1. We maintain the confidentiality of the group and respect the stories of participants by not sharing their stories with others without their permission.
Sara Aird | Survivor Wise Resources
SARA AIRD
Complex Trauma Survivor Turned
Trauma Trained Educator & Adovcate
ABOUT ME
I knew early on that my logic-minded and structured brain would fit well into a Biology degree, but for me, science wasn’t just science. Science was the story of how the world worked, and it was a story I wanted to share. With a skill for teaching, I paired my degree with an education certificate and set out to teach young minds the story of science and the thrill of exploration.
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Life took a detour, as it often does, a detour that ran me right into the complex trauma of my childhood. Suddenly, the world didn’t make as much sense as it had before, so I did what I always do: I went looking for books. Books that would help me navigate the frightening and disorienting world of abuse and recovery. Stories that would help me understand my own story. Information that would empower me to take my life back. I found that power. I also found connection, as I ventured into communities of survivors fighting for their lives one day at a time. In their eyes, I saw a reflection of myself, a knowledge that I wasn’t alone. With my understanding of trauma and my personal story of recovery, I invested my time at nonprofits dedicated to healing childhood trauma - ground-level work empowering survivors the way I had been empowered through knowledge and community. Through this work, I realized the positive impact my story and research could have on other survivors.
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I began sharing my healing story via my Instagram account @survivorwise in 2020, where I offer education, resources, community, and hope to those recovering from the effects of complex trauma. Over the past three years, I have expanded my trauma training, and I continue to seek innovative and meaningful ways to share trauma stories and recovery with survivors and my community.
Professional Experience:
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Level 1 NARM (Neuro-Affective Relational Model) Informed Professional
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Internal Family Systems Informed Introductory Training
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Somatic Attachment Certificate with the Embody Lab
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Ongoing Supervision by another practitioner
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Bachelor’s Degree in Biology with Education Certification & Writing Certification
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15 Years of Personal Research Around Complex Trauma, Family Dynamics, Generational Trauma, Somatic Healing, Relational Healing, Internal Family Systems, Etc.
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8 Years Experience Facilitating Trauma Recovery Groups
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10 Years Experience Mentoring Women in Trauma Recovery Programs
Lived Experience:
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A recovering complex PTSD survivor
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An understanding of what it is like navigating the trauma recovery system and the challenges that brings
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An understanding of trauma from a lived experience point of view
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An understanding of what it is like using and practicing trauma-informed tools
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An understanding of the day-to-day, in the trenches, type of work that healing is
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A compassionate lens around trauma-related behavior and how it shows up
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A passionate belief in the inherent wisdom and capacity of survivors to heal and recover
OFFICAL BIO
Sara is a complex trauma survivor, educator, and advocate. Through her Instagram platform @survivorwise, she shares resources and tools for trauma recovery in the context of her own healing story. Using her background in biology, education, writing, and trauma training, she breaks down complex trauma recovery into accessible and relatable packets of information offered in her Survivor Wise workbooks and courses. She has over five years of experience working and volunteering in the nonprofit sector with organizations dedicated to the prevention and healing of sexual abuse and other trauma. She is Level 1 NARM Informed Professional and has training in Internal Family Systems and Somatic Attachment. She brings her professional and lived experience into her Survivor Wise resources, where she empowers survivors to become the experts on their healing process. Her personal research and lived experience give Sara a compassionate perspective on the psychological and neurobiological impact of trauma, which makes her a valuable advocate for complex trauma recovery and survivors.
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Sara lives in Utah with her husband and three kids. She enjoys puzzles, traveling with her family to national parks, podcasts, and Dr. Pepper.
“Our job is not to deny the story, but to defy the ending - to rise strong, recognize our story, and rumble with the truth until we get to a place where we think, Yes. This is what happened. This is my truth. And I will choose how the story ends.”