The silent treatment can be a form of trying to contain our emotions not to hurt the other person in the heat of the moment. However, it can also be a form of ignoring a person to communicate power over them.
As we come to the end of the month, we are exploring the silent period of holidays, and this inspired me to think about the times when silence is not healthy, in fact, when it can feel violent. First of all, let’s remind ourselves that violence and abuse can be silent.
Trauma stewardship is a concept of accepting that client’s story can be traumatising, so we need to notice the impact as soon as possible, learn to hold it, notice how it impacts us (what we keep in our mind and body) and finally what we have to and can put down.
We simply cannot walk the path without our tribe, our collective, and our support networks.
Oh, the self-care. What a buzzword, right. Yet, if we don’t know how to take care of ourselves, who will?
Vicarious trauma is often confused with controlled empathy, so it might be useful if we explore it here to notice the difference.