It is brave to stay in my body, it is wise sometimes to leave it
If you are someone who struggles to stay in your body.
If you are someone who has leaned into dissociation as a survival strategy.
If you are someone who struggles to connect with the sensations and language of your body.
If you are someone who encounters deep pain when you touch into your bodyscape so it’s like: okay, why the heck would I even go there?
If you are someone who has been should on to stay with your body as if it’s easy.
If you are someone who has been admonished and shamed for shutting down, numbing out or disconnecting from parts of your body.
This love note is for you.
Sometimes the things that happened to us are unspeakable but often our body knows the words
Sometimes the things that happened to us are unspeakable but often our body knows the words, holds the experience, makes muscle memory of the truth. Somatic knowing and memories are valid, even without the traditional narrative that so many expect.
In a world that doesn’t make space for survivors’ stories and truth, the body can be testament. The body can be holy ground of hot knowing and surefire knowledge.
What is a Traumaversary?
If you have ever experienced strange (or deeply familiar) bodily sensations, flashbacks, returns to old coping strategies, and waves of grief and sadness (among many other possibilities) before the anniversary of a traumatic event rolled around - you might have experienced a natural response to a traumaversary.
I honor your survival
I honor your survival.
I believe your survival.
I am in awe of your survival.
I support your survival.
if your body was trespassed
content warning: sexual assault. please take care of yourself before, during and after if you decide to read.
if things are dying, let them
If things are dying, let them. A hand in hand at the bedside and wounded wailing, let it. Grief that carves through you like a river with teeth, let it. A busy mind grasping to make sense of this wieldly liminal space, let it.