It’s very common for survivors to doubt their experience.

It’s very common for survivors to doubt their experience.

They may question:

Was it really that bad?

Am I mis-remembering?

Did I imagine what happened?

This is an understandable response because our systems (both familial and societal) work to gaslight us and make us feel like what happened, didn’t.

Also to connect with the gravity of your trauma can feel scary, overwhelming and heartbreaking. Minimizing our experience may be a way to protect ourselves from these intense feelings and also from a community that cannot hold our grief and fear.

In case you need to hear this,

I believe you.

I trust you.

It was not your fault.

You deserve to be protected.

You deserve care.

Your feelings are valid.