The Trauma of SILENCE.

 

**may contain trauma triggers**

Many years ago, she was assaulted. In broad daylight. She screamed, struggled, and ran home to hide. Later, a neighbour knocked on the door to tell her parents that he had witnessed everything.

Her parents had no idea how to handle this, and so they decided upon Silence.

"If we never talk about this, if we never bring it up with her or talk about it to anyone else, maybe she will forget! Maybe it will make her feel less upset/scared/traumatized. Let this never be spoken of again," they reasoned.

They loved her so much and they meant well.

But their Silence hushed any chance of a full and healthy recovery.

And heaped shame, blame, and embarrassment upon an already traumatic event

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Life seems so much easier if we don't talk about the tough topics, doesn't it? If we skip over the obvious drinking problem or tendency towards violence or inappropriate behaviour, if we gently avoid discussion on the giant family issue that's tearing us apart.

Life and gatherings seem so much easier if we can just talk about the weather or the latest hockey game or the government or what's on Netflix.

(Shall we just avoid those HUGE and IMPORTANT topics like a faith crisis, like addiction issues, like betrayal and marital breakdown, like infertility or miscarriage, like disappointment or abuse, like pornography and church abuse, like suicide....?)

In doing so, we can talk around that Giant Elephant in the Room, sitting there all big and annoying and interrupting everything.

But why?

Why don't we talk about what's on our heart? Why don't we travel the dark roads with one another? Why are we unwilling to expose to the Light of Jesus the darkness of this world?

Silence stifles. It stops conversations. It shames and blames. It invites judgement and stigma.

But when we break the silence, we provide a space for important conversations (we engage the Elephant!) We invite compassion and healing and understanding. We lay stigma aside and see people.....hurting people in need of Jesus love and kindness.

Friends, engage the Elephant and end the trauma of silence today!

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#womenencouragers #trauma