HEALING JOURNEY FROM EMOTIONAL TRAUMA
Emotional trauma can have a significant negative effect on people's mental and emotional health, which can make it difficult for them to live a fulfilling life. However, with the right strategies, it is possible to overcome and heal from emotional trauma.
I recall when I nearly drowned in the pool of emotional trauma, it was a horrible time for me back then. To the glory of God, I was able to come out of it.
Let me briefly explain what caused me to dive into the pool of emotional trauma.
August 29, 2021, at precisely 12:30 am, a desperate robber with a gun tried to rape me after taking my money, phone etc, but I was saved by God.
My first robbery attack occurred that evening.
This tragedy affected my physical, mental, and emotional well-being. For months, I lived in fear, couldn't sleep soundly, and everything about me was affected during that period. To the glory of God, I was able to overcome my trauma struggles after nearly a year of struggle.
So, in this article, I'd share the various techniques and strategies I used to navigate this journey toward my healing.
STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME EMOTIONAL TRAUMA
1. ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEED FOR HEALING:
This was the first step on my path to healing.
At first, I felt I could put up with it for a long time without taking any steps, but after some months, I realized it worsened. I couldn't think straight, it affected my self-esteem.
I had no choice but to talk to myself and acknowledge that I needed to be healed.
"If you keep living your life this way, you will end up drowning in the pool of emotional trauma, and you know it will do you more harm than good."
These were the words I uttered to myself.
You'll never be healed if you do not acknowledge that you need healing.
Healing will not come to you unless you pull yourself together and welcome it.
2. GO SEE THE GREATEST PHYSICIAN
From my infancy, I've been taught the importance of putting the greatest Physician first in all I do.
Who is the greatest Physician?
It is no other person than Jesus.
Jesus is the greatest physician!
He is the only One who is capable of healing sicknesses and ailments.
You will not be completely healed from emotional trauma until He intervenes.
So, instead of going to see a therapist first, I chose to meet the God of all therapists.
Although He was aware of it, I still poured my heart out to Him.
Let me add something quickly.
The fact that God is aware of the trauma does not exclude Him from healing me without first informing Him.
He can heal me whether I tell Him or not, but He said in His word:
Matthew 11:28 TPT: “Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? COME TO ME. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis.
Can you see the need of going to meet Him?
When you're sick, you call a doctor or go to see one right? The same thing applies to God. If you sincerely want to be cured of emotional trauma, you must call on Him because He is the only One who has the solution.
Talk to God and tell Him everything: how you feel, the cause of the trauma, how badly you want to be healed, and so on.
He is ready to heal you.
3. CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS WITH POSITIVE WORDS
This may appear to be a future impossible tense, but it isn't, believe me.
Matthew 19:26 NLT: With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
You can't do it just via your effort, which is why I said you should first meet with God.
One of the ways the devil gets a man is through the thought arena but the Lord has given us the power and ability to resist him so that we do not become one of his victims.
Yes, flashbacks will always occur especially when you see or hear something related to what caused the trauma but the quickest method to control it from having dominion over your life is through your words.
You can call yourself back to order through your words.
I constantly said positive words to myself whenever I had a flashback to that experience.
I'm no longer a slave to my past.
Trauma is not among the fruit of the spirit, therefore, I can't have it.
I’m free from trauma!
I'm a child of God, therefore, I'll never be a slave to trauma.
I'm free!!!
I live a peaceful and sound life.
The Lord has not given me the spirit of fear but He has given me the spirit of boldness, love, and a sound mind.
I have a sound mind!
I do not live in trauma because my Father in Heaven cannot suffer from emotional trauma.
I have a sound mind!!!
I have dominion over trauma!
These were the words I confessed whenever flashback shows its ugly head, and before I knew it, the fear and flashback vanished.
Your life will always move in the direction of your words.
Say positive words to yourself with confidence.
Utilize the power in your words because, as John 6:63 says, the words you speak are spirit and life. Whenever negative thoughts or flashbacks show their ugly heads, make sure you silence them with your words. Over time, you'll see yourself walking in dominion.
Even after I've been healed, the devil still brings negative thoughts and flashbacks, I just laugh and counter it with my words.
I've moved past it, I can't be affected by it anymore.
If I can overcome it, you can too.
All you need to do is be prepared to proceed on this journey.
4. CULTIVATE A POSITIVE MINDSET
You can't do the third-numbered strategy if you let your mind counter it.
Even though you speak positive words nonstop and you still have a negative mindset, nothing will change. It all starts from the mind.
Everything a man wants to achieve starts from the mind.
It would be easy to walk freely from the pool of emotional pain if you can learn to nurture a positive mindset.
You might wonder, "How can you cultivate a positive mindset?"
All you have to do is to feed your mind with positive things and words.
It's as simple as that.
What you feed your mind with will determine how healthy your mind will be.
If you continue to feed your mind with garbage(negative words/news), you will continue to enjoy what garbage has to offer, and it has nothing to offer than negative things.
Read the Bible, and read books that talk about healing, there are many books out there about healing, get one and devour it. In this way, your mind will get renewed. Before you know it, you begin to have optimistic thoughts.
You begin to turn down every form of doubt that comes your way. You turn down what-ifs.
Keep in mind that you have been healed from emotional trauma as you move.
Walk in the consciousness that you have a sound mind. By doing this, you're cultivating a positive mindset.
5. CONNECT WITH POSITIVE-MINDED PEOPLE
Who you follow determines what follows you.
When you walk with people who constantly bombard your mind with unfavorable words and news, you can't expect to stroll freely out of the cage of emotional trauma.
This is one of the key tactics that greatly helped me on my journey to healing.
Surround yourself with people whose words are seasoned with positive things.
Because healing from emotional trauma takes time and effort, it's a process. Surround yourself with wonderful encouragers who are willing to support you as you go through the process of healing.
Connect with people, DON'T STAY ALONE, DON'T SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM PEOPLE, MINGLE WITH PEOPLE, and before you know it, healing begins until you get over it.
FINAL WORDS
Healing from emotional trauma is a transformative journey, one that allows individuals to reclaim their lives and find inner strength.
By implementing these strategies, you can embark on a path of healing, leading to a brighter future filled with emotional well-being and resilience. It's not an easy process, but with God by your side, it will be made easy.
