Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on X Instagram LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website Submit your questions to [email protected] Connect with Anna Runkle On YouTube Anna’s book, Re-Regulated, is available on most online bookstores Pre-order Anna’s new book, Connectability, and insert your receipt number to gain access to exclusive free bonuses.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Everyday Wellness Podcast.
0:03.7	I'm your host, nurse practitioner, Cynthia Thurlow.
0:07.4	This podcast is designed to educate, empower, and inspire you to achieve your health and wellness goals.
0:13.9	My goal and intent is to provide you with the best content and conversations from leaders in the health and wellness industry each week and impact
0:22.1	over a million lives.
0:28.9	Today, I have the honor of connecting with Anna Runkle known as the crappy childhood fairy to more
0:34.8	than one million subscribers across multiple platforms. Over the last 30 years,
0:39.6	she has shown people how they can heal symptoms of childhood trauma and live happier,
0:44.4	freer, more fulfilling lives. In her work, Anna noticed that a haunting sense of disconnection
0:49.7	from other people is an almost universal adult symptom of childhood trauma. Today we discussed her story,
0:57.6	the role of complex PTSD and shame, the impact of dysregulation, as well as the adverse
1:04.4	childhood event study, the impact of neglect on the brain specifically to emotional regulation, focus memory and learning,
1:13.0	how disconnection is a trauma response, obstacles to isolation, finding your voice in complex PTSD
1:21.0	and menopause. And lastly, what is the daily practice and how this focus on meditation and writing can help with proper
1:30.2	regulation of our autonomic nervous system. I know you will find this to be an invaluable
1:34.5	conversation. Anna is an incredible resource for thousands, if not millions of people.
1:43.9	Anna, such a pleasure to connect with you.
1:46.5	I was telling you before we started recording that I had not been familiarized with
1:51.2	your work prior to setting this podcast up.
1:54.3	But tell me about how the crappy childhood fairy came to be because once I learned about
1:59.8	your work and started watching your videos,
2:02.4	I kept realizing how many of my patients, my clients, my friends, my family would benefit from
	...

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