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Releasing Your Authentic Self

12/27/2017

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Are You a Survivor
of Child Abuse or Trauma?
If so, this Book
was Written for YOU!

Releasing Your Authentic Self

A Daily Guide to Help
Child Abuse and Trauma Survivors
Rediscover Themselves

by Svava Brooks

$14.95 Paperback (live Amazon link)
$9.95 Kindle ebook (live Amazon link)

(381 pages)


Child abuse teaches you to disconnect from your “authentic self.”  It’s the only way to survive the trauma of abuse.  Because of that, adult survivors need to dig deep to reconnect with who they truly are, because their real identity has been hidden for decades.  

And that’s why I wrote Releasing Your Authentic Self.  I wanted to give you a very special tool to help you do just that!

In this life-changing book for child abuse and trauma survivors, you’ll receive a tiny piece of your “truth” every day for 365 days.  Each truth is followed by two questions, which encourage you to dig deep enough to rediscover your beautiful, authentic self.  

Feel free to write your answers to these questions directly in the book like a workbook.  I’ve left plenty of room after each question for you to do that.

These questions were created to bypass the resistance of your conscious mind and reveal your toxic core issues.  Every time you eliminate a core issue, you’re one step closer to releasing your authentic self.  

If you’re ready to do the deep, hard work of emotional healing, Releasing Your Authentic Self is the tool you’ve been searching for.  Nothing is more exciting than rediscovering that incredible, unique, awesomely wonderful person you were destined to be.  Much love to you on this amazing journey!


What Are Readers Saying About Books by Svava Brooks?

“Journey to the Heart is a well-written, supportive, and gentle work to help anyone with trauma in their past learn how to live a thriving life in the present.” (E.K.)

“I am grateful for Journey to the Heart and its author, Svava Brooks.  This book is filled with so much compassion and understanding that only another trauma survivor is able to put into words.   Bought a copy for myself and gave a copy as a gift to my therapist to share with her other clients.  I highly recommend this book.” (A.)

“This woman totally gets it.  Bottom line, this author will hold your hand as you work through the dark places, and you will KNOW that those feelings cannot hurt you now, so you are free to develop into the person who has been struggling to show itself!” (D.)


Isn’t it time you began living your life
as the happy, healthy person
you were always meant to be?

Order this Life-Changing Book TODAY!


Releasing Your Authentic Self

A Daily Guide to Help
Child Abuse and Trauma Survivors
Rediscover Themselves

by Svava Brooks

$14.95 Paperback (live Amazon link)
$9.95 Kindle ebook (live Amazon link)


********
Are you a survivor of abuse or trauma?  Are you struggling with your healing journey?  I can help!  If you are ready to start "Thriving" I have just the support for you.  If you are ready to do the deep, hard work of healing and create lasting change, succeed by joining a community of people just like you working through the RYAS book, one day at a time. You are worth it! Follow this link to learn more

Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot NOW! 


Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my empowering monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/
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Heal From Abuse by Validating Your Hurt Inner Child

12/18/2017

2 Comments

 
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Do you get hurt a lot in life? Do people just seem to let you down constantly or it feels like they are intentionally hurting you? Does it feel like a reoccurring theme in your life?  It used to be for me too. 


The reason why you, as an adult, always feel hurt by others is not necessarily because those other adults actually are hurting you. It is because your inner child is hurting and  is seeking that validation all the time, in good ways and bad. The part of you that needs your validation is your hurt and your hurt is being fed by your inner child.


You were just a child and might have even depended on the person that hurt you. This betrayal sets you up for expecting the worst from those that are closest to you. And therefore we often choose never to risk letting anyone in, in the first place... since you believe it is just a matter of time before the betray you.

I did not find a way to break my silence and get the help I needed until I was in my twenties. I had struggled with isolation and depression because it felt very risky to open up to people, to let them in. I was very social but I did not know how to connect on a deep, meaningful level. I didn't understand it then, but what I was hiding was my shame. When we feel that we are bad or shameful, we live our life on guard, always defensive and expecting the worst. 
 
