Trauma is a fickle beast. Sometimes, it barges into your life without warning, leaving destruction in its wake. Other times, you see it creeping toward you, but no matter how much you prepare, the impact still hits hard.
Like most people, I have experienced trauma in many forms—some sudden, some slow-burning, some caused by my own choices, and others that made me feel the unfairness of life like a sledgehammer.
But through it all, I’ve collected small lessons—little lifelines that have helped me recover with more ease, resilience, and minimal impact on my loved ones. In this article, I’m sharing five gentle ways to heal from trauma—methods that have guided me time and again through life’s storms.
1. Forgive Yourself for Feeling Battered
Trauma doesn’t always make sense. A minor argument can leave you reeling, while a massive life event can leave you feeling eerily numb. However it shows up for you, forgive yourself.
We often judge our own reactions. “Why am I so upset over this?” or “I should be handling this better.” But trauma doesn’t follow a rulebook. It’s messy, unpredictable, and deeply personal.
Instead of fighting your feelings, allow them. Trauma is an uninvited teacher, offering lessons in resilience, self-compassion, and growth. The first step to healing is accepting where you are, without shame.
Mantra: “I honor my emotions. I give myself permission to feel and heal at my own pace.”
2. Go Back to Basics
Trauma drains your emotional and mental energy. The best way to recover? Simplify. Strip life down to the essentials and focus on healing.
Here’s what that looks like for me:
Gentle movement—short yoga flows or mindful stretching
Meditation, even for just five minutes
Nourishing, wholesome food
Rest—lots of it
Nature therapy, a walk, sitting outside, or simply breathing fresh air
Work, but only the essentials, no extra stress or obligations
By focusing on basic self-care, you give yourself the space and energy to heal.
🌿 Try this: Make a “Recovery Checklist” and aim to complete three small self-care actions daily.
3. Journal: Write It Out, Burn It Down
Journaling is one of my go-to healing tools. But when it comes to processing trauma, I have a specific method that works wonders, The Hate Letter.
This is not a gratitude journal. This is where you unleash every raw, unfiltered thought. Whether your frustration is with a person (Janet in accounts, I’m looking at you), life itself, or even the universe, write it all down.
If you’re a people-pleaser like me, this exercise is liberating. No sugarcoating. No holding back. Swear, scream, get ugly, whatever you need to say, say it.
Once done, re-read it. Maybe even edit it, make it sharper, fiercer. And when you feel complete… burn it.
Why it works: It allows you to express your pain without consequences. No one gets hurt, but you release the weight of unspoken words.
4. Become a Joy Seeker
During trauma recovery, happiness can feel out of reach. But joy is still here, hidden in the small, everyday moments.
I remember a time when I was deeply struggling. I spent days in bed, disconnected from life. My husband cared for me, and my kids would check in, giving me little updates about the world outside my room. Then, one afternoon, I made it to the kitchen.
My husband was making ramen.
I watched the steam curl from the pot, felt the warmth on my face, smelled the rich broth, heard the gentle bubbling. It was such a simple moment, yet it cracked open a little light inside me.
Now, when I need to reconnect with life, I turn to sensory meditation.
Try this:
Sit outside and ask yourself:
- What can I see?
- What can I smell?
- What can I taste?
- What can I feel?
- What can I hear?
Soon, your mind starts shifting, What is that bird singing about? Where is that ant going? You begin witnessing life again. And that, in itself, is healing.
5. Accept That Trauma Has a Purpose
This is the hardest part. No one wants trauma. No one asks for suffering. And yet, there is always something to learn from it.
I’m not saying everything happens for a reason, some things are just unfair. But I do believe we have a choice in how we integrate these experiences into our lives.
We can let trauma harden us, embitter us, break us. Or, we can use it to grow, to soften, to deepen our self-awareness, to strengthen our resilience.
You can’t always control what happens to you, but you can control how you move through it.
Final Thought: Healing isn’t about erasing the past—it’s about learning to hold it more gently. It’s about allowing light to seep into the cracks, about choosing to see beauty even when it feels distant.
Trauma may arrive uninvited, but peace can too. And when it does, let it in.
DojoPrana Mind and Body 
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