I saw an interview with Dr Mary Catherine McDonald, where she was talking about trauma and how she feels it’s been viewed wrongly for some time now.

She says: “We have been fed a great social lie that is, when we continue to suffer after trauma, we should be ashamed of ourselves. The truth? The trauma response is a sign of strength. It’s a biological strength response designed to keep you alive! It is NOT a sign of weakness. It is a sign that your neurobiology is adapting to threat. It is not a sign that you are broken. It is a sign of strength, not weakness”.

I’d love you to remember this if you ever feel weighed down by PTSD, or any trauma response you have to something that triggered panic, anxiety, numbness, fear, or any other overwhelming emotion within that moment.

Your body is designed to keep you safe. That stress response? The flight or fight, freeze or fawn response? It keeps you safe. It’s there to protect you. And after an event or long term suffering of what is called trauma, it takes time to help the mind and body to feel safe again. It takes time to feel balanced and peaceful.

It. Takes. Time.

With the right tools for you, with time and practice, you can and will learn how to feel safe again. You will learn how to recognise what your responses are, and how to bring yourself into what’s called the relaxation response – a calm, peaceful, balanced, healing state.

So remember these words. Your trauma response is not weakness, it’s your body’s way of protecting you, it’s a sign of physiological adaptability and strength. And.

It. Takes. Time.