When does the trauma stop?

After I experienced medical abuse and neglect last year and the year before, on top of a lifelong pattern of trauma I asked myself, “WHEN DOES IT STOP?” My self replied instantly, “When I make it stop!”

Last fall I decided to teach trauma awareness and prevention to frontline providers because they have the greatest potential to help or harm. I increasingly talked about trauma and Complex PTSD to inform my care providers. I created a 1/3-page trauma-awareness handout I ask to have put in my file when I meet potential new members of my healthcare team. It informs them of my specific needs, the needs of trauma survivors in general, and info about the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study.

I switched to a more holistic medical practice and found my new PCP’s office quite receptive to the idea of trauma awareness for staff. That led to my first online presentation, “Intro to Trauma Awareness,” a 20-minute art-driven Zoom session that seems to have opened the way.  Recently, BrainShapeLLC owner Tamera Siminow invited me to be a guest on her podcast to discuss”Resilience in the Time of Covid-19.”

What does it take to become a trauma-awareness activist-artist? It takes a lifetime of struggle against the ravages of the early-onset neurophysiological disruption greatly ignored by our culture, including the medical community. Making it stop takes immense courage and fortitude. It also takes some luck and unexpected support.

Nobody made the trauma stop for me and I want to help make it stop for myself and others.

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