As we work on the details for my Story Line Quilts at Copper Country Mental Health, a contact introduced himself to me as a team member of Trauma Informed Recovery Team. I had to look up the word trauma.
"Trauma".
A deeply distressing or disturbing experience.
Emotional shock following a stressful event or a physical injury, which may be associated with physical shock.
A serious injury or shock to the body, as from violence or an accident. An emotional wound.
What is more amazing than the definition is that I had to ask. Like, how in the world having been traumatized, did I not know its content.
We use words, and words often hide the actual facts. "Trauma" encapsulates the actual event like a shroud, hiding the literal activities and content.
To say Trauma instead of describing the actual events, allows us to not feel, know and react or respond viserally. It almost seems that words allow for more denial or denial period.
And, maybe the "Trauma Informed Recovery Team" clearly understands the contents of trauma and we the traumatized are slowly awakened to them.
Imagine, it takes a team to help us recover...to sort through the trauma and to find a way to live in peace, love and joy after it.
I am very grateful that there is a team for trauma, a recovery team!
The trauma in my life was to experience sexual abuse from a father. It had both emotional shock as well as physical injury from violence. Trauma sure seems like a nicer word, that rape by a dad.
I am looking forward to see what else I learn as I hang My Story Line Quilts at Copper Country Mental Health. What services and teams are waiting there to help in my recovery.
I am hopeful that my quilts will bring awareness to teams waiting to help those of us who sadly know the after affects of trauma...to recover and restore our center, our balance, our confidence, our self esteem....our self.
I know, that what was clearly shattered and destroyed was my sense of safety, of having some who loved and cared for me, my faith and trust....this is what gets shot to hell, when the ones you love....sexually abuse or are incapable of responding...like my mother. I lost my parents and that was traumatic.
It isn't the act of sexual abuse or the indifference after, it is finding out there is no one there to protect you. That the world of safety and love is no more.
Trauma is breaking the innocent world by those you loved and trusted.
When kindness and love are replaced with rape and indifference...that is traumatic, for they are polar opposites. To recover from that, often times means getting away from those hurtful people....which often leaves us estranged from family.
I would love to be part of the Trauma Informed Recovery Team. And, if my quilts help someone, give hope, lend inspiration....I am on the team!
