053: Valerie Huard Talks Trash

**Trigger warning**: This episode contains content describing abuse and trauma. It may bring up feelings and thoughts about trauma specific to you. If this is not in line with something that you want to or are able to listen to today, I strongly suggest that you do not listen to this episode.   Decluttering. It’s one of those buzz words we hear all the time and an activity that evokes a feeling of stress in a lot of people. But what if your inability to declutter is actually because of stress and past trauma? Whether it’s the loss of a parent or child, an abusive relationship, bullying in your past, or any other trauma, PTSD causes us to protect ourselves in ways that aren’t always beneficial. In today’s episode, I’m talking to Valerie Huard about her business, DO Well, where she empowers clients to overcome their trauma through decluttering.    Having suffered physical and emotional abuse by her grandfather as a youth, Valerie took it into her own hands as an adult to figure out how to take care of herself. Traditional medical and therapy routes failed her, and a cross-country move with her husband and children caused her to realize her trauma resulted in hoarding tendencies. Valerie and I take a deep dive into how trauma and clutter are linked, as well as how to separate the two and create lifestyle changes that are sustainable.   What’s in this episode: Valerie’s experience with childhood abuse How she tried to protect herself from further trauma Valerie’s healing journey, both traditional and non-traditional Her discovery that clutter and hoarding was linked to past stress and trauma Why decluttering carries emotional attachments How our brain and body process stress and trauma How to disassociate from your trauma before (and during) decluttering your home Practices to help you sustainably declutter and maintain long-term lifestyle changes Resources and options for working with Valerie For full show notes, resources, and links, head to: https://www.meredythwillits.com/podcast   Are you ready to go deeper? I am giving you the keys to the castle. If you enjoyed this podcast and want to hear more, make sure to subscribe so you’ll never miss an episode! You can also join us on Patreon for exclusive content you’ll only hear there: https://www.patreon.com/MeredythWillits   You can connect more by visiting me on my website at https://www.meredythwillits.com/ or connecting with me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MeredythWillits34 or Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/meredyth_willits.