Understanding these patterns is the first step toward reclaiming emotional regulation and self-compassion .
The , developed by psychotherapist Pete Walker, identifies four distinct survival strategies—Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn—that the human nervous system uses to protect itself from perceived danger or abandonment. While everyone uses these responses in emergencies, individuals who have experienced Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) often become "stuck" in one or two dominant modes. The Four Trauma Responses 4F.jpg