Note: This article is a presentation of my training course on mindfulness at Erasmus+ in Bansko, Bulgaria.
General introduction
I believe many people often confuse the terms “meditation” and “mindfulness “, which refer to different concepts, but are indeed interrelated. According to ChatGPT’s answer, mindfulness is a specific state of awareness in the present moment, while meditation is a practice that aims to cultivate mindfulness and other psychological and physical states. Meditation is one way to develop mindfulness.
I’m sure many of you have already heard of PTSD. Victims of war (e.g. Vietnam War), terrorist attacks (e.g. 9/11), rape and other extreme violence are at high risk of developing PTSD. So what is the difference between PTSD and CPTSD?
PTSD is caused by a single traumatic event, while CPTSD is caused by repeated or prolonged exposure to trauma. CPTSD symptoms may include those of PTSD, as well as difficulties with emotional regulation, self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, and a sense of meaning and purpose.
Mindfulness therapy is a form of psychological treatment that emphasizes the acceptance and non-judgmental awareness of present-moment experiences. It involves mindfulness practices such as meditation, body scans, and mindful breathing that help individuals become more aware of their thoughts, emotions, and sensations. By cultivating a non-judgmental attitude towards these experiences, mindfulness therapy can help individuals with CPTSD develop better emotional regulation, reduce avoidance behaviors, and learn to accept and tolerate distressing emotions.
One of the key benefits of mindfulness therapy in the treatment of CPTSD is that it helps individuals develop greater self-awareness, which can lead to improved emotional regulation and a greater sense of control over their lives. Through mindfulness practices, individuals can learn to identify and respond to their emotional triggers, which can help them avoid or mitigate potential stressors. Additionally, mindfulness therapy can help individuals develop greater self-compassion and self-acceptance, which can lead to improved self-esteem and a greater sense of well-being.
There are several mindfulness-based interventions that have shown promise in treating CPTSD, including mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). These therapies typically involve weekly group sessions led by trained mindfulness teachers and may include homework assignments such as daily meditation practice.
My experience with CPTSD
The author themselves happens to be a complex PTSD sufferer and therefore chose this topic as my research interest and to better understand myself. For me, I often suffer from emotional flashbacks and toxic shame.
Emotional flashbacks mean that I will suddenly have emotional experiences that are consistent with once traumatic scenarios, such as explosive overwhelming fear, anger, sadness, etc.
Toxic shame means that I sometimes have an unexplained sense of shame about my existence and a sense of meaninglessness about the value of my existence.
And the triggers for my emotional flashbacks are usually very small and unpredictable, such as seeing negative news that causes me to have vicarious trauma, associating it with my Chinese friends who are human rights defenders who are being tortured in prison.
For example, eating alone in a cafeteria can remind me of my childhood experience of being isolated and ostracized by a group, giving me delusions of persecution that everyone hates me.
How meditation helps me
In my personal experience, I often listen to guided meditation audio to help me fall asleep and to calm my emotions. The paid meditation app I use regularly is called “TIDE” (https://tide.fm/en_US/) and offers guided meditations in both English and Chinese as well as a variety of white noise options.The Balance app (https://balanceapp.com) offers one year of free access and meditation audio in English.
Going to sleep through meditation has helped me sleep more peacefully and with fewer night wakings and nightmares. With the help of guided meditations and white noise, I can usually come out of the emotional spiral and gradually calm my mind and body.
A particularly useful scenario for me is when I go into an emotional flashback, for example, when I am suddenly in a state of sadness, anger, fear, etc. Meditation helps me to slow down my breathing rhythm and make me realize that I am safe in the present moment, away from the dangerous circumstances that caused my trauma in the first place.
I have also watched three guided meditation videos produced by Netflix in collaboration with Headspace, a well-known meditation software:
https://www.netflix.com/us/title/81280926
Rainbow Pie 
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