Why Unpacking Trauma is Difficult but Important

The past two months have triggered my trauma in many ways. I thought I had dealt with some of the trauma that’s come to the surface already. Turns out, dealing with trauma and unpacking it is a process of dealing with emotional and physical response landmines. Dealing with trauma and healing from it is not a once and done… not even close. I don’t write this blog post so you will feel sorry for me.

Writing it means I’m acknowledging what still hurts and starting another step in the healing process by letting my experience with trauma help someone else. Helping other people overcome their own challenges, pain, and trauma is part of my calling from God. I firmly believe that with every fiber of my being. Despite everything I’ve gone through, I’m still here. Not only that I’m thriving.

There are quite a few people who would love to see me not tell my story to help others or thrive in my life. In fact, these people have told me I cannot do anything I’ve done or am doing now. I’ve never done well with the word cannot. It motivates me to do the very things anyone says I can’t. I’m going to use everything I’ve been through the last two months, trauma wise, to help as many people as I can. Processing what I’ve been through is going to take some time. I’m determined to get to the other side of processing, however, and heal.  Here’s what I know about trauma and unpacking it right now. The list below is not in any particular order.

1. It is hard, vital, work to process and heal from trauma.
2. We all all have trauma in some form. It is part of our collective humanity
3. Facing trauma head on is brave and holy
4. Using the lessons learned from trauma to help others through their own aids our healing
5. I am okay. You are okay. We will better than great in time
6. It is not my fault. It is not yours either.
7. We have to feel it all to heal
8. Healing from trauma is essential to health and wellness. It is also a form of self-care
9. No one heals from trauma alone. It takes a village. In my world, my village is my blood and chosen families.