Mother Nature occasionally packs quite a punch. For example, tornados often leave a wide path of destruction in their wake. Sometimes, in the news reports from areas affected by a tornado, we’ll see a neighborhood through which a tornado traveled seemingly haphazardly, leaving some places untouched while destroying others. This phenomenon is a fitting metaphor for how trauma works in our lives. … [Read more...]
The verdict is in. How are you doing?
As emotions wash over us, individually and collectively, we may be surprised that our answer is "actually, not that well." When we wait for something that is difficult or stressful, we’re on edge. We hold our breaths. Then it’s like a dam that bursts. The flood that releases, carries all the hurt with it, but it doesn’t necessarily wash away. There is still a wound that needs to heal. The … [Read more...]
Today I watched George Floyd die again, but sure, I’ll have that memo to you by 5:00
As we watch the trial of Derek Chauvin, live or later, on our computers, phones, and televisions, we see our profession stepping up to ensure that the judicial system performs at its highest level. This is what we do. We tell traumatic stories and hear them. As our state is in the spotlight, traumatic images and stories flow into our conscious and unconscious, and everyone is talking about … [Read more...]