The hard part is for us to become aware of how present this core but false belief is in your life. I would like to invite you to consider that deep inside there is a hurt little child that is asking for your help, that needs your help.  And I remember in the beginning, the idea of connecting with my little girl was scary. The feelings and the hurt were big and felt too big for me to handle at first. The sadness, the anger, the loneliness, feeling so unlovable. Yikes, I can still remember how hard those feelings felt.  


Here is the good news. The feelings are big but not as big as you think. They only feel big because that inner child is little, but you are not, not anymore.

But this inner child is the source of most of your pain, anxiety, and depression. It is the part of you that desperately needs you to learn to know and feel your feelings in a healthy way and let that sad little child feel the feelings while you lovingly listen, seeing and feeling everything he/she needs to let go of the hurt. 

When I learned to hold, validate, and love my little girl, it was as if someone had put me into a different world. It did take time but slowly it felt like people were more loving towards me and I had an easier time setting boundaries and saying no. When I connected with this precious part of myself, I wanted to protect her, love her, stay healthy for her, and help her express the truth that she had been denied for so long. 


So whether this is your first visit to my blog or the twentieth, I hope this empowers you to dig deeper and start to connect with your wounded little self. That is  the part of you that holds your light and all of your many the gifts to the world. It is worth exploring what gifts he/she can bring to your life if you let him/her.

I would love to hear how you are doing with your emotions and what feeling you find the hardest to express. If you are not sure how to do that or where to start, I am doing a webinar this week that I know will help you get started on learning about inner child work and learning how to love yourself after abuse.

Here is the link to register for the webinar.

                                                                          ********

Want to be learn more about your inner child or how to feel your feelings in a safe way? Not sure where to start?  Don’t worry.  I can help!  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100).  Let me help you with the next step to heal your life.  Reserve your spot NOW! 

Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback (link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!


Are you on my email list?  Email list subscribers receive an email with a link to my weekly blog post and occasional special offers.  If you’d like to subscribe, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/
2 Comments

Connecting to Your Body By Practicing Mindfulness

11/27/2017

2 Comments

 
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The practice of mindfulness, such as meditation, can be a challenge for trauma survivors.   Trauma disconnects you from your body in the moment to survive a perceived threat. Most survivors do not get the support they need to heal and process the abuse they suffered, which leads to chronic inner tension and toxic negative believes that feed unhealthy behaviors and feelings about themselves. We think we are bad, we feel bad, and believe the abuse was our fault. 

The thought of reconnecting with their bodies, where all the bad lives, feels very overwhelming in the beginning. Active mindfulness, of the body and mind, is a very helpful practice because it teaches us to become aware of body sensations, thoughts, and emotions and to relate to them with an open, nonjudgmental attitude. 

I remember feeling overwhelmed when I began to connect to the place where all the bad was hiding. The shame that lived inside my body was toxic. I had mastered denial about my past and was hiding behind the "little miss perfect" act, and working three jobs as a young woman. I have memories waking up in the middle of the night and feeling the terror and worry creep into my mind, my body slowly tensing up until I disconnected from it completely, not thinking about or feeling any of it. But eventually I could not pretend any longer. I was struggling with growing depression and physical pain that showed up in regular painful migraines and stomach cramps. 

Then I started my healing journey.  I was fortunate that I found a support group early on in my healing. Within this group, I learned about the impact of my past and how important it was to feel my feelings. I learned from watching other participants. I slowly connected to my feelings about what had been done to me. It took time and eventually, mindfulness and meditation became important tools that I utilized on my journey, for over 20 years. Now it is a part of my daily self-care practice. 

If you are new to mindfulness, it is defined as “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment” (Kabat-Zinn, 2003 p. 145).

