I read a recent newletter that I subscribe to, for an organisation providing trauma-informed training, resources and education. What particularly struck me was the acknowledgement that the journey towards recovery can be so huge, that it is vital to remember that the smallest of steps forward will cumulatively make such a difference if repeated many times over.
This is so relevant for our clients: having the confidence to take a bus to town alone to meet a Support Worker at the market to buy fruit; being able to call or visit your GP for the first time to book an appointment; buying a coffee for a friend in full freedom; feeling able to read with your child or to support their homework. These are just a few examples but each one helps survivors move forwards into a life of true freedom. Let’s all remember and value of the small steps:
Trauma is by its very nature huge, and life-changing, and it stops us in our tracks, and renders us powerless. We cannot approach recovery from trauma therefore as some kind of superhero movie, where we just act as if we’re not traumatised, and we ‘just do it’. Instead, we’ve got to approach it obliquely: we’ve got to do something almost ridiculously small in order to tackle it. And then keep doing it. Every day, a mile heading north. And just keep going. (Carolyn Spring, www,carolynspring.com)
