3 Coping Skills for Complex Trauma 💕

May 14

3 Coping Skills for Complex Trauma 💕

PEER SUPPORT

Peer support is when folks with lived experience help each other.

I really, really, REALLY love Peer Support Space, a grassroots org based in Orlando, Florida, which is “led by & for those in recovery from mental illness, substance abuse, trauma, grief, etc.”

I live in upstate New York, hours & hours & HOURS away, & attend their incredible community gatherings - via zoom! They offer them twice daily, Monday thru Saturday. Attending these peer-led spaces has been so helpful & supportive for me!

I can show up & share space or vent or ask for practical support. This space is what you need & want it to be, any given day.

The folks who lead & attend are amazing; they're great at helping new folks feel welcome & included. I know going to a new space can feel so intimidating, so if you want a buddy to go with you your first time, let me know! I'd be happy to go to an online gathering with you.

Check out their website for more information about all the resources they offer!

CONNECTION

Staying connected to my loved ones, to my communities & to my animal friends + nature, is crucial for helping me stay heal & stay alive.

Small talk with strangers, texting a friend, playing with my cats, visiting my favorite Sycamore tree outside my apartment, appreciating the clouds, watching a sunset, & feeding my Blue Jays lil peanuts, are all good reminders of how we're all connected, that we need each other to survive.

Spending time with a companion animal is 100% a form of connection. My three rescue cats are literal lifesavers. If you don't have an animal companion in your life, maybe you'd like to volunteer at your local shelter or take some time to go visit & love on the animals seeking their forever homes!

YOU’RE NOT ALONE

Experiencing trauma - or any sort of struggle, really! - can make us feel really alone. Yet even when I feel alone, I know I’m not. There are so many people doing their best to survive & keep going.

Talking openly about being a survivor & my experiences + struggles, has helped connect me with other survivors who ✨get it✨. There is so much power in community & solidarity. This has helped me better support other survivors in my community - & for my loved ones to better support me.

I hate that you “get it” too. &/also I'm so glad you're still here, reading this lil blog post!

I hope that some of these skills are helpful. What do you do to keep going?