“We’re training in the process of waking up.” Pema Chodron
Recovering from childhood trauma is overwhelming. It can feel like walking on a winding road without a map. However, writing a recovery plan with actionable steps helps me stay focused. Full disclosure: I am a planner. I approach problems and projects by first creating a plan. Perhaps it gives me a sense of control. I did not have control over my body as a small child. Stones of discouragement line the path of trauma recovery. A recovery plan helps me step over those stones.
My recovery plan
My recovery plan consists of self-help, therapy, and medication. I will outline it for you, starting with self-help.
Self-help
The self-help part of my recovery plan consists of tapping, meditation, nutrition, exercise, and spirituality:
I first tapped during lockdown in the spring of 2020, when anxiety caused my heart to race. Tapping combines acupressure with modern psychology. You tap on the acupressure points while either deep breathing (my favorite tapping practice) or talking. I use The Tapping Solution app.
I practice around 40 minutes of meditation daily using different apps. I find that I am calmer after I meditate. There are numerous meditation apps. I picked the ones I use the most and listed them in the resources section.
Nutrition is important in trauma recovery. While I eat fruits and vegetables every day, I still struggle with emotional eating. I am slowly making progress in that area. It takes time. I recently decided that I will make an appointment with a nutritionist or registered dietician.
I let my yoga practice lapse. My goal this summer is to start practicing again. Studies show that yoga helps reduce the effects of trauma, including depression and anxiety.
I am Christian and a spiritual person. I include Bible reading, inspirational reading, and prayer as part of my recovery.
Therapy
I started dialectical behavioral therapy last week, which typically lasts six months. When I finish with DBT, I will start mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, as studies show it is effective with trauma.
Medication
I suffer from clinical depression. Mental illnesses run on both sides of my family. I chose to take an antidepressant (Celexa) last year. It took away most of my anxiety. However, it didn’t touch the depression, so I began taking another antidepressant (Wellbutrin) in May.
Creating your recovery plan
Write down what effects of trauma you need to overcome. Be honest with where you are at on the healing journey. Then, list ways you can lessen them on your own. Decide if you need therapy or medication. If you are a praying person, pray over your plan and ask God for guidance.
“Enlightenment is when the blinders start to come off.” Pema Chodron
Resources
Here’s a list of the apps I use for tapping and meditation:
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If you need encouragement, email me at thepossiblepath@gmail.com.
Being a recovering person myself I think your plan is right on the money please keep me (us)updated
Great article!