For a long time I didn’t know I was dissociating — I just thought I was “fine,” even when I felt numb, checked out, or like life was happening at a distance. Looking back, it was an intelligent way my system protected me when things were too much to feel. Learning to notice the early signs — losing time, flattening inside, going up into thought instead of feeling — gave me a doorway home. With gentle, body-based attention and safe connection, I found I could return in small doses, feeling more of my life without getting overwhelmed. Now I offer space for people who notice they “leave” themselves under stress. Not to force presence, but to build the kind of safety where coming back happens naturally.