Trauma and trauma recovery look different for everyone, but generally, there’s a deep hardened core and a bunch of squishy stuff, all held together by a peel juuuust thick enough to keep us composed unless something comes along to smash us.
A lot of times, we think the “pit” is in the past, and the “problem” is all the squishy green goop, but I believe so deeply that care for the green goop is only palliative: it provides some comfort but not healing. Do you have a safe place to plop out your pit? Working with the core (in the context of a therapist or provider who has shown they deserve your trust and helped you work up to it) is, I believe, the path to deep recovery.
Digital downloads of this strange little metaphor can be purchased below – or you can get a printed poster sized version for your home or office via this link. Let me know if you’d like to see it in any other formats!
Image Description for Accessibility:
[Description of image#1] on a light yellow background a headline reads: trauma recovery (as illustrated by an avocado). The image shows a hand-drawn avocado on the left side of the image.A line connects the peel of the hand-drawn avocado to text reading: Outer peel: what people on the outside see. (Often has some bumps but otherwise “fine”)
A line connects the soft inner portion of the hand-drawn avocado to text that reads: Squishy goo. Feelings. All the feelings + Mental health symptoms, somatic symptoms, triggers, dissociation, etc
A line connects the pit of the hand-drawn avocado to text that reads: The pit. Traumatic memories + beliefs about self or world that are based in trauma and shame.
[image description of second image] also on a light yellow background. Headline text also reads: trauma recovery as illustrated by an avocadoA hand-drawn avocado is on the left side of the image. A line connects the outer skin of the hand-drawn avocado to text that reads: part you share with the outside world
A second line connects the soft inner portion of the hand-drawn avocado to text that reads: part you share with your support network (friends and family) for emotional support and
A third line connects the pit of the hand-drawn avocado to text that reads: part you share in a safe, therapeutic, environment for recovery
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