Research has consistently shown that mindfulness is an important predictor of well-being. People that meditate are more positive, feel more independent, and have higher self esteem and vitality. 

The other wonderful thing about mindfulness, is that it is already part of what being human is, a tool available to all humans. Anyone can practice mindfulness and you don't need anything outside of yourself to do it, even though it is helpful to follow a guide in the beginning in form of a book, course, or a coach. 

For some, mindfulness is easier to practice than meditation because you don't have to sit in silence in order to practice mindfulness. There are a range of different practices that I want to share with you in a future blog post but I also wanted to let you know that I am working on a 8 week mindfulness course that I will be offering in the new year. It will include a weekly webinar, a daily journal, and self guided mindfulness and meditation practices. This program is based on positive psychology and I know many of my clients will benefit from it.  

You can benefit from it as well. I lead my clients through body awareness exercises that help trauma survivors to learn to trust themselves and their bodies and gives them a practice that helps with self regulation and resilience during the healing journey. 
​

If you are interested in learning more about mindfulness, my upcoming group program, or have a question, please let me know. You can reply or comment below.

                                                                              ********

Do you struggle with body awareness? Not sure where to start?  Don’t worry.  I can help!  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100).  Let me help you with the next step to heal your life.  Reserve your spot NOW! 

Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback (link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!


Are you on my email list?  Email list subscribers receive an email with a link to my weekly blog post and occasional special offers.  If you’d like to subscribe, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/

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Self-Care Is a Vital Part of the Healing Journey

11/6/2017

4 Comments

 
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Focusing on your health is important as you heal after trauma.

I had learned a lot about trauma. I understood the impact but having been fortunate with a healthy body, the long term impact had not showed up in my biology except for very painful migraine headaches and depression. But the toxic level of stress I had lived with my whole life had not registered yet.

Back then, my self-care mostly consisted of numbing the pain. It just hurt too much to think about it. I was in too much pain and too ashamed of what had happened to me. In the process, I had completely disconnected from myself and my needs. This strategy worked, and it worked for a while.

Adding self-care to my life was difficult because I couldn’t figure out what I wanted and needed. I was really hard on myself about this, too. It was embarrassing. I was a grown woman, but I didn’t know how to care for myself in a loving way. I did not know what it looked and felt like to kindly take care of Svava. Does this sound like you?

However, I was very skilled at taking care of family and friends. I knew what they needed and I would go out of my way to make sure those needs were met. I always put them first, often at the expense of my own self-care. It was much easier to focus on other people.

Do you ignore your own needs and focus only on the needs of others? I’ve been there, I understand, and I’m here to tell you that you can start to change that.

Any change begins with awareness. Pay attention to what works, what doesn’t work, and what needs to be tweaked in your life. 

The best way to do this is to make a list:
  • Are you even on your list?
  • What healthy foods did you eat this week?
  • Did you exercise or go for a walk?
  • How much water did you drink?
  • Did you do something today that gave you joy, something just for you, like reading a good book or getting a manicure or window shopping?
  • How many times did you meditate?

Seems like a tall order, doesn’t it? It did to me. With a busy work life and a family of five, I had no time in my day for taking care of “me.”

But I was determined to do this, so I kept trying. I knew I had to take daily loving action to changing my lifestyle, to make my self-care a priority, or I would never fully heal.

Then an amazing thing happened. I began to feel better about myself. I was shocked to discover self-care was helping me heal and it was making me healthier than I had ever been. I was probably even reversing some of the long term impact the abuse had on my body.

Slowly, I started to treat myself with the respect and love I deserved. The more self care I practiced, the stronger and more resilient I felt. It felt so good to finally know how to make myself healthy again. I was healing from the inside out.

You can do this too! Make today the day you take those first steps toward your own self-care. It won’t feel comfortable at first, but keep trying. You’ll be glad you did!

