This would have been a game changer for me a few years ago! Sitting with your feelings, when you have no idea what that even means, is the most frustrating and confusing instruction in the world...but once you get it? Life changing. It's like a muscle, we've got to exercise it every day for it to come easily. This post has the power to help a lot of people. Thank you for sharing!
I love the R.A.I.N. technique! The way I was taught was different thothough. The N stood for non-identification or, put more simply, not me. The idea was to remember that emotions are passing through, and they do not define you. The nurture aspect of R.A.I.N was taught as more of a given, an approach to every step.
Thanks for sharing an interesting article that helped me to see collective trauma from a new angle! As a ukrainian who lives through another genocide I can say it‘s so true that the best way to cope with it is collectively. We cope through with anormous amount of jokes, memes and irony, knowing damn well that it‘s the only miracle why we still resist. We also have every Saturday protests, 9am minute of silence all around the country, commune networking and help in the first weeks (I was hosted in different families for free just because people are here to help) feeling that we live through it together helps thousand times more than individual help yourself with your therapist way❤️🩹
Thank you so much for sharing your unique ways of coping. And yes, I can see why collective care would help so much more than therapy. Sending care and standing in solidarity 💜
Loved how you first pointed out the importance of feeling emotionally and physically safe. So so important, especially when we have to accept a big feeling like grief.
This is such a difficult process when you've lived in survival mode and been self critical for decades, but also absolutely essential! Letting go of the 'why', accepting what is with self love and kindness takes time, but is so worth it. I also love Gabor Mate’s advice to meet ourselves with compassionate curiosity; what a world it would be if we extended this not only to ourselves, but to others too 💞 Karen
I agree! It's so much easier said than done. I also think the fluidity/complexity of taking care of yourself also means to allow for the days we can't do the 'right' mental health thing, you know? And that being the compassionate thing to do on those days
Wow! How powerful is the article on mental health through a Palestine lens, it touched my heart and inspired me to share with my colleagues as we too support various cultures and their children as they adapt to Australian laws in the child protection space. Thank you for this powerful article. 🇦🇺
I'm so glad you appreciated it Donna - It's a great article, I agree! Really makes me question the dominant ways of looking at mental health. I'm so moved that you shared it with your colleagues too!
This would have been a game changer for me a few years ago! Sitting with your feelings, when you have no idea what that even means, is the most frustrating and confusing instruction in the world...but once you get it? Life changing. It's like a muscle, we've got to exercise it every day for it to come easily. This post has the power to help a lot of people. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for reading and for your comment!💜 I agree, it really is just about practicing till it comes more naturally
I love the R.A.I.N. technique! The way I was taught was different thothough. The N stood for non-identification or, put more simply, not me. The idea was to remember that emotions are passing through, and they do not define you. The nurture aspect of R.A.I.N was taught as more of a given, an approach to every step.
Oh I love the idea of nurture being a given in every step!
Thank you for sharing this, it’s interesting how the same theory gets tweaked and shared in different ways across the world.
Thanks for sharing an interesting article that helped me to see collective trauma from a new angle! As a ukrainian who lives through another genocide I can say it‘s so true that the best way to cope with it is collectively. We cope through with anormous amount of jokes, memes and irony, knowing damn well that it‘s the only miracle why we still resist. We also have every Saturday protests, 9am minute of silence all around the country, commune networking and help in the first weeks (I was hosted in different families for free just because people are here to help) feeling that we live through it together helps thousand times more than individual help yourself with your therapist way❤️🩹
Thank you so much for sharing your unique ways of coping. And yes, I can see why collective care would help so much more than therapy. Sending care and standing in solidarity 💜
thank you so much for this, it meant a lot and for a mind that absorbs every environment, i needed to absorb this 💌
I’m so glad it meant a lot to you! Thanks for your comment:)
Loved how you first pointed out the importance of feeling emotionally and physically safe. So so important, especially when we have to accept a big feeling like grief.
Thanks for your comment. And yes, I absolutely agree, the caveat is especially important for big feelings like grief
This is such a difficult process when you've lived in survival mode and been self critical for decades, but also absolutely essential! Letting go of the 'why', accepting what is with self love and kindness takes time, but is so worth it. I also love Gabor Mate’s advice to meet ourselves with compassionate curiosity; what a world it would be if we extended this not only to ourselves, but to others too 💞 Karen
I agree! It's so much easier said than done. I also think the fluidity/complexity of taking care of yourself also means to allow for the days we can't do the 'right' mental health thing, you know? And that being the compassionate thing to do on those days
Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts💜
Wow! How powerful is the article on mental health through a Palestine lens, it touched my heart and inspired me to share with my colleagues as we too support various cultures and their children as they adapt to Australian laws in the child protection space. Thank you for this powerful article. 🇦🇺
I'm so glad you appreciated it Donna - It's a great article, I agree! Really makes me question the dominant ways of looking at mental health. I'm so moved that you shared it with your colleagues too!