Finding Support in Healing Trauma Through Social Media
When I became a mother, I knew I wanted to raise my children differently than how I had been raised but I had no idea how raw it would make me feel or how hard it would be without an example of who I was trying to be. That was 8 years ago and during a time when the phrases “cycle breaker” or “generational trauma” were not in my vocabulary.
But that’s exactly what I was trying to do… break cycles of generational trauma.
Say what you will about the internet and social media but I for one am eternally grateful for the humans who put their time and energy into creating free content for the rest of the world so we can be entertained, learn, and connect.
I began following these accounts in the last 2 years and each of them have helped me and my Instagram communities in insurmountable ways. What a treasure to be a part of a generation that has access to cycle breaking resources such as these and so much more.
Seeing the value they put out on such a consistent basis gives me such hope that more families will become cycle breakers, and we won’t just change the trajectory of our kids’ lives but those of children and adults for generations to come.
I’m so excited to share with you my favourite accounts to follow for cycle breaking and living with trauma. So if you’re a mama living with trauma, you’re on your healing journey, or you’re just beginning to understand what cycle breaking is…
Here are some amazing accounts to inspire, uplift and educate you:
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10 Accounts To Follow For Moms Cycle Breaking Generational Trauma
A Must Follow: The Good Inside Method with @drbeckyatgoodinside
We’re all looking for parenting advice and with so much out there, it’s hard to know where to turn. Dr. Becky is a clinical psychologist, author, content creator and mom of three. She’s an expert in parenting and shows you how to parent in a way that feels good with her ‘Good Inside’ method, where she put her knowledge in attachment, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and internal family systems theory into practical parenting strategies that focus on the parent behind the parenting, and the child behind the behaviour.
I Love Dr. Becky because she offers practical advice that focuses on building a strong emotional connection with your child. Also, her Instagram feed is super easy to navigate and search for something specific because her posts are graphics with the subject matter right there for you to choose from.
You can pre-order her book ‘Good Inside’ here.
Be More Conscious with @itstheconsciousmom
According to healthline, “Conscious parenting is a term used by various psychologists (and others) to describe a style of parenting that usually focuses more on the parent and how mindfulness can drive parenting choices.”
Erin Morrison, aka ‘The Conscious Mom’, creates conscious parenting content that provides a new and fresh perspective on parenting where the parent is asked to truly look inward and reflect on themselves and their choices, breaking the parenting cycles they’ve been accustomed to in order to build a strong emotional connection with their children and learn to discipline through that connection instead of simply reacting.
Erin is a certified Conscious Parenting Coach who received training from world-renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Shefali. This, combined with her two masters degrees in Psychological Counselling, time as a corporate counsellor and as a mother of two makes her an invaluable resource for parents everywhere.
You can purchase her Introduction to Conscious Parenting Course here.
Code Conscious20 will get 20% off until August 31st, 2022
Embrace Peaceful Parenting with @destini.ann
Certified parenting coach, author and spokesperson for the Jai Institute for Parenting, Destini Ann Davis is a working mom who advocates for peaceful parenting and positive discipline techniques that encourage both the parent and child to connect and communicate.
Destini serves up real and raw personal parenting experiences along with real-life resolutions to common parenting problems – such a relatable and refreshing account to follow.
Some of the resources she offers aside from her incredible free content on social media include parenting classes, a 12-week coaching program, and her book ‘Very Intentional Parenting’ that focuses on improving yourself so you can be a better parent for your kids.
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Parenting Toddlers to Teens with @highimpactclub
Marcela Collier is a mom of twins and a certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator who believes in responding to your child’s behaviours with exactly what they need.
She uses her online presence to provide parenting solutions for all areas of parenting. What I love about this account is that she not only focuses on parenting our little ones, but our big kids too, offering specific resources for parents of tweens and teens. I’m not quite there, but am eager to check it out so I can be better prepared for when I do become a tween mom in a few short years.
You can also check out Marcela on her cycle-breaking podcast Parenting with Understanding with fellow parenting coach Rachel Rogers.
Re-mothering and Cycle Breaking with @raising_yourself
As her Instagram handle suggests, Shelly Robinson believes we need to ‘Re-Mother’ ourselves. She shows us how to take real care of ourselves (and is a constant reminder as to WHY we deserve this), connect with our kids, and break the negative parenting patterns we grew up with by creating NEW habits.
Shelly Robinson is a holistic family wellness coach, workshop facilitator and conscious parenting advocate. She created a ‘Rebirth Journal’ as a guide to raising yourself, getting clear about where you are, who you are, and what you want, while taking you step by step through breaking intergenerational cycles and writing a new, desirable story for your whole family. I just love all of this and am grateful for the work she is doing.
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Discipline Through a Child’s Eyes with @mrchazz
Chazz Lewis has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to breaking cycles and truly shows up as an exemplary human who has dedicated his life to developing a more conscious, informed, joyful, dignity-driven approach to parenting.
