Last week, I was inspired by the story of Katrina Kohel. This cheerleader competed in Nebraska's high school cheer competition solo after her team could not attend. It takes grit and determination to go it alone, especially when it feels everyone else has a team of people to support them.
PTSD affects our physical bodies, our minds, and our souls, and so many of us have been struggling with our symptoms for years. It affects our ability to trust ourselves, other people, and the world and is a mentally exhausting journey.
What makes PTSD especially hard is the Criterion C of PTSD: avoidance. We push away people we love (and who love us) the most and we isolate ourselves, such as through physical and emotional distance, drugs or alcohol, or staying buried in work. Because of this avoidance, a lot of the time we feel completely alone.
And I want you to know that you're not alone - I want you to know that some weird internet person in deep South Texas is routing for you and straight-up cheering for you. As a clinician, I get to work with clients every single day who are on their own PTSD recovery journey, and it is an absolute privilege to act as a Sherpa of sorts, guiding folx from all walks of life and all manners of trauma toward their Everest of recovery. It's an inspiration to watch people I have grown to love recover and reclaim their lives.
You absolutely can do this.
*****
“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”
Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook,
or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD
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