                                                                            ********

Is it hard for you to take time for yourself?  Do you struggle with the concept of loving self-care?  Don’t worry.  I can help!  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot NOW!

Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in Paperback (link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!

Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my empowering monthly newsletter and an email to my weekly blog post, go here: http://www.educate4change.com and register on the homepage or in the popup box.

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How Do We Develop Courage?

7/23/2017

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If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you may remember I wrote a blog post a few weeks ago about the 7 steps most child abuse survivors must take in order to heal.  

I received a wonderful response to it from several of you.  Thanks!  If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, here’s the link:
                                                      link

In this blog post, I’d like to discuss the second of these 7 steps: Develop Courage.  As you know, we don’t start out on our healing journey feeling courageous.  In the beginning, courage is the last thing we feel.  We’re uncertain of the path, the process, and the outcome.  
That’s a completely normal response.  Fortunately, your willingness to heal will eventually develop into courage with each healthy risk you take on your journey.

The reason we don’t feel courageous is because change is hard for survivors of child abuse.  Thankfully, we’re not defenseless kids anymore.  We’re adults.  Now we’re the ones with all the power.  We can make the choice to heal.  We can be willing to change.  We can take small steps forward every day on our healing journey.  We can use purposeful intent to work each of these 7 steps.  

Yes, we’ll probably have to remind ourselves every day of our commitment to heal.  I know I did!  But that daily reminder is what keeps us going.

Today, I want you to realize you’re already a courageous person.  You may not feel that way, I know.  But it takes tremendous courage to begin your healing journey.  And you did that.  

Now you need to wake up every morning, willing to do what it takes that day to heal.  Do this every morning, and one day you’ll blossom into a capable, courageous, loving human being.

When it happens, that will be a very special day.  It’ll be the day you rediscover your authentic self.  How exciting!
                                                       ********
Are you having trouble with this second step?  Is feeling courageous a stumbling block for you?  If so, I can help!  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100 per hour).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot TODAY!

Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback 
(link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!


​Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here:
http://www.educate4change.com/


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WHY Do We Do What We Do?

7/17/2017

2 Comments

 
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This is such an important question.  In fact, it’s an integral part of your healing journey.  As survivors of child abuse and trauma, we must always ask “Why?”  

  • Why did I do that?  
  • Why did I say that?
  • Why did I think that?
  • Why am I feeling this particular emotion right now?  
  • Why is feeling this way important to me?

I help my clients answer these questions by teaching them how to feel their emotions and how to fall in love with themselves.  Nothing gives me more joy or satisfaction than showing them how to achieve this goal as quickly as possible.  The tools I give them are the same ones I use when faced with a challenge.  These are invaluable, timeless tools that will serve them well for the rest of their lives.

I often cry tears of happiness when my clients reach this point.  For example, most are awestruck at their ability to “feel” again.  After being numb for so long, they can finally feel good emotions.  They never thought they’d be able to do that again.  They thought they were too broken.  They weren’t.  

And neither are you.

I can totally relate to this.  When I began to feel again, it was a shocking moment for me.  I had no idea I could feel so much joy.  I never imagined I could feel so happy.  It was an overwhelming, awe-inspiring experience.  I thought I was incapable of feeling good emotions.  I wasn’t.

So keep asking yourself “Why?”  My relentless pursuit of the answer to this question in every area of my life is what led to my healing.  It took me to places deep inside me, dark places that needed to be healed.

It’ll be the same for you.  Pray about it.  Get God involved.  Question everything you think, feel, say, and do.  The path from Survivor to Thriver begins with one simple word: “Why?”
                                                           ********

Would you like to know how to feel your good emotions again?  Would you like to learn how to fall in love with yourself?  If so, I can help!  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100 per hour).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot TODAY!

​Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback (link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!


Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/
2 Comments

The Toxic Power of Shame

6/11/2017

4 Comments

 
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Shame always appears on the healing journey when you begin to:

  • Reconnect with your body to feel safe
  • Reconnect with your emotions to express them in a healthy way
  • Isolate and correct distorted core beliefs
  • Practice being kinder to yourself
  • Believe you’re worthy
  • Believe you’re lovable
  • Believe you can change

​That’s quite a list, isn’t it?  But shame is often the primary cause of the mental and emotional blocks that arise when you tackle these areas of healing from abuse.  Shame tries to keep you feeling powerless, disconnected, and unworthy of love.



I don’t think I’ll ever forget how thoroughly shame terrorized my life.  I remember the feeling well.  Shame is what I thought every time I considered telling my husband about my abusive past.  Shame had convinced me, if he knew the truth about me and what I’d survived, he would leave me.  None of this was true.  Shame is a liar.


Understanding the way shame operates and its toxic power is an important part of healing.  Fortunately, shame is like fear.  Once you recognize it, shame loses its power to hold you hostage.  Yay!  


When shame comes up with my clients, we begin with the thing that gives them the most intense feelings of shame.  Then we take baby steps to dissect that feeling, so they can take back their power in this area.


If you’re looking for more information about dealing with shame, I recommend the books by Brené Brown, especially Daring Greatly.


Don’t let shame sabotage your healing journey.  Don’t allow it to hold you hostage.  Shame is nothing more than a bully.  Every toxic thing it tells you is a lie.  Take back your power and end its reign of terror TODAY!!

                                                           ********


Are you struggling with shame?  Do you often feel overwhelmed by its power and the effect it has on you?  Don’t worry.  I can help!  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100 per hour).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot TODAY!


Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback (link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!
 
Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/
4 Comments

Do You Believe You Can Heal?

6/6/2017

0 Comments

 
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Recently, I heard there are 42 million child sexual abuse survivors in the U.S.  That number is probably much higher, because some survivors never tell anyone about their abusive past.


Most survivors spend years (maybe decades) thinking about the past before we find the courage to tell someone about it.  When the brain continually focuses on the trauma from an abusive past, it just makes the pain worse.  It’s the major cause of our suffering.


That’s why to heal from the past you have to believe you can heal.  


Yes, feeling the pain, sitting with it, acknowledging it, allowing it to express itself in a healthy way, and releasing it from your body is one of the first steps on the healing journey.  Until you do that, you’ll never completely heal.


However, you can’t remain in this step forever.  At some point, your heart will let you know it’s time to move forward to the next step on your healing journey.  If you don’t, fear will take over and try to convince you that you’ll never heal.  To conquer this fear, you must believe healing is possible.  


And that’s my question for you today.  Do you really, honestly believe you can heal?


We can never go back and undo the trauma from our abusive past.  The damage is done.  But you can move forward to the next step on your healing journey.  You do that by choosing to heal.


Everyone’s healing journey is unique.  We all move forward at a different pace.  Some steps on your healing journey will come easily for you, and you’ll accomplish them quickly.  Others will take weeks or months to work through.  Everyone is different.


The best way to defeat your fears and continue moving forward is to use your own life as proof.  Look back to where you were a year ago, five years ago, ten years ago.  You’ve come a long way, haven’t you?  


Yes, you can heal!  Just look at your life.  That’s all the proof you’ll need.
                                                            ********

Are you stuck on your healing journey?  Do you feel like you’ve plateaued out, and you’re not moving forward anymore?  If so, I can help.  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100 per hour).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot TODAY!


​Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback 
(link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!



Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/
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What If I Don’t Know What I Want?

4/17/2017

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If 2017 has been an unusually busy year for you, I can totally relate!  But for survivors of abuse, a hectic schedule isn’t something out of the ordinary.  Too often it’s the norm.

An important milestone on your healing journey will be the realization that you’re ready to step off this hectic hamster wheel.  If you’re tired of living in reaction mode, dashing from sunrise to sunset each day, trying to catch up but never achieving that goal, good for you!  The desire to end your frantic pace is a major accomplishment.  