Through his massive social media presence, he shows us life through a child’s eyes and how we can better respond to their struggles. This is just a fraction of the good he is contributing to the world.
He is a coach to both parents and teachers where he demonstrates how to enjoy raising/helping to develop children by earning their trust and turning power struggles into cooperative independence. He is currently in the process of writing a book (can’t wait!), offers online courses, runs a podcast, and hosts a YouTube channel that helps kids build social and emotional skills.
Laugh, Cry and Break Cycles with @diaryofanhonestmom
It’s me! How could I not? If you don’t know me, my name is Libby and I’m an imperfect mom of two. Sometimes I make people laugh, sometimes I make you cry- in a good way. Through personal experience and my degree in sociology, I am able to understand the complexity and nuance of the motherhood experience and meet moms wherever they’re at in their motherhood journey.
I used to think I was alone in my struggles as a mom until I started sharing my cycle breaking and parenting journey on social media. In the last two years over 1M people have started following me on TikTok and Instagram after watching my honest and relatable motherhood content.
I am a mental health advocate and I’m committed to ensuring moms know that breaking the cycles of childhood and generational trauma is possible.
This rapid growth on social media has lead to being featured on Global News, Motherly, Insider and media outlets around the world, as well as on several amazing motherhood podcasts like The Mom Room and This Family Tree.
I like to show that by taking care of ourselves, and taking one step at a time, we will be better equipped to be the moms we want to be. My aim is to build a community of moms who don’t feel alone, to provide helpful resources and share my personal experience. Come join me!
Become Whole Again with @consiousmommmy
Bryanna offers conscious parenting coaching and workshops where she supports parents in becoming whole again, which in turn allows for them to raise healthy, happy whole children.
She’s been featured on some amazing podcasts with fellow creators and mental health professionals to give insight on various subjects from attachment and conscious parenting to how to foster independent play.
I’m also very intrigued by the course she offers on raising conscious siblings…Can you imagine what that might be like? I’m here for it.
She recognizes that there is no quick fix to becoming a conscious parent, but that the extensive work that is done has the greatest reward: An honest and fulfilling connection with your child.
Retrain Your Brain with @sarahjacksoncoaching
If you’re looking for something beyond parenting support, Sarah’s your girl. She shows up online to help you release stored trauma, rewire your brain, and practice embodied faith – and she’s doing a great job. These specific teachings are offered on socials, as well as in a much deeper way in her monthly virtual classes.
She offers both individual and group coaching sessions in her areas of expertise: Retraining the limbic system, nervous system impacted by trauma, emotional integration, grief recovery, drawing rational boundaries to facilitate healing, addressing shame and soul care. Follow her for a more in-depth look into your trauma, or use the amazing coping techniques she shares regularly.
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Change the Cultural Conversation surrounding Motherhood with @drsophiebrock
Dr. Sophie is an eye-opening creator and educator to follow because she helps moms understand the wider social context we are mothering in.
This quote from her ‘About Me’ page sums up her work quite nicely: “To connect to the authenticity of who we are, we first have to deconstruct who it is the world expect(ed) of us.”
That perspective is enough to give me chills and really re-evaluate the pressure I put on myself daily. Did I put this pressure on myself or is it the outside world and its expectations?
Dr. Sophie received her PhD in sociology just before becoming a mother. She currently teaches Motherhood Studies to moms as well as others who wish to work with mothers or are currently doing so and she also has a podcast. Her purpose is to contribute to changing the cultural conversation on Motherhood and the individual experiences of Mothers, creating a world where Mothers feel empowered, supported and valued.
This work is so valuable and I didn’t even know it existed until recently. I’m so glad I’ve uncovered this gem of a woman.
The Power in Knowing You’re Not Alone in Cycle Breaking is Strong
Breaking cycles of emotional neglect, trauma and shame is exponentially hard, and often lonely.
I’m so grateful to be a part of a generation of parents who have free access to support, knowledge, and resources like the ones provided by these accounts.
It may be the hardest thing I have ever done but it is the most important and I am proud to call myself a cycle breaker. If I could leave you with one piece of advice it would be to give yourself grace and take it one day at a time. We cannot do this overnight.
Did you notice any similarities with the approaches discussed here? I did, and it makes total sense: They all make it a top priority to heal yourself.
In many cases, they disclose that it’s not possible to parent in the way that you would like to unless you too are on your path to healing your traumas.
So cheers to healing my friends! Again, I’m beyond grateful for the purpose I am serving to my community here and hope that I continue to inspire you and make you feel supported on your journey.
I’m on TikTok and Instagram as @diaryofanhonestmom. My free Honest Mom’s Circle is where I’ll be sharing anything new and exciting I have going on and sending out some valuable little nuggets of knowledge, tips and favourite things to your inbox. If you’re interested in joining, click HERE! I’d love to connect with you.
