What Trauma Takes From Us
Trust – in ourselves, others, and life.

Belonging – the feeling that we are accepted, loved, and not too much or too little.

Agency – the ability to choose, act, and create change in our lives.

Meaning – the sense that suffering isn't pointless, that it fits into something larger.

Joy and play – the ability to feel lightness, fun, and pleasure without fear or guilt.

Connection to the sacred – a relationship with something greater than pain, whether that’s love, God, nature, or purpose.

What People Actually Need to Heal
To be deeply seen and heard – not analyzed or fixed, but received with presence and care.

To rebuild their story – turning pain into purpose, not erasing it but reframing it.

To reclaim power and choice – even small choices help restore a sense of dignity.

To feel safe enough to trust again – slowly, gently, with no demands.

To belong somewhere real – healing cannot happen in isolation; we need community.

To be connected to something greater – whether it’s spiritual, creative, or deeply human.

To laugh and feel joy again – the most radical healing act is to feel good without needing to escape.

What We Can Glean From Survivors
Endurance – they have already survived what would break most.

Perceptiveness – their hypervigilance can become intuition and wisdom.

Compassion – their pain gives them the power to connect deeply with others.

Creativity – trauma fragments, but survivors often rebuild with imagination.

A fierce demand for truth – they can’t tolerate lies, and that’s a strength.

How to Actually Instill Hope
Be a safe, steady presence that doesn’t flinch at their pain.

Reflect back their strength, not just their suffering.

Invite them to imagine a future again — not perfectly, just honestly.

Offer meaning, not just comfort — suffering must be placed in a larger story.

Mc baldiee youtube