Reminder that “processing trauma” doesn’t just mean “talk about the traumatic shit that happened to you” (especially if you aren’t ready to do that yet). It also means:
Giving yourself time, safety, and rest. Letting your brain learn how to feel safe again by giving it a safe place to rest and recover. Rediscovering the feeling of peace is a fundamental part of recovery.
Examining your day-to-day feelings. (Not just your feelings about what happened in the past, but the way you feel just in general, day-to-day.) Observing and understanding your present emotions, the things you are struggling with, the things that are getting easier, recognizing the good, the bad, and the gray.
Identifying triggers, brainstorming ways to avoid them, and having a gameplan & coping skills for when they can’t be avoided.
Identifying goals, concrete or otherwise. (E.g. my goal is to have more good days this month than last month, to have fewer days spent in bed, to have fewer moments of panic, to be a little happier and feel a little more safe.)
Talking about your fears & negative feelings is important. But you can start by talking about your desires & hopes for the future. In therapy, you get to choose what to talk about, and how far the conversation goes.
Reminding yourself that you are working to overcome obstacles specifically because there are good things waiting ahead.
Recovery is a journey, and everyone carves a slightly different path. You don’t have to follow step-by-step instructions, as long as you learn how to keep moving forward.
