Here’s me, doing my bit to participate weekly in Kelly’s Seven Quick Takes over at This Ain’t the Lyceum.

So here’s…

This Week’s Resources for Catholic Trauma Survivors

Takes. Best described as quick. Seven of them.

1. This is pretty interesting: Turns out there’s a higher occurrence of asthma in women of color who have survived Adverse Childhood Experiences. This surprises me exactly none. Asthma, after all, is about being unable to get out all that needs to be released.
2. I mean, also color me not surprised, but Childhood trauma especially common among rural women with substance abuse disorders. We need to feel good. Even Aquinas says so. If we get bad instead of good from relationship, we will go to substances (including adrenaline/dopamine/etc.) Addiction is just self-medication for trauma, usually the relational sort. It’s that simple.
3. Self-loathing’s Quandary “Like the neighbor left on the road by the robbers (Luke 10:30) I fear seeing my own nakedness, and being laid bare to others. I fear my vulnerability and of being exposed and helpless beyond my own ability. I fear the debilitating attack that will leave me repulsive and rejected by others — and myself.”
4. Unsure how to talk to a domestic violence survivor? Here’s some tips. My question: if you’re survivor, do you feel validated by this article?
5. 7 Hurts That Never Heal and 3 Ways to Cope
6. In Be Prepared, Rachel Watkins talks about tools to have in your spiritual emergency kit. I think being prepared to face triggers can fall under a spiritual emergency.
7. Delighting as God’s Children is a good one for those of us who struggle to just have, well, fun.

So the last gospel journaling prompts for trauma survivors went out last week. If you missed it, please contact me to get caught up AND to receive a little present I’m hoping to send out to all the prompt subscribers next week (hint: an Advent calendar like nobody’s ever done before).

Let me know how I may pray for you? Meanwhile, make sure you give Kelly & the SQT crew a look see.

Signing off with the unofficial trauma bond survivor’s anthem:

BTW, I have a little playlist of self-care songs, and that’s one of them. Can you recommend any others?