From Surviving to Thriving

As a Transformational Change Practitioner one of the most important and personally fulfillng aspects of my role is working with adult survivors of childhood abuse and trauma.  

Having experienced a childhood of abuse myslef I know all too well how challenging adult life can be as a survivor of abuse, and how difficult at times it feels to survive in a world where you feel completely different.  One of the biggest challenges for me has been to move from that place of survival to a place where I feel I can thrive in a world that on the surface appears to be filled with people who don't get it, or don't want to hear it or see it.  For many years I kept my childhood experiences to myself for fear of ridicule and fear of being seen as different or damaged and to some extent I still do, having experienced a complete lack of understanding from people I had hoped would be able to support me.  Although Society seems to be a lot more open and understanding to the effects of childhood abuse, sadly there is still a great stigma attached.  A great deal of Adult Mental Health problems stem from trauma in childhood, and sadly many adults still find it difficult to seek help due to the percieved stigma around childhood abuse.  What is even more sad is that there are still people who have a belief that children who have