Don’t believe everything you read, but believe everything you say.
Jamie DeWolf
Dear one,
Have you ever heard of Trauma-Informed Care? It’s based on the idea that everyone has trauma in their lives that we may not be aware of. To practice Trauma-Informed Care, we treat everyone with a level of care that empowers them to get the assistance they need without unnecessary triggers.
For example, some people can be triggered by loud noise, especially yelling. To practice trauma-informed care for them is to ensure that nothing we do is going to set off or exacerbate that trigger, and that we do what we can to avoid an environment in which that trigger might be set off.
I came to understand during my own journey that willful dishonesty is a trigger because of a traumatic history. That’s one reason that today’s quote from Jamie DeWolf stuck in my mind the first time I saw him speak. Working in the field I do, dishonesty is the order of the day. People who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness and people in active addiction are both in survival mode and will say whatever it takes to convince someone to give them what they ‘want’ (i.e. what their brain tells them they need). It took a lot of conscious work, but I was able to shift my perspective enough to make room for that level of dishonesty in my professional life. It’s still a major trigger when it involves people I allow into my personal life.
I strive to live an honest and authentic life, which starts by being honest with myself.
Never forget that I love you, and that excludes no one.
Love,
