Permission Granted: The Journey from Trauma to Healing

This book is different. "Permission Granted" is meant to be a simple, quiet read to help us understand what it means to live in the aftermath of a traumatic event and to enhance our understanding of what it means to live with the sorrow of personal trauma. We hope to understand why we seem unable to leave the past behind and why we cannot find our way to tomorrow. Trauma is trauma. There is the day before the personal traumatic event and then there is the moment of the traumatic event. What happens between these two moments in time, seemingly changes one’s life forever, as tomorrow never seems to come. Trauma is a shapeshifter, it changes all of the time, and when it comes, welcome or not, it always comes to stay. This book is different for it asks the question: ‘How do you want to live with this personal traumatic experience?’ One way or the other we are all part of the healing journey. We do not ask you to qualify to be here to read this book as we all sit side-by-side in the Circle of Healing as we move towards the journey to healing. This book is different. When it comes to trauma and healing from rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse we have to stop asking the question: ‘Did this happen to you?” The answer is not really important, the fact that you are here is what matters. This book is written in the collective voice of ‘We’ because it is written for each and everyone one of us. We do not ask you to identify if you are a ‘victim’ of a traumatic event or if you are the friend or loved one of someone who has been in harm’s way. All are welcome here. To those who would ask the question: Did this happen to you? The consistent mantra throughout this book resonates from the first page to the last: The answer does not matter! Any other answer deprives each and every one of us of the benefit and blessing of someone who is willing to listen, the first step in the healing process. Share this book with someone that you care about ~ someone that is hurting ~ it will be the first step in their healing journey home ~ and don’t forget to say... 'We are in this together…let’s go home’.