Navigating the Impact of Trauma Porn (Part 3): Unveiling the Path to Resilience and Liberation
In session with Nkem Ndefo
Healing from trauma is a profound and intricate process that extends far beyond mere catharsis or storytelling. It involves re-patterning our experiences and transforming how we hold them. In this blog post, we will explore five key topics that shed light on the transformative journey of trauma healing from this perspective. From accessing resources to discerning useful responses and preparing for storytelling, we will embark on a path of understanding and empowerment.
1. Re-Patterning: Redefining the Healing Experience
Trauma healing necessitates a re-patterning of our internal landscape. It goes beyond merely releasing the quantity of trauma and delves into reshaping our relationship with the experiences themselves. By changing how we hold trauma, we create space for growth, resilience, and renewal.
2. Resources: Tapping into Internal and External Strengths
Healing trauma calls for accessing a diverse range of resources. Internally, we tap into our inherent strengths, wisdom, and resilience to navigate the healing process. Additionally, external resources, such as supportive relationships, therapy, and community networks, provide vital scaffolding for our healing journey.
3. Interconnectedness: Trauma's Web Across Individuals, Collectives, and Systems
Trauma is not confined to individual experiences but permeates through collective and systemic levels as well. Understanding the interconnectedness of these layers is crucial to comprehensive healing. Acknowledging how personal trauma intertwines with broader issues like racism, sexism, or other systemic inequities enables us to approach healing from a more holistic perspective.
4. Self-Awareness: The Power of Discernment
Developing self-awareness is a vital aspect of trauma healing. It involves attentively sensing into our internal states while ensuring a safe and measured approach. By discerning the utility of our responses, we can differentiate between protective mechanisms that still serve us and those that hinder our growth. Self-awareness empowers us to restore our sense of agency and make intentional choices on our healing journey.
5. The Phased Process: Preparing, Settling, and Storytelling
Trauma healing unfolds in phases, each requiring careful attention and intentionality. Preparation involves cultivating self-awareness and gently settling into our bodies, ensuring we can tolerate the intensity that may arise. Armed with newfound skills, we approach storytelling without re-experiencing the trauma. This phased process facilitates growth, self-agency, and the possibility of affecting change in our circumstances.
Embracing Resilience and Wholeness
Embarking on the journey of trauma healing requires a comprehensive understanding of its multifaceted nature. By embracing re-patterning, accessing internal and external resources, recognizing interconnectedness, fostering self-awareness, and following a phased process, we create an empowering framework for healing. Let’s embark on this transformative journey together, supporting and empowering one another as we navigate the path to resilience, liberation, and a renewed sense of wholeness.
*This information came from Nkem Ndefo’s session, “Resisting the Seduction of Trauma Porn,” at The Embody Lab’s Somatic Trauma Healing Summit in June 2023. Members of The Embody Lab can access Nkem’s session through the On-Demand Content Library. Not a member? Click HERE to sign up for a 14-day free trial membership. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more educational content!
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