But how do you stop this toxic merry-go-round?  You simply change direction.  Instead of trying to satisfy the wants and needs of everyone else in your life, you concentrate on satisfying your own.

Easier said than done for abuse survivors like us, right?  We’re pros at knowing what we don’t want.  But we’re clueless about what we do want.  In fact, most of us have never considered asking ourselves important questions like:

  • What do I want?
  • What do I need?
  • What do I want my life to be about?

The abuse we suffered battered us with the false belief that we aren’t as valuable as everyone else.  At our core, we feel we don’t deserve to relax, to do what brings us joy, or to make our needs a top priority.

Of course, none of this is true.  Abuse is built on lies, and this is a big one.  Every human being on the planet is valuable, regardless of what they’ve survived.  And that includes YOU!

To determine what you want and need in life, the first step is gratitude.  Think about everything you’re grateful for.  When we appreciate all the good things in life, we appreciate the good things about ourselves.    

Begin every morning with gratitude.  This practice will help you gain more clarity about what you truly want and need.  Then create a list of those things.    

Here’s my challenge to you.  Now that you have a list of your wants and needs, schedule at least one thing from this list every day.  

When you’re ready to accept my challenge, you’ve reached another major milestone on your healing journey.  Congratulations!
                                                               ********
Does your mind go blank every time someone asks you what YOU want in life?  That’s not uncommon for survivors of abuse.  But don’t worry.  I can help!  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100 per hour).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot TODAY!

Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback (link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!

Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/

0 Comments

Healing From Child Abuse is Like Peeling an Onion

3/27/2017

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Healing from child abuse or chronic trauma doesn’t happen step-by-step, as if you were climbing a staircase.  The healing process is more like peeling an onion.

Child abuse is sustained trauma that happens day after day.  It forces you to disconnect from your mind, body, and heart.  This helps you survive the abuse, but it also hides your authentic self.

Every day for years you disconnected from reality and from your true identity, while enduring the abuse.  Every year added a new layer of repression, inner tension, and toxic beliefs.  

Your brain helped you do this when you were a child in order to protect you.  But now you’re an adult, and this repressed trauma is manifesting as toxic relationships, addiction, codependency, destructive behavior patterns, illness, or chronic pain.  You’d love to fix this, and you’ve tried.  But nothing seems to work.  Instead, you’re stuck, reliving the same problems over and over again.  Ugh!

To move forward in a meaningful way, change your focus.  Begin to see yourself as an onion.  Then ask yourself these deep questions:  

  • What negative themes are repeated in your life?  
  • What are your challenges?  
  • What do your relationships look like?  
  • Do your friends treat you with respect and kindness?   
  • Do you schedule daily self-care?  
  • What are your healing goals?  
  • What gives you joy?  
  • What makes you feel fulfilled?

Each question you answer brings awareness with it.  And this awareness peels away another layer of repressed trauma, just like you were peeling an onion.

However, peeling an onion always makes you cry, right?  Awareness does the same thing.  When awareness appears, it immediately peels away a layer of repressed trauma.  That releases a flood of emotion, like sadness, grief, anger, or rage.    

You have to grab a tissue to blot your eyes when peeling an onion, right?  Do the same with awareness.  Use kindness and compassion, like a soothing tissue, until those emotions flow through you and out.  

Keep answering these deep questions, gaining awareness, and peeling away each layer of repressed trauma.  Now you’re no longer stuck, and your life has become brighter, more joyous, and filled with gratitude for how far you’ve come.  This is the healing journey!
                                                      ********
Are you stuck on your healing journey and can’t seem to move forward again?  Do you need help asking and answering those deep questions? If so, I can help.  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100 per hour).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot TODAY!

Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback (link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!

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Svava Brooks
Educate4Change
Dedicated to Ending the Cycle of Child Sexual Abuse
Ph: 619-889-6366  
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