I’m excited for this concept to be shared so here goes…

My latest Trauma Tip vlog, How to stay hopeful when all you feel is doubt, breaks down four key principles we must be aware of, and practice, when we’re in the tough parts of our healing journey.

In this post I’ll break down a few things that weren’t in the vlog.

To start, here are a couple of comments on the vlog:

“This video is GOOOOOD!! I was doubtful and resistant at first, but what you said and how you said it Irene, gentled my defenses and mirrored my understanding of reality – then gave me new info I could use!! Thanks again for this great work you are doing!!”

“Thank you for your latest vlog on finding hope in the midst of trauma healing :). I’ve been in therapy for a while and your work prompted me to try craniosacral therapy for trauma release and my body has been nuts, old symptoms, new symptoms and bucket loads of panic, hot flashes and palpitations! I had heard this was part of the process but you’ve broken it down and reiterated at a time when I needed to hear it. Thank you.”

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You might be saying, “Ummmm, ok. Irene, are you insane? Why would I want to put myself into crazy symptoms and loads of panic?!?”

I breakdown this part of the healing journey in the vlog and why this happens. But remember that healing our past traumas and restoring regulation back to the nervous system doesn’t always have to throw us off track so much. If anything, we want our healing to keep us ON track!

This journey might feel really intense sometimes, but how we take in that intensity will be determined by the foundational work we do. Building more body awareness, practicing how to be less reactive when we feel odd and unfamiliar sensations and/or catching out of control, fear-based thoughts before they take over are just a few things we practice.

When one prepares the system and builds solid foundations for the healing process, they soon find they feel less insane and more intrigued with their healing journey. Most will start to see this preparation and foundation building becomes the process of healing in itself!

A final and important point on ‘the stories we’ve been told’

There’s a story we’ve been fed that becoming self-aware, conscious and healed happens while sitting in an effortless lotus sitting position, near a calm ocean, or in a beautiful Balinese spa.

The other story is that to heal our nervous system and release trauma means we have to go through vigorous cathartic movements and violent shaking episodes that leave us disoriented, exhausted and feeling out of control.

We are evolving in our knowledge about what the human system actually needs for transformation and I feel these two common stories aren’t serving us anymore.

I know there’s a point somewhere in the middle that brings together intelligence and foundational learning, along with solid and skillful nervous system ‘street smarts’ so we can ALL heal in a non-survival, non-stupid and non-suffering manner.

(This girl can only hope;)

If you know someone who is struggling to stay hopeful in their healing journey, I’d love it if you’d share this post with them. It might help them stay the course and realize their potential and possibility.

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Resources I Mention In The Vlog:

VIDEO: Interview with Kathy Kain, founder of Somatic Practice

VLOG: Why everyone can heal, but not Everyone will