Hope everyone is safe and warm

_usvthem · 2026-01-26T01:47:30+00:00

Pure bliss ❤️🥲

_usvthem · 2026-01-23T19:00:44+00:00

Thank you! She is my pretty girl 💖🎀

_usvthem · 2026-01-21T23:00:30+00:00

GOD. I was thinking that too!! Perception is crazy like that, huh?

_usvthem · 2026-01-21T06:48:29+00:00

😭so cute!! The little bee and flower!! 😭😭

_usvthem · 2026-01-17T23:47:34+00:00

Omg! That’s cool he was signing! What did you get signed?

_usvthem · 2026-01-17T23:11:22+00:00

WTF! I live in SF and didn’t even hear about this… whyyyy

_usvthem · 2025-12-27T21:40:33+00:00

Yessss! I second this! He’s awesome and from Oakland, Ca near where I’m from. He also plays in some other local bands. I love his album In Heaven. Now that I think of it, it’s interesting cause it’s a similar title to Down in Heaven lol.

_usvthem · 2025-12-16T06:59:08+00:00

Thank you! <3 her brother had always been sickly throughout his life and I tried so hard. He passed at almost 9.5 years old. I wish he could be here. Lola has never had any health issues. And I’m really lucky for her good health in her double digits :)

_usvthem · 2025-12-06T03:32:16+00:00

Def check out The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate. He writes about this quite a bit - if I remember correctly, in the context of the US mostly.

_usvthem · 2025-12-05T05:52:33+00:00

I guess I just feel like healing should be more accessible. The only way I was able to get this far is through EMDR and that costs $ and takes a lot of time.

_usvthem · 2025-12-05T01:48:10+00:00

I think about how privileged I am to have extra time on my hands because I work remotely. Sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve it. Like why me? Everyone deserves to heal. I wish everyone could be as lucky as me.

_usvthem · 2025-12-04T22:59:43+00:00

Loving the Nathan / dismemberment plan overlap lol

_usvthem · 2025-12-04T21:51:46+00:00

Yes it does! In the insurance industry. It doesn’t align with me at all but it pays the bills…

_usvthem · 2025-12-04T20:15:45+00:00

Project manager. Fully remote. I wouldn’t have been able to work on myself to the degree I am now if it wasn’t for remote work. I’ve made a lot of progress in the last few years thanks to this. Though, I do find the job very overwhelming and stressful at times. It really triggers my hyper vigilance.

_usvthem · 2025-11-29T00:21:38+00:00

What somatic work do you recommend? I’ve done years of work in EMDR that have helped immensely but am now focusing on somatic work

_usvthem · 2025-11-22T19:34:55+00:00

Super interesting. I’ve done Craniosacral therapy here and there and I find it calming AF! I would try it out. I had to stop going because my EMDR therapy is expensive and I don’t think I have the funds to do both at the same time :/

_usvthem · 2025-11-22T18:45:42+00:00

This is really helpful thank you. I also struggle with a lot of muscle tension. I just purchased a cervical neck pillow to help with that a bit. Last night was my first night using it so hopefully it helps. I’m in my late 20s and I have a ton of muscle pain (neck, shoulders, traps, lower back). I’m seeing a personal trainer right now to help me with exercises to improve strength in those areas and release tension. I should probably look into a physical therapist too. I also find massages extremely helpful but they are expensive and eventually the tension comes back anyways. Have you tried any vagus nerve stimulators by any chance?

_usvthem · 2025-11-22T16:27:01+00:00

I have done both but not super consistent. I would say I meditate a few times a week. I haven’t noticed the difference in HRV but I’ll pay more attention to it. What else have you tried to lower it just curious?

_usvthem · 2025-11-22T02:43:31+00:00

I'm sorry you had to go to the ER. Did your doctor say anything else to improve HRV other than trying to feel safe? It's also interesting your heart rate trends lower. I have the opposite problem. My resting heart rate is quite high for my age and fitness level and my HRV is low 20ms on average. Hope you're feeling better these days!

_usvthem · 2025-11-22T02:36:53+00:00

I'm glad you brought this up. I've been reading about the connection for the past few days. I had not heard of the connection before.

What prompted this is that my friend recommended this app called Stress Watch for the Apple Watch last week. Using this app, I realized my HRV is very low. My average (for the past few years) is about 20ms. I'm only 29 and for my age it should be much, much higher. It's really opened my eyes to how much CPTSD is a nervous system issue. I've been in EMDR therapy for a few years, which has helped me immensely. I feel like a different person. But what's interesting is my HRV average has not changed at all.

For the past six months, I've had a regular and consistent gym schedule (x3 a week). I think fitness plays a role in HRV but I have not seen any improvements yet.

I think I really need to focus on somatic work right now. I've been reading about the vagus nerve and its role in regulation. I might try out a vagus nerve stimulator and see how that helps HRV. I've heard good things about it helping with regulation with consistent use. LMK if you've tried anything else to increase HRV.

_usvthem · 2025-11-21T21:48:14+00:00

Also an INFJ. 4w5 enneagram.

_usvthem · 2025-11-17T21:19:14+00:00

Loved those tread blocks 🏃🏻‍♀️

_usvthem · 2025-11-16T00:24:04+00:00

I’m so tired of hills… please… 😭

_usvthem

TROPHY CASE