Coping with trauma, what happened in you in response to what happened to you, is a tall order. Especially when you’re coping by trying different ways to heal it rather than hide it. If you’re one of those trying, I bow to you, and I share these quotes about healing from trauma with you, because of who you've become.

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It’s worth 15 minutes of your time to consider someone else’s take on the hardest things they’ve been through. Things like suicide loss or a fatal diagnosis. Your attention, shone on matters many people avoid because they’re uncomfortable, is a gift. These TED Talks on grief and living again are worth a listen. Continue reading

There’s a reason, a time and place for everything we feel. We hurt because it mattered. We grieve because we’ve loved. Being human means being awake to every season and storm we walk through, and finding what helps us get through “the worst” without giving up or turning to stone. See if these grief affirmations help you do that.

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It’s hard to say goodbye: to someone you love, to who you used to be, to how life used to be. Whether you’re saying goodbye to a person, a whole year (2020) or something from the past you don’t need anymore, I hope this poem lets you know that it’s OK to be right where you are. It's OK to be human instead of perfect. Continue reading

The extent of our grief is a measure of our love, and its presence in our lives isn’t something to be shunned or swept under the rug. This is the idea that grief is not bad nor is it necessarily negative. In truth, it's a witness to love. Seen in a certain light, even grief has its gifts and its beauty. Continue reading

If celebrating the holidays after loss is something you either struggle with or look forward to, here are a few ideas on how you can turn this into a season of moments dedicated to the beauty you’ve found because of the people you so miss. This season especially can be a devotion to the lives who’ve gone before your own. It can be a window into the love and bond you still share. A time to celebrate being alive is also a time to celebrate their lifetime.

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You’ve loved, and you’ve lost. You have carried what couldn’t be fixed. You’re still learning the meaning of forgiveness. You're in good company here. Which leads me to share this poem with you, called "The Unbroken." That's how I like to think of you and I.

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Life after the most difficult things isn't easy, but I’d rather live one lifetime like that — heartbreak, love, heartbreak, love — than a thousand lifetimes with my heart closed, feeling nothing at all. Read this letter if you need inspiration for how you live your "life after."

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True, wholesome, meaningful forgiveness doesn’t stop at saying a few magic words. But it could start there. Like every facet of healing, forgiveness is a process. If certain experiences in your past still weigh heavy on your soul, and you’re ready to confront them, then explore your own "things I forgive you for" list.

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This poem is another take on the concept of healing "from" trauma. Whether it's loss or illness or some other excruciating pain you've endured, the truth is that some kinds of pain don't ever go away. You can't go back to the life you had before. You can't go back to "normal" - but you *can* lay claim to your new life.

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