Alex, you were strongly on my mind last night. Reading your essay this morning, I now know why. "Healed, unhealed" - yes. Doesn't that describe in two words the liminal space you've been in for a long, long time? I know we are far apart in miles, but please know I truly care about you and am your friend. Just wanted you to know.
"The healing was not the same as the doneness. I had confused them. I had treated them as one verb. They were two." I read that sentence twice. I work with people navigating transitions they thought were finished — job loss, identity shifts, the moment the old map stops working. The confusion of healing with arrival is something I'd recognised without finding words for. You found them. Thank you for writing this the hard way.
This is powerful. C-PTSD explained eloquently by speaking from your meta view of yourself. Naming the experience as it happens. Yes, this experience will continue to come and go.
Remember to step into the stream, then back out again into reality.
One is something that is already finished in history, when you go back into it, your experience of it will feel like it’s all happening now… that’s what PTSD is.
You already know this, I’m just reminding you in this now. All of us who have our training need someone outside us to remind us this.
As we step back into the stream of the trauma, have someone else nearby to bring you back into present time. Use physical grounding to pull you out of the trauma. Eat something, walk, dance, take pictures with your phone, talk about things actually in the now, listen to something actually making noise currently… all five senses wake up again. and come out of the trauma trance.
This trauma bubble exists because our brains are a miracle.
Our brains create a bubble around the experience, encasing the feelings and sensations within it.
Only when we are safe enough to consciously know (and be reminded) that the event is completely over physically can we dip our toe back into the feelings.
Ah... the joys of our broken and sick medical system. Sending love and virtual hugs.❤️
Alex, you were strongly on my mind last night. Reading your essay this morning, I now know why. "Healed, unhealed" - yes. Doesn't that describe in two words the liminal space you've been in for a long, long time? I know we are far apart in miles, but please know I truly care about you and am your friend. Just wanted you to know.
"The healing was not the same as the doneness. I had confused them. I had treated them as one verb. They were two." I read that sentence twice. I work with people navigating transitions they thought were finished — job loss, identity shifts, the moment the old map stops working. The confusion of healing with arrival is something I'd recognised without finding words for. You found them. Thank you for writing this the hard way.
You have me wondering if there ever is a final after?
Oh my gosh. Alex.
This is powerful. C-PTSD explained eloquently by speaking from your meta view of yourself. Naming the experience as it happens. Yes, this experience will continue to come and go.
Remember to step into the stream, then back out again into reality.
One is something that is already finished in history, when you go back into it, your experience of it will feel like it’s all happening now… that’s what PTSD is.
You already know this, I’m just reminding you in this now. All of us who have our training need someone outside us to remind us this.
As we step back into the stream of the trauma, have someone else nearby to bring you back into present time. Use physical grounding to pull you out of the trauma. Eat something, walk, dance, take pictures with your phone, talk about things actually in the now, listen to something actually making noise currently… all five senses wake up again. and come out of the trauma trance.
This trauma bubble exists because our brains are a miracle.
Our brains create a bubble around the experience, encasing the feelings and sensations within it.
Only when we are safe enough to consciously know (and be reminded) that the event is completely over physically can we dip our toe back into the feelings.
Eye droppers full only Alex.
Here for you if talking would help.
Time is not linear- Good to know and remember.