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Finding Peace and Self-Compassion After Trauma
Finding Peace and Self-Compassion After Trauma
Healing from trauma is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Finding peace and self-compassion after trauma may seem impossible due to
feelings of shame, fear, or helplessness. These feelings are common, but they don’t define you.
By learning self-compassion, you can start to find peace within yourself and your body.
Photo by spotwizardlee
What is Self-Compassion?
Think about how you’d comfort a dear friend going through a tough time.
Self-compassion is simply offering that same love and kindness to yourself.
It’s about acknowledging your pain and reminding yourself that everyone struggles sometimes.
Photo by William Fortunato
Three Key Ingredients of Self-Compassion:
According to Dr. Kristin Neff, self-compassion involves three powerful components:
Self-Kindness: Talk to yourself with the same warmth and understanding you would give to someone you love.
Common Humanity: Pain is part of life, and we all go through difficult moments. It’s part of being human.
Mindfulness: Stay present with your emotions, but don’t let them overwhelm you. Notice them without getting lost in them
Why It Matters for Trauma Recovery
Shame After Trauma:
Shame can feel heavy, like it’s holding you back from healing. When we feel shame, we often blame ourselves.
But by practicing self-compassion, you can begin to let go of that blame and embrace forgiveness for yourself.
Emotional Management:
Trauma can make it hard to regulate your emotions especially if you have PTSD symptoms.
Mindfulness—a part of self-compassion—can help you stay grounded when difficult emotions arise, helping you manage PTSD, anxiety, or sadness with more ease.
Shay teaches you how to do grounding in different ways to navigate the PTSD symptoms that can leave you disoriented and feeling unsafe.
Combining Self-Compassion with Somatic Therapy:
Somatic therapy focuses on the connection between mind and body.
It allows trauma survivors to process emotions through body movements and sensations.
Integrating self-compassion into this process allows you to explore your emotions without blaming yourself for what you are feeling and what happened to you.
Practical Tips for Self-Compassion:
1. Mindfulness Exercises: When you feel bad, pause, and notice what’s happening in your body.
Breathe deeply and accept the feeling without judgment.
Something as simple as noticing when you are hungry, thirsty, or need to go to the bathroom is a great place to start
if breathing, meditation, or yoga just doesn’t seem to work for you.
2. Compassion Letters:Write a letter to yourself, just like you would for a friend.
I noticed that the way I talked to myself was a way I would NEVER speak to someone else.
I was a bully and had unrealistic expectations for myself.
Learning to talk to myself as I would a friend was a huge part of my trauma healing journey.
3. Find a Community: Seek support from people who understand you.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to someone who has walked this path before.
Unfortunately, many others have experienced something similar to you.
There can be great comfort in community.
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Work with Shay:
Healing takes time, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Shay, a dedicated trauma therapist in San Diego and all of California.
She is here to guide you through trauma recovery using somatic therapy for trauma or anxiety.
I know you feel different or have never really felt quite right when compared to your peers.
I can teach you about how trauma changes your brain and biology.
You Aren’t Broken
Yes, trauma changes you, but there are action steps you can take to help you heal.
I have spent years specializing in trauma therapy so that I have lots of ways to personalize your therapy so that it works for you.
Anxiety and depression felt like personality traits, but through my own therapy I know they aren’t.
I know PTSD symptoms can feel like they control your life but that can change.
Photo by Julian Jagtenberg
Learn to Love Yourself
Often trauma leaves us with self blame and unable to trust ourselves.
I can help you discover your truth and the lies that have been holding you back from living a life where you can have peace.
It isn’t the easiest thing to do, but it is so worth it!
Ready to take the next step?
Contact Shay to start your healing journey today!
Click the button above or email shay@overcomeanxietytrauma.com.