We have heard this often enough, that time heals all wounds. Perhaps, for those who are broken-hearted, or experiencing unrequited love, time may bring you new opportunities. I was reading up on Keeping Pain in the Past by Dr Chris Cortmand & Dr Joseph Walden on the effects of trauma on victims. This is one time, that statement will not be useful. For trauma to heal, emotions related to the event as well as the process of the event, needs to be completed through narrative and sometimes, bodywork - EFT tapping, yoga, EMDR etc.
The unprocessed event and emotions are definitely hard to talk about, never mind processed alone; it would remain buried / repressed by the owners who experienced it. Often, one will live with the aftermath within the body through manifested physical symptoms (migraine, body aches, teeth grinding, gut and organs disorder etc) or unhealthy behavior towards substance abuse.
A client (with consent for the story to be shared), had clenched jaw and teeth grinding issues throughout out her life, could not figure out where this all begin and she could not relate this to any stress in her life; she is someone who is optimistic and happy-go-lucky. On tapping to a recent unpleasant dream of dogs being raped, she recalled the feeling of wrath and woke up to an aching jaw. We tapped into that dream and I asked her when was the last time she felt the same wrath, and suddenly the light dawned! It was an incident when she was 14 years old, and was molested by a group of soldiers at a back lane in broad daylight. As we tapped, she narrated the scene, and realized that they wouldn't know that this would affect her throughout her years, causing a huge bill on reconstructing her teeth and the suppressed emotions of anger. What ensued was compassion towards the men who didn't know any better, and forgiveness for herself for holding on to these pain for so long and for not trusting herself. She closed the session, vowing to listen to herself, and to protect herself here on.
That is just one incident of trauma. There are other cases of trauma such as sexual assault, physical assault, accidents etc, and how these trauma disrupts one's life. In allowing them to process the event little by little when they are ready, through narrative and EFT tapping, it helps them to move ahead and release these unprocessed traumas that has been living in their memory and body. There needs to be closure for events that happen so that there is a completion. Once completion takes place, a new narrative emerges. One that is healthy, positive and strong.
