Hope for Healing Newsletter - January 2019 ❤

Teri Wellbrock - writer, speaker, blogger, podcaster, therapy dog handler, glitter-shitter
www.teriwellbrock.com
www.unicornshadows.com

Defining Resilience

Step 7: Learn to Become Our Own Hero

Before diving into step 7, a reminder about resilience: it is defined as the ability to overcome adverse conditions; with healthy bonding relationships, guidance, support, and compassion as the catalysts. Basically, it entails having the capacity to bounce back from stressful or overwhelming experiences.

What are some steps we can take to ensure we are building resilience in our lives?

Today we will cover Step 7: Learn to become our own hero.

One of those ah-ha moments in my life came when I realized that it was not up to anyone else to "save" me. Instead, I started to look to myself for empowerment. I experienced what I call "a shift" in 2013. Think of it as a change in philosophy, a willingness to open myself up to healing and answers. I allowed myself the gift of becoming my own hero. We all have the capacity for becoming our own superhero; we just need to open our hearts, minds, and souls to the possibility.

So, how did I learn to become my own hero? A whole helluva lot of research . . . along with some trial and error. The sole purpose of my Unicorn Shadows: From Trauma to Triumph - A Healing Guide book that I am finishing up the manuscript on is to guide others through the research I completed and allow readers an opportunity to engage in the steps I utilized.

I will give you a head start here and offer five suggestions for starting your superhero work (go ahead and put that cape on!):

Build your knowledge by reading, watching, listening, and absorbing all you can about healthy self-care strategies: I have a resource library full of books I have read (filled with mark-ups for ideas that spoke to my soul). I will be adding those titles to my website some time over the next few months. I'll be sure to send you an access code once I do so you can dive into those books and articles. I also have a bookmark folder on my web browser filled with articles and websites that provide healing guidance. I would list them all, but what speaks to MY soul might not speak to YOURS. Therefore, I recommend you search for self-help topics that pique your interest. Do searches on your local library site (did you know you can check out books online, too?), Amazon, YouTube, Vimeo, web browsers, by key words, Pinterest, Facebook - the options are endless.

Be open to crazy awesome options for healing: When I started opening my mind up to new possibilities for healing my trauma wounds and relieving the resulting symptoms, miracles started to happen. No, seriously. For real. I started practicing exercises such as Ho'oponopono Hawaiian healing technique, the Ah Meditation, energy healing, and so much more. Next on my list is goat yoga! Watch my beautiful podcast interview with Belinda Farrell of Huna Healing for more information on Ho'oponopono.

Choose one and try it: This seems pretty self-evident, but how many times have we made grandiose plans, done the research, but then stopped right there. It's scary sometimes to try something new. Right? But, the best way to learn if something will help you feel more empowered is to simply DO it. Give it a whirl. Maybe a few whirls. If it works . . . yay! You can add that patch to your superhero cape. If not, see the next suggestion.

If it does not work, file it away, see it as a learning lesson, and move on to the next idea: This can be tough, too. We feel like we are giving up. Or maybe questioning, "Why does this work for other people, but not me?" Please know that we are all different with an eclectic mix of backgrounds. What works for one person might not work for us because of genetics or experiences (such as adverse childhood experiences or ACEs) or a combination of factors. Regardless, it's okay. Put it in the "life lesson" file folder and move on to another superhero adventure.

Build your superhero portfolio to use as needed: Once you have established a collection of tools . . . think of Batman's utility belt . . . you will feel more empowered just by having more choices from which to turn to for your self-care strategies. But, keep on adding options as you grow stronger. Get yourself ready for your superhero strut. Watch out, world. Another bad-ass trauma-warrior is in the making.

Coming up next month: Step 8: Be gentle with ourselves.

Welcome to The Healing Place Podcast! I am your host, Teri Wellbrock. You can listen in on iTunes, Blubrry or directly on my website at www.teriwellbrock.com.

I was excited to have Anna Runkle, the Crappy Childhood Fairy, join me for a deep and powerful conversation about her Crappy Childhood Fairy mission, courses, philosophies, and more!

Anna Runkle is a video producer, speaker and writer, and is the author of the blog Crappy Childhood Fairy, where she cartoons and writes about her own childhood, growing up in a hippie family that struggled with alcohol, drugs, violence and poverty. In the blog, Anna writes essays -- with her characteristic tough love humor -- about the challenges faced by many people with high ACE scores. In the blog and in her online course, Healing Childhood PTSD, she teaches simple techniques that she's used to overcome the nervous system dysregulation that so often accompanies Childhood PTSD. She's currently working on a new online course, Dating and Relationships for People with Childhood PTSD, to be released during the holidays. When she's not blogging, she produces marketing and training videos for healthcare and business clients at her company Click to Play Media. She lives with her husband and two teenage sons in Berkeley, California.

You can find out more information by visiting https://crappychildhoodfairy.com/.

As shared from the Crappy Childhood website: "I didn’t know then that what I had was Childhood PTSD. It’s a little different than the kind that soldiers get (which is triggered by events in adulthood). Mine became obvious one day in 1994 when I was attacked on the street, and was knocked unconscious. My injuries healed but I could not focus my mind enough to read or use the phone for several months. I had panic attacks and depression, and began falling into an emotional abyss. In the nick of time, I was shown a particular daily practice of writing and meditating that immediately made me feel better. Over the last 24 years I’ve shown this technique to hundreds of people who seemed to suffer similarly to me, though none of us had a name for it before."

Thanks for listening in to this inspirational conversation!

Peace to you all!

Teri

What is Qigong?

Shared with permission from Cincinnati Qigong Master, Vincent J. Lasorso, Jr.

Principles of Teaching Tai Chi to Beginning Students

Please remember:Healing is possible and you are so very worthy of that gift!

Coming next month: What is Exposure Therapy?

I want to share one coping strategy a month. These are strategies I use (or have used) in my own life as I travel the healing journey. I hope they bring you tranquility, as well!

Let Go of Expectations

This one was a tough one for me to practice. Honestly, it still is. However, it was HUGE for me in helping me start my healing journey. A simplistic explanation is:

That’s it.

Do not put expectations on yourself, either. That does not mean we shouldn’t have goals or strive to better ourselves. What it means is that you are allowing yourself to be patient with you when you struggle or flail or backslide. By stating, “here is where I want to be” you’ve set a goal. But, do not demand of yourself or others how it will transpire. Allow for change and flow and human nature.

Until next month, remember to be gentle with yourself!

Hope for Healing

Start Your Healing Journey Here!