It’s that day again, Sept 11th. So many years ago, yet the trauma of that day is still with many of us. Trauma in our lives is inevitable. Horrible things happen, but there are ways to be with that trauma that can help us carry on, even if it hurts, to keep going and live our lives.
I remember where I was, you probably do too. Someone working on our house told us to turn on the TV and we saw the smoking towers. Immediately, I called my Dad, a retired pilot for American Airlines to find out where my brother was as he was an active pilot for American Airlines. I remember the heartbroken sound of my Dad’s voice as we talked about our shock of how airplanes could be used for such destruction. My Dad was in the process of dying at the time, and I felt so bad that he had to witness such a thing in his lifetime. Airplanes were his passion and protecting people on them as their Captain was his tireless job for decades.
These traumas happen. I did not know anyone in the twin towers, but there was collective trauma that we all felt, American or not. It hurt, it was painful, we were in shock.
What can you do when things so unbelievably bad happen to you, your friends, your family or fellow human beings that you will never meet?
There is no way to undo what has been done, but I have found that the Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT) is an invaluable tool for helping let go of trauma and traumatic stress. This technique has been successfully used on veterans, people who have experienced violence, accidents, and any kind of physical or emotional trauma. It doesn’t take away what was done or what was lost, but it helps us step out of the loop of the fight or flight response so we can start to heal. When we do this, we can think about the events that happened, and instead of being re-traumatized, it can feel like something that happened, but it’s over. It wasn’t what we would choose, but it happened.
When we let go of trauma, our bodies can relax, we can move forward and take care of what needs to be taken care of in our lives. We can grieve, we can help others, we can reach out for support or to support others.
One thing I know is that when mass traumas like 9/11 happen, people come together and do extraordinary things for other human beings, often those who they will never know. Think of all the first responders, and all the people helping the survivors and those helping the ones who lost loved ones, friends, co-workers and acquaintances. It was amazing to witness the human spirit rise to the occasion to help.
If you have traumas that you want to let go of, I encourage you to download the steps for using the Tapas Acupressure Technique here:
https://tatlife.com
You can use these simple steps for healing a difficult or stressful situation. Of course, as the instructions spell out, if the trauma or event feels too big, please seek out the help of a professional who can help you. There is a list on the website. I am a certified professional for this technique and have helped countless people heal traumas, but there are others listed on the website worldwide.
If you know someone who is suffering from trauma, I invite you to share this post with them or at least the link for downloading the steps. You have no idea how much it could help them in their lives.
Today, I am grateful for all the first responders—some of whom are still recovering from illness. I am grateful for all the people who lost someone on that day who carry on and keep living their lives—even when it hurts—especially on this day.
Thanks for reading. We will return to regular posting about food cravings and making peace with food in 2 weeks. Please know that old traumas can impact our relationship with food, so this post is not off in left field. Healing old traumas can set us free in our relationship with food and many other areas of our lives.
If you’d like more tips for living a healthy life, free from cravings and emotional eating, sign up to the right for emails that will arrive in your inbox, for free, twice a month.
Best wishes to you on this day.
Sincerely,
