We are often told that in order to get passed our trauma, we have to face it and embrace it. We have to force ourselves back to that moment and feel everything about it instead of trying to distract ourselves. This doesn’t work well though, telling our story or imagining our story doesn’t make the feelings stop. We have to be able to regulate our minds so that the triggers no longer affect us anymore. It is no longer feasible, nor was it ever, to sit and tell the story and expect that to make the memories and triggers stop.
Key Takeaways:
- Simply telling the story of one’s childhood trauma isn’t enough to make things better.
- Survivors of CPTSD need to be able to handle symptoms any time they are triggered.
- Healing isn’t primarily about knowing, it’s about changing, acting, practicing, and strengthening.
“Healing might involve knowing, but mostly it’s about changing, taking action, practicing, and strengthening your ability to re-regulate yourself.”
