Impacts of Trauma
The Impacts of trauma are listed in the article
most survivor sites list symptoms of trauma.
The Blue Knot Foundation lists Self Care For Survivors
Myths and Facts
overcomming shame
many survivors struggle with guilt and shame.
One of the most significant steps I made was breaking through the shame barrier.
most survivor sites emphasise that it was not our fault.- it was not our fault.
one analogy I found helpful
is that if I'm walking down the street
and I see someone drop a $50 bill I run ahead and give it to the one who droped it.
It isn't mine.
likewise the guilt and shame is not ours.
the guilt and shame belongs to the abuser - hand it back.
abusers typically dumped their guilt on us
but it is not ours
it is the abusers guilt - hand it back
or imagine you are handing it back.
Managing Dificulties
Surviving to thriving
Mike Lew wrote a book "Victims no longer "
.we were victims of a crime against us but we are not victims any longer.
We are survivors.
Our journey begins with our survival strategies.
Get as many survival strategies as you find helpful to you.
We are going on a journey of recovery - so let's gather plenty of supplies
and resources.
Surviving to thriving is a dimension of it's own and worthy of development.
Progression of therapy
the aim of this dimension is to attempt to outline the phases or stages of recovery
noting there is no single model of recovery.
I invented the Grid of Issues
with a view of expressing the randomness of issues in that there is no set path from issue to issue.
and in doing so to validate this experience many of us have talked about.
Whilst there is no set road to recovery, and we all walk out own road to recovery
our therapists do use various models
and so I have attempted to record those I am aware of both to inform
and to discuss my own frustration that some helplines over emphasise phase 1 (safety and stabolisation)
and I found when one see a new therapist we often go over narrative therapy again struggling to progress beyond
an introductory level.
It has seemed to me that there is a need for a certificate of completion of the introductory level,
and that a therapist or certifier is satisfied we are safe, stabolised and have strategies and coping mechanisms
to progress to the next stage of recovery.
In particular if we are ready to access the original traumatised memory and release the trauma using relevant trauma release techniques.
In other words, the aim of this page if to refer to higher level modes of recovery to progress from the introductory level.
I have written this page partly to document what I have found useful
and to provide access to aspects of our possable journey of recovery for motovated and resourced survivors
looking for more advanced stages.
on the other hand many survivors do not want to access the memories or the emotions. that is ok.
likewise it is fine to remain in phase 1 to establish safety and to stabolise.
we all certainly need coping mechanisms
it is our journey
sometimes we meet at certain points
other times our journey is different.