

The Crappy Childhood Fairy Podcast with Anna Runkle
Anna Runkle
I’m Anna Runkle, also known as the Crappy Childhood Fairy, and I teach people to recognize and heal the symptoms of Childhood Trauma. Welcome to my podcast!I’m not a doctor or therapist; I know about childhood trauma because I lived it, and I discovered a radical approach to healing that focuses first on calming neurological dysregulation, which is common in people who grew up with abuse and neglect. In my podcasts, I teach about dysregulation – how to know if you have it, what it can do to your body, your thinking and your relationships, and what to do to master re-regulation. When I learned this, everything in my life got suddenly easier. I’ll also be teaching you to heal the life problems that so often develop after years of living dysregulated – feeling tired, isolated and unfocused, finding yourself always drawn to unavailable and inappropriate partners, and falling WAY short of your professional potential, for example. The thing about me is, traditional therapies never seemed to help me. When I found techniques that did work, my whole life changed. Only in the past few years has the trauma research caught up to explain why – why the techniques I use worked, why therapy didn’t, and why my healing journey was so unnecessarily long. I’ve been teaching what I learned for more than 20 years now. It started with friends who had noticed the quick and dramatic change in me, and gradually grew by word of mouth. In 2016, I had so many people seeking instruction that I made my first online video, and then an online course, and this is how Crappy Childhood Fairy was born. My techniques and principles are practical yet powerful – an approach anyone can use, whether or not you have access to professional help. In this podcast, I’ll be talking about the master of self-regulation, and teach the tough-love life-lessons that you may not have learned at home – like how to date so that stable love finds you, how to get ahead at work, and how to calm the negative hamster-wheel thoughts that block your ability to connect with other people. Today, almost half a million people follow my work and participate in my training and coaching programs. My mission is to change the paradigm of what’s possible for people like us, and to help you free yourself from the oppression of trauma wounds, and to become your full, happy and real self. I’m glad you’re here! Watch new videos on my YouTube channel every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and access my videos, courses and free tools at crappychildhoodfairy.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books

4 snips
Jun 4, 2025 • 28min
It Took Me 25+ Years To Learn What I'm About To Tell You In 26 Minutes
The speaker shares their journey through job struggles influenced by past trauma. They reflect on feelings of neglect in a decade-long office role, realizing their self-worth. The discussion emphasizes breaking free from toxic work environments and advocating for personal fulfillment. Anecdotes highlight the impact of trauma on professional life and the journey toward healing. Listeners are encouraged to prioritize growth, build supportive relationships, and view employers as clients to redefine workplace satisfaction.

Jun 3, 2025 • 33min
12 Super Specific Signs That Your Childhood Was Extremely Damaging
🔴 TAKE THE QUIZ: Signs Early Trauma Is Affecting You Now: http://bit.ly/3GhE65z
🟢 TRY MY FREE COURSE: The Daily Practice: http://bit.ly/3X1BrE0
*GET MY BOOK,* "Re-Regulated": https://bit.ly/4dRI8Sj
VISIT MY WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/3CxgkRY
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PLEASE READ: I am not a therapist or physician. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information provided on this channel is not intended to be a substitute for in-person professional medical advice. It is not intended to replace the services of a therapist, physician, or other qualified professional, nor does it constitute a therapist-client physician or quasi-physician relationship. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

May 26, 2025 • 9min
Why Narcissists Want To Stay FRIENDS After They Break Up With You
They unpack early red flags like casual sexual stories and frequent “friends” that wear you down. The conversation covers gaslighting tactics that reframe your boundaries as jealousy. It explains why exes push to “stay friends” to keep emotional supply and play rescuer roles. They contrast that with healthy boundary-setting and encourage finding real supportive friends.

May 16, 2025 • 28min
What Does It Mean Losing Friends Is a Pattern?
If a friend suddenly refuses to speak to you and you don’t understand why, it may be that they were not a good friend in the first place. But if it keeps happening with several friends, the evidence points to something in you – a blind spot, or an unconscious habit of saying or doing something that hurts other people – that pushes people away. In this video, I respond to a letter from a woman who is scared to consider that SHE may be the one who is damaging connections.
Do You Struggle to Connect with People?: FREE PDF Download: https://bit.ly/3LcjDD8
🟢 Order My New Book, RE-REGULATED: https://bit.ly/4dtGVze
Take my FREE Course or Quizzes: https://bit.ly/40M2YeW
Enroll in my Courses or Membership: https://bit.ly/3HP5qcf
Send your questions & comments to: hello@crappychildhoodfairy.com
NEED ONLINE THERAPY? *BetterHelp* can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/CCF

May 14, 2025 • 13min
Why You Feel Left Out in Groups (and What to Do About It)
When I started teaching about trauma I never expected that one of my biggest challenges -- feeling like I didn't fit in with other people -- was actually a common trauma symptom. If you have CPTSD or you have trouble feeling connected with others, you’re going to want to see this.
Do you have CPTSD? Take the QUIZ: FREE PDF Download: https://bit.ly/3X9MZ7J
🟢 Order My New Book, RE-REGULATED: https://bit.ly/4dtGVze
Take my FREE Course or Quizzes: https://bit.ly/40M2YeW
Enroll in my Courses or Membership: https://bit.ly/3HP5qcf
Send your questions & comments to: hello@crappychildhoodfairy.com
NEED ONLINE THERAPY? *BetterHelp* can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/CCF

May 12, 2025 • 11min
Why Some Traumatized People Think Focusing on Trauma Is Stupid
In this video, I respond to an angry comment on my YouTube channel from a woman annoyed that some people appear to accept others' bad behavior, justifying it as "trauma." Hear the comment, and my take on why some people with CPTSD take a hard-ass approach to healing that I call "The Cowboy Response." While she's not very kind, she's not wrong!
Do you have CPTSD? Take the QUIZ: FREE PDF Download: https://bit.ly/3X9MZ7J
🟢 Order My New Book, RE-REGULATED: https://bit.ly/4dtGVze
Take my FREE Course or Quizzes: https://bit.ly/40M2YeW
Enroll in my Courses or Membership: https://bit.ly/3HP5qcf
Send your questions & comments to: hello@crappychildhoodfairy.com
NEED ONLINE THERAPY? *BetterHelp* can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/CCF

May 11, 2025 • 1h 10min
How to Heal Your Wounded Soul After Trauma (4-Video Compilation)
Healing trauma is more than psychological. It's physical, it's practical -- and here's the part where trauma experts are curiously silent -- it's spiritual. Abuse and neglect are injuries to the spirit, and where we are spiritually injured, a vulnerability opens to further harm from destructive people, and even from our own self-defeating behaviors. This is how the battle between good and evil is waged in our own lives, and in this four-video compilation, I share four of my most popular videos teaching how you can work with the power of good through prayer, meditation, courage and the willingness to take courageous actions to transform the damage that was done to you.
Ten Signs Your Trauma Is Healing: FREE PDF Download: https://bit.ly/3raZghI
🟢 Order My New Book, RE-REGULATED: https://bit.ly/4dtGVze
Take my FREE Course or Quizzes: https://bit.ly/40M2YeW
Enroll in my Courses or Membership: https://bit.ly/3HP5qcf
Send your questions & comments to: hello@crappychildhoodfairy.com
NEED ONLINE THERAPY? *BetterHelp* can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/CCF

May 7, 2025 • 49min
Here's My Story on How I Learned to Help Others Heal Their Trauma Symptoms
I make it VERY clear that I'm not a therapist or doctor, but sometimes viewers ask why I didn't go the route of becoming a therapist, and how I learned to do what I do. In this video, I give the full story on how I recovered from my own Complex PTSD symptoms, and how teaching my method grew from a few people to millions of people over the course of 30 years. My focus is not on childhood or the origins of trauma (this is the special expertise of licensed clinicians). Rather, I focus on practical ways to regulate the nervous system, and principles and techniques to get your life together and NOT fall into the old self-defeating behaviors that used to drag you down.
Need Online Therapy? https://betterhelp.com/CCF
Try the FREE Daily Practice Course: FREE PDF Download: https://bit.ly/3Y4263I
🟢 Order My New Book, RE-REGULATED: https://bit.ly/4dtGVze
Take my FREE Course or Quizzes: https://bit.ly/40M2YeW
Enroll in my Courses or Membership: https://bit.ly/3HP5qcf
Send your questions & comments to: hello@crappychildhoodfairy.com
NEED ONLINE THERAPY? *BetterHelp* can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/CCF

May 5, 2025 • 17min
Try These Emergency Measures to Re-Regulate Anywhere
Dysregulation can affect anyone, but those with childhood trauma may experience it more frequently. Learn quick on-the-spot techniques to regain emotional balance when needed. Strategies include grounding techniques like deep breathing and somatic shaking, as well as soothing methods using food and water. Discover the power of pressure through hugs and self-hugging to calm the nervous system. Eye movements can further help reduce distress. These tips aim to empower you to manage your emotional state in everyday situations.

May 4, 2025 • 48min
You Hide That You Love Them, and Pretend You’re Their Friend
The podcast dives into the complexities of hiding true feelings for someone emotionally unavailable, especially for those with past traumas. Discussions highlight the damaging impact of unreciprocated emotional entanglements and the struggle between friendship and romance. A heartfelt listener's letter emphasizes the fears of risking a valued connection. The importance of honesty and establishing clear emotional boundaries takes center stage, guiding listeners toward self-awareness and healthier relationships.


