Festering Trauma

"Trauma is not what happens to us, it's what we hold inside, 

in the absence of an empathetic witness."

Peter Levine 

Trauma is not exclusively a major event.  It can be an occurrence on a minor level that becomes wedged deeply in our emotional bank.  To someone else, it may not even be noticeable; but on a personal level, it may be devastating and agonizing.

When not witnessed,  a simple incident may be repressed with excruciating pain.  It can be relived mentally, triggering and deepening the wound.  Even though it may be a slight occurrence to others, the unaddressed damage can become paralyzing. 

When we are able to accept the need for healing, we can bring our pain to the surface sharing with a trusted friend, therapist, creative expression, meditation or the written word.  Once we begin to release without judgement, a glimpse of hope can move us beyond the memory, propeling us forward.