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Confrontation doesn’t have to be a fight; it can be the moment everything gets clearer. That idea becomes our entry point into a grounded, hope-filled conversation with trauma therapist Carolyn Kobylinski, LPC-S, who believes therapy should make you feel different. We trace her path through bipolar II, eating disorder recovery, caregiver grief, and the hard-won wisdom that comes from rebuilding life after it breaks. With warmth and candor, we name what most people only hint at: trust can be betrayed in therapy; labels like “bipolar” get tossed around carelessly; and not all “trauma” is trauma.
We draw sharp lines where they matter. Bipolar II isn’t a mood swing—it’s depressive episodes with hypomania’s sharp edge, often relieved by meticulous self-awareness, seasonal pattern tracking, and consistent medication management. We explore functional depression and freeze, where competence masks exhaustion, and talk about how to forecast energy, communicate limits, and protect stability. Then we widen the lens to trauma: how attachment styles, family systems, and tiny touchstone moments—one look, one comment, one accusation—calcify into lifelong beliefs like I’m unsafe or I’m too much.
From there, we move into the body. Carolyn shares how EMDR and Accelerated Resolution Therapy help clients map sensations, locate first memories, and revise the script. Bilateral stimulation, body scanning, and slow, curious noticing allow the nervous system to stand down so the gut, skin, and breath stop bracing for impact. The result isn’t perfection; it’s a bigger bandwidth for real life—more tolerance for discomfort, less avoidance disguised as “protecting peace,” and a truer sense of choice.
We close with practical guidance on finding a therapist who fits: ask for referrals, test the relationship over a few sessions, and expect collaboration and gentle challenge. If you’re ready to swap vague insight for change you can feel in your body, this conversation offers the roadmap. If it resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help others find these tools.
You can find Caroline at https://www.cwkcounseling.com/
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