Trauma recovery: you need a gameplan

Trauma treatment in my opinion has been barely touched by this world, in terms of compassion protocols, teacher and community training, and the providing of practical guidance, assistance and support, so there is a gameplan for a person to regain their life, dignity and ability to contribute to the world. Often all attention is spent --(if any is spent) --on emergency survival.  And people tend to focus on what is right in front of them, instead of the whole. Or their own area of expertise. As one doctor said: if you are a carpenter, everything looks like a nail.

They might miss the big picture--but you don't have to. I had to become my own advocate and recovery coach and service coordinator, until I became aware enough and able enough to get the help I needed from the outside. Trust me--I definitely didn't feel capable of any of this.


My recovery began with some blank notebooks, pens and index cards. For a year I could do so much with only these.

During the time when you are completely raw and whatever you have suffered is fresh, or perhaps even actively happening, if you have a pen and notebook, simply write your feelings, and thoughts and whatever comes to mind.

This tool in invaluable. It will get you in the habit of connecting with your own truth and give you the chance to express your feelings.

An exercise you can give yourself is a ten minute time limit and allowing yourself to write whatever comes to mind as most true, write a numbered list beginning with the words:

I NEED. Do not edit or censure yourself, let it flow.

You can also do the exercise:

I WANT.

I can't explain the power of this simple exercise. It helped me accept the truth of what I needed and wanted. It didn't mean I was going to get those things--yet. But writing it down and accepting the calling of my heart was the first step. The first step to forming goals, focus and becoming empowered. There was nothing magical about my recovery, although many parts were unexplained.
As I began to move through it, it was clear truth I was after. Setting a goal. Carrying it out bit by bit, day by day. Witnessing the results. That was a large part of it. And it all began with accepting what I wanted and needed, and later came the willingness to set out in a new way, to retrain my body and brain, and to instill new patterns.

Never underestimate the power of paper and pen.