Page 10 - Chehalis Tribal Newsletter - May 2024

10

HEALTH/WELLNESS

Overcoming trauma conference shares tools
for empowerment with participants.
HEALING

IS POWER

Beyond trauma:
Finding the strength
to take the first step We can use our trauma to become the person who

By Bobbie Bush would have helped us – our inner child – or stood up
On May 7, 22 people for us back then. – BRITTANY VOY, TRAUMA SURVIVOR
participated in the second
“Overcoming Trauma: Trauma is
Not Our Tradition Conference”
in the Chehalis Tribal Center
Gathering Room. something different. We need only prolonged stress response.
Domestic Violence Advocate find the strength to make the first “We can get stuck in that ‘fight
Lori Sobolesky hosted the event. step – the first right decision – and or flight’ behavior. This can affect
Guest speaker Brittany Voy was like “a ball of triggers and trauma commit to another step, another how we respond to others in the
invited to talk to the group. left me as a very raw, angry and good decision each day even when world. For example, you might
“I want to tell you where I we stumble,” she said. “I wish feel jumpy or on edge all the
started from trauma. The things sad person.” you all the strength to make the time, find it hard to concentrate
that gave me new tools and what Things began to change for first and next right step for you, in school, at work, with friends/
I’m doing with those tools now. It’s Brittany when she moved into her whatever that is.” strangers or have trouble sleeping
my hope to inspire you to think grandparents’ house when she was because your body is always on
beyond the trauma,” Brittany said. in high school. She began therapy Effect on the body high alert. You might also get
“Trauma is never something we when she was 17 and kept that Dr. Hang Chau-Glendinning stomach aches or headaches more
want or deserve, but it can take us therapist until she was in her mid of the Chehalis Tribal Wellness often because stress can mess
down interesting paths that may 20s. Center presented information on with your body’s balance,” Dr.
be useful to ourselves or other Through the years, she has had what trauma does to the body. Chau said.
people in our lives. We can use our several therapists and encouraged “What is trauma? Trauma is “… Perhaps one of the hardest
trauma to become the person who participants to recognize that an event, series of events or set of parts is that your body remembers.
would have helped us – our inner outgrowing a therapist is a natural circumstances that is experienced The adrenaline that was released
child – or stood up for us back progression. by an individual as physically perhaps once or perhaps over and
then.” Brittany obtained tools from or emotionally harmful or life over imprints into the automatic
Brittany shared an extremely years of healing and she worked threatening,” she said. parts of the brain and it can be a
vivid story about trauma she hard to reframe her childhood “Imagine you are walking in really tough battle to fight these
experienced when young. experiences. She learned the the woods and suddenly, you hear unseen responses,” she explained.
Shaming, bullying and physical power of speaking her truth from a loud roar. What happens? Your “It’s not uncommon then to
abuse happened to her as a child her journalism career. heart starts racing, your breath gets engage in ways that feel like
and youth. She said she felt Brittany’s closing statements faster and your muscles tense up. they may help us fight this hard,
powerless and helpless to make highlighted steps to begin the That’s your body’s way of reacting difficult-to-see battle.”
a change in her life and worried healing journey. to stress or danger, and it is called Dr. Chau continued: “What I
about what other people thought “The place we start doesn’t the stress response,” she explained. suggest is that we spend our time
of her because of the extended have to be the place we end up. Dr. Chau went on to describe creating safe spaces and different
trauma. Life and growth is not static. We how the brain/body connection habits that allow us to heal
Brittany said eventually, she felt have the ability to move, to do can be disrupted by trauma or because healing is power.”