Happy Friday. I hope you can look back at your week and see the small wins you’ve had in your life. It can be difficult to see the small steps that seem minor but are a required part of our path to healing. Taking them is worthy of celebration.
“What if I told you that damage doesn't define you and the way you survive is no one else's business?”
~ Nikita Gill @nktgill #Survivors #Trauma #Healing pic.twitter.com/SnVx3EtiRY
— ✍️Rachel Thompson, Writing Books That Matter (@RachelintheOC) August 6, 2022
New From the Blogs
There’s No Magic Pill — www.childabusesurvivor.net
Mental health is complicated. The solution to one individual case is complicated. The solution to the lack of resources is complicated. Telling people to get more exercise, let alone selling them the diet and workout that will solve all their mental health issues, is a fraud, isn’t it? Saying that we simply need to give everyone free therapy without addressing the serious shortage of therapists is as well. Anyone who suggests there is a simple solution to the mental health problem facing us as a country and the world is not to be taken seriously.
Sharing – 10 Signs You’re Healing From Childhood Trauma — www.childabusesurvivor.net
The act of going from being silent and ashamed of your trauma to talking about it without shame is not something that just happens. It takes time, and it’s a step-by-step process. You won’t one day get out of bed ready to address 1,000 people and tell your story. You’ll find one person you feel safe enough with to share your story, probably shaking with nerves. You’ll be afraid of how they will react, you might even feel a little ashamed but you’re starting to realize that the shame shouldn’t be yours. That’s a victory. That’s a step in the healing direction. Celebrate it instead of kicking yourself for not being ready to speak to a large audience. You can’t get there without these intermediate steps. So see them as signs of healing.
Sharing – The Right Is Misusing the Word “Grooming,” and It Can Have Serious Consequences — www.childabusesurvivor.net
Why is this so hard for so many people to understand? Why are some of you so dead-set on causing harm to people who are different than you? If your religious leaders encourage you to harm people or treat any other group of human beings as anything less than human, they are not to be taken seriously. We need to stop giving these leaders our attention or our money.
Shared from Elsewhere
The power of short breaks, movement and other practices on improving mental health – 4 essential reads — theconversation.com
Researchers suggest it is important to build daily habits that support mental well-being and seek care when necessary.
11 Books For Sexual Abuse Survivors | The Younique Foundation — youniquefoundation.org
Reading is one way to gain insight on your healing journey. The Younique Foundation recommends 11 books to aid sexual abuse survivors.
‘When it comes to mental health, all countries are developing countries
When people share their problems, they're not always looking for solutions. They're often seeking support.
Sharing bad news may not make them feel better, but it does bring you closer.
The most basic form of compassion is not alleviating distress. It's acknowledging distress. pic.twitter.com/JHqQtcg42x
— Adam Grant (@AdamMGrant) August 11, 2022
Tips from three mental health providers about making sure your therapist is the best match — medicalxpress.com
What makes a good relationship between a patient and a mental health provider? It starts with a good match.
How to Find Strength in Stillness | Psychology Today — www.psychologytoday.com
Learning to stop, listen, and learn.
Cultivating Creative Moments of Healing for Yourself | Psychology Today — www.psychologytoday.com
These moments can profoundly help our relational trauma recovery journeys.
From the Archives
Would Everyone Benefit From Having a Therapist? — www.childabusesurvivor.net
She goes on to document the appallingly low percentage of people who manage to get therapy, as well as the difference between white patients and minorities. She then goes on to talk about this in the context of the quote above, which I had not considered previously. If finding a therapist is truly like dating, and it is in my experience as well, how do we not only make sure that therapy is available, but that there is more than one to choose from?
Good News, Bad News Creating an Untenable Situation for Mental Health — www.childabusesurvivor.net
First, the good news. This article is from Australia, but I feel fairly confident that we’d see similar results in other countries. More and more
