If you feel abandoned by the world...

If you feel abandoned by the world,

Can you imagine your mother standing on the left behind you, supporting you, putting her hand on your shoulder, can you feel her love?

And your father on the right, supporting you? Can you feel his strength?

Can you remember a moment when your mother held you, where you felt supported by her? Can you remember a moment where your father did that, where you felt his support, his strength?

And if right now this doesn't come easy to you, maybe you envision your father's father supporting him. Feel the strength that he passed him on. Feel his mother's love supporting him...

...and your mother's mother – your grandmother – supporting your mother, loving her, and your mother's father supporting her. With his strength.

Can you feel the love and the strength your parents have for you? And their parents' love and strength for them?

Notice what's happening in your body as you feel this support. Stay with it a little if it feels resourceful.

And if this whole imagination and tuning into bodily sensations hasn't come easily to you – or doesn't feel resourceful – then I'd love to support you.

Because much of trauma happens in relationship.

And that cannot be healed easily alone.*

Reach out if you'd like to work with me – have doubts or questions, want to share anything that moves you.

I love you, my parents.

"We all have guilt towards our parents. Because they gave us life. We cannot pay back. We can only pay forward. The only way to deal with this guilt is through gratitude." – I hope I quote my Somatic Experiencing teacher and mentor Dennis correctly. Thank you. *some form of co-regulation may be needed – even if it’s subtle:

• another human

• a felt sense of being held (like in the visualization above)

• nature, spirituality, something larger

• or even an already internalized sense of “I’m not alone with this”

Find out what works for you.