Let’s smile together….

My sweet husband took this picture. I was aware when he took it, but I never knew the impact the photo would eventually have on me. That day was the first day of my mother’s funeral event, and I was climbing the stairs to my parent’s home.

Only if the walls or stairs could talk, growing up – I had an excellent time and was spoiled a little bit by my parents; however, there was a period when my parents repeatedly lost a series of people in their lives. My two Aunties, an Uncle and a young cousin, died a few years apart, and as a teenager, I remember it was a time that made me so sad and upset. There was a time I was even ashamed to tell my friends about the losses. The pain of losing a loved one is real; however, the long-lasting negative impact could be devastating when it is more than once.

While growing up, I used to struggle with trust issues because I grew up not having healed from those losses. I refused to believe that people will be in one’s life forever, and that transcended to other things in my life. As a therapist, I started to work on myself; I engaged in a lot of self-correction and self-healing because I could see the trauma reflected in some of my decisions. Yes, I pray and fast, but I am still human. Am I completely healed? Almost but I am still a work in progress, and God is still busy healing me and letting me know that I can fully trust Him to recover from the pains of the past.

What is that trauma that you were exposed to? Could it be generational trauma that you can still see manifesting in some areas of your life? It could be acute, chronic or complex. For example, you might have been bullied as a kid or lost a few loved ones as I did, or been physically abused. Whatever you have been through, please, reach out for assistance. Some great trauma-informed therapists can fully assist you in being healed.

Back to the picture, that smile on my face says a lot; it tells of that girl who has received the loving support of various beings, from God to my husband to therapists like me and my loved ones. So please don’t suffer alone. Life is beautiful… let’s smile together.

Written by Ibukun Ogunsina, New Beginnings Barrie,
Psychotherapy and Counselling Services.
Website: www.newbeginningsbarrie.com
E-mail: inquiry@newbeginningsbarrie.com
Tel: +1 705 241 8456