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Sunday, January 8, 2017. In fact, with the right methods of presentation — I bet there are many people who can “figure out the punch lines” before anyone even tells them what this “trauma healing business” is actually all about. This idea that came to me today can give people clear pictures of the solutions — many of which already exist in their lives — before anyone actually describes to them “the problem is you have a REALLY HIGH ACE SCORE!”
I have been thinking about how I might introduce ACEs connected trauma healing information to this new community I moved to last October ever since I arrived here. I have tested the waters, so to speak, in talking to some of the people I have met here. Nothing about this process is or will necessarily be easy. Who wants to talk about trauma?
Suddenly this afternoon I had my own little epiphany! I would NEVER want to put this information into motion by beginning with the big T word! NO!
Even though I cannot say I understand the big R word – resiliency – I have decided that there is no other way for me to begin this personal work of mine here!
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I found an interesting 2011 article that discusses various Resiliency Questionnaires. The conclusion basically is that nobody evidently knows what resiliency is – so how CAN it be measured?
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Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2011; 9: 8.
Published online 2011 Feb 4. doi: 10.1186/1477-7525-9-8
PMCID: PMC3042897
A methodological review of resilience measurement scales
Gill Windle,1 Kate M Bennett,2 and Jane Noyes3
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Fine with me. Really. If ACEs trauma healing information is going to be introduced into any community it is already known that each of those communities are going to have to individualize the entire process to their own specific locale. While the facts of ACE information appears stable, the “delivery and implementation” systems need to be tailor made.
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I have been informally approached by someone interested in knowing if I could formulate a “delivery system” connected to ACE community healing that is art based. As a Nationally Registered Art Therapist I COULD design something like this and could instruct those working on this project (in a different state). Where there is a need – there can be found a way….
So today my epiphany provided for me a basic template I can now think about. Here it is in its informal beginning sketch format (this is all “a work in progress”):
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I call this “pattern” for a delivery system of ACE information —
R.E.A.L. © Trauma Healing
The words that I capitalize in bold type are the main words that delineate a structure for community discussion. The rest of the words in parenthesis are at this point still being considered as “idea words” – that could be included in a presentation, or that might or might not rather be generated in discussion about the main words.
(I would be able to use art expression experiences all the way through this entire process – and could teach the right person/people how to do this, as well.)
The main words are concepts that begin to describe a process most importantly, from a positive point of view/experience.
R.
RESILIENCE, RESOURCES
(could include resourcefulness, rest, relaxation, recuperation…. Rejection, rejecting = to me, a kind of immune system response as with our cells = what is not good for us is rejected, which then becomes one of our resiliency factors. Often trauma interferes with abilities to know what is good for us and what is not, preventing us from acting according to our best interests. It is also true that learning about trauma as it affects all of us will enable us to be more accepting of others, of the problems we face together as we work out solutions.)
(NOTE: There are two words I only use with great and specific care and consideration when it comes to healing for severe early trauma survivors: “restore” and “recover.” If trauma begins early enough (and it can certainly begin at conception) for a person (in my case from the moment of my birth), and if the trauma in a family is pervasive and severe, there is not REALLY much to “restore” a person to or for them to “recover” from that horrendous mess. I do believe deep healing from early trauma will likely progress to a point where a survivor can “go back” to find their own pure, innocent, beautiful SELF – that was traumatized but that is NOT a “part of” the early trauma. On the whole, I just don’t even think in terms of “restore” or “recover” without including much careful consideration of the reality of anyone’s earliest history.”
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E.
EVERYBODY
(I would include earth, (epigenetics), exploration, enjoyment, entertainment, empowerment, empathy, expression, emotion, epiphany, excitement, enthusiasm, education…. EVERYBODY is in this life together, and very few get through a lifetime free from trauma.)
(I would suggest a very strong emphasis on this section! Including –
- Discussion of “com” as a prefix meaning “with”
- Making connections to the possibilities that among the most “traumatized” people and families tendencies toward great isolation might exist – healing addresses these patterns
- Discussion of “everyone” includes patterns of what is being today called “accompaniment” among people. Forms of peer relationships strengthening attachment bonds on all levels are included here, along with peer-based modeling of new life skills, encouragement, teaching, shared learning, etc.
- It is clear that, as a social species, humans are actually designed to be WITH one another in positive ways. This is the direction of the healing of our species.
- Included in this area of conversation and discussion I would include opportunity for examination of what the following words mean to participants in their family, culture, location, etc.: community, communication, compassion, commune (with). Yes, this is about creating recognizable safe and secure attachment relationships. The use of simple, enjoyable art expression techniques enables this attachment to happen from the center of each person involved in this process – and the best of attachment can grow right from that beginning.
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A.
ACE TRAUMA AND HEALING
(It would not be until at least the third “session” (meeting) that the main topic of introducing ACE trauma and healing information would be introduced specifically. Prior to this every effort would have been made to expose and examine every possible positive aspect of people’s lives first! I also think art and creativity belong in this section, as well!)
(This section of ACE specific trauma healing training builds on: affirm, affirming, affirmation; accept, acceptance, accepting; adapt)
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L.
LIFELONG LEARNING
(love, laughter, linkages….)
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I certainly am not qualified to teach all the ACE related information! I do understand that my little epiphany today might provide patterns for delivering this information such as someone else TRAINED for this job could adapt and/or make use of.
We are all in a discovery phase regarding what to DO with the CDC ACE information – in our own lives, in our communities, in our world.
The job of DOING this work seems to big for me – at least right now. I will help where I can. Do what I can. And recognize that I might be called-from-within to do more of this work than I want to.
If this turns out to be true – I have a lot of self-education to do about this ACE trauma healing revolution. I guess I won’t be able to pass on a baton – especially to the younger generations — if I don’t first have a baton in my hand.
I suppose it’s like carrying a hot coal – keeping a spark alive – finding the right conditions to light a fire of learning and change. Time will tell me where my place is to be in this process.
I just hope and pray that if I am called to action I will be ready, willing and able to do the work. Honestly? I would strongly prefer that someone else does it!
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Here is my first book out in ebook format as it provides an outline of the conditions of my malevolent childhood. Click here to view or purchase–
Story Without Words: How Did Child Abuse Break My Mother?
It lists for $2.99 and can be read by Amazon Prime customers without charge. A daring book – for daring readers – about a really tough subject.
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Tags: adult attachment disorders, adult reactive attachment disorder, anxiety disorders,borderline mother, borderline personality disorder, brain development, child abuse,depression,derealization, disorganized disoriented insecure attachment disorder,dissociation,dissociative identity disorder, empathy, infant abuse, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),protective factors, PTSD, resiliency, resiliency factors, risk factors, shame
Stop the Storm 