Author Archives: Shay Seaborne, CPTSD

About Shay Seaborne, CPTSD

Former tall ship sailor turned trauma awareness activist-artist Shay Seaborne, CPTSD has studied the neurobiology of fear / trauma /PTSD since 2015. She writes, speaks, teaches, and makes art to convey her experiences as well as her understanding of the neurobiology of fear, trauma theory, and principles of trauma recovery. A native of Northern Virginia, Shay settled in Delaware to sail KALMAR NYCKEL, the state’s tall ship. She wishes everyone could recognize PTSD is not a mental health problem, but a neurophysiological condition rooted in dysregulation, our mainstream culture is neuro-negative, and we need to understand we can heal ourselves and each other through awareness, understanding, and safe connection.

Why So Many People Can’t Believe and Support Trauma Survivors

Posted on March 11, 2026 by Shay Seaborne, CPTSD

Recently, I encountered significant opposition after I posted about the sexual assault I experienced by a member of the US Coast Guard (USCG). The event felt like a set-up, and it seemed like a pattern. But the USCG declined accountability. … Continue reading →

Posted in Abuse, IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged coast Guardsman, cognition, cognitive dissonance, consent, denial, Education, hierarchy, institutions, justice, law enforcement, Medicine, professional abuse, psychiatry, safety, sailing, sexualized violence, survivors, systems, titles, uniforms, United States Coast Guard, USCG, victim blaming, victims, vulnerability | Leave a comment

“The God Shot”: Magical Thinking for a Culture That Refuses to Change

Posted on March 9, 2026 by Shay Seaborne, CPTSD

Dr. Eugene Lipov, who helped develop the use of Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) for PTSD, announced the release of his new book, “The God Shot.” The title also refers to a medical procedure he calls a “Dual Sympathetic Reset (DSR).” … Continue reading →

Posted in IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged Anesthesiology, anesthetic, Domination, Dr. Eugene Lipov, DSR, Eugene Lipov, hierarchy, interpersonal neurobiology, IPNB, Lipov, magical thinking, nerve blocks, neurobiology, PTSD, Relational Neuroscience, SGB, SGB4PTSD, shots, silencing, Stellate Ganglion Block, Trauma, trauma recovery | Leave a comment

IPNB: A Superior Theoretical Model of Trauma, Chronic Pain, and Complex Stress

Posted on March 6, 2026 by Shay Seaborne, CPTSD

Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) serves as a theoretical model in a very different way than most biomedical models, and that difference is the point. IPNB does not try to explain outcomes by isolating a single structure, pathway, or intervention and assigning … Continue reading →

Posted in Neurobiology | Leave a comment

Symbols as Mirrors: Building Coherence Through Tarot

Posted on March 4, 2026 by Shay Seaborne, CPTSD

I pulled three cards from a tarot deck without looking: the Knight of Swords, the Six of Swords, and the Five of Wands. At first glance, they are just symbols: energetic, chaotic, transitional. But when I looked at them together, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged archetypes, cohesive narrative, Nervous System, story, survival, symbolic, tarot | Leave a comment

Smile for the Camera: The Coast Guard Trophy Photo as a Setup For Coasties to Sexually Assault Civilians

Posted on March 3, 2026 by Shay Seaborne, CPTSD

Sailing was the only place my nervous system could reliably settle. Having experienced severe childhood sexual abuse, I was not suited to the conventional structure of work and a conventional life. Sailing provided me with regulation, purpose, and survival. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Predators | Tagged accountability, Coast Guard, Coasties, Hampton Roads VA, injustice, military, military sexual assault, photograph, sexual Assault, United States Coast Guard, USCG | Leave a comment

Accumulated Harm: The Hidden Toll of Healthcare Encounters

Posted on March 2, 2026 by Shay Seaborne, CPTSD

Every time we turn to a practitioner for help, we engage in a deeply vulnerable act. We reach out not just for solutions, but for connection, support, and some kind of shared human understanding. From a Relational Neuroscience perspective, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Healthcare | Tagged allostatic load, attunement, betrayal, doctors, harm, health, healthcare, medical stress, Stress | Leave a comment

Announcing My First Book!

Posted on March 2, 2026 by Shay Seaborne, CPTSD

Of all the things I could have predicted for my life, becoming a watercolor graphic medicine artist who uses cartoon ladybugs to teach Relational Neuroscience was not one of them. But here I am. My “Della the IPNB Ladybug™” books … Continue reading →

Posted in Neurobiology | Tagged books, connection, Della, Della the IPNB Ladybug, doctors, Education, health, healthcare, interpersonal neurobiology, IPNB, learning, Medicine, Nervous System, neurobiology, Relational Neuroscience, safety, self-help, well-being | Leave a comment

When Pleasure Opens the Door to Grief: Why Some Trauma Survivors Cry After Orgasm

Posted on February 27, 2026 by Shay Seaborne, CPTSD

Some trauma survivors are surprised or confused when they cry after an orgasm. This response is often misunderstood or pathologized, but from an Interpersonal Neurobiology perspective, it makes sense. Orgasm involves a temporary drop in control and vigilance. The body … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged crying, orgasm, Trauma | Leave a comment

The 20 Worst Things to Say to Anyone in Distress

Posted on February 25, 2026 by Shay Seaborne, CPTSD

Here’s a list of common sayings that can be weaponized against Complex PTSD survivors and others in distress, often invalidating their experiences or reinforcing harmful narratives: 1. “Everything happens for a reason.” Implies suffering has a predetermined purpose, disregarding systemic … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The 20 Best Things You Can Say to a Person in Distress

Posted on February 23, 2026 by Shay Seaborne, CPTSD

Supportive language prioritizes validation, respect, and presence rather than minimizing, fixing, or forcing someone into a specific healing path. 1. “I believe you.” Validates their experience and counters disbelief. 2. “What happened to you was not your fault.” Removes blame … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged distress, kindness, language, support, Trauma | Leave a comment