Recovery for me has always been a delicate balancing act. When one CPTSD coping mechanism comes into balance another one seems to get sent out of balance. Traditional 12 step programs, while helpful in some areas, segment maladaptive coping by issue e.g. food, relationships, alcohol. It took me nearly two decades to piece together a recovery framework that blended the wisdom of 12 steps with the more holistic approaches I found through Refuge Recovery, Charlotte Kasl's 16 steps, shamanic teachings, and Jungian-based therapies. These integrative approaches not only help me address the roots of these issues, but also give me a more compassionate language around and understanding of the fundamentally human challenge I'm experiencing. I believe everyone's recovery path is unique. But for me it was essential to find a way beyond conventional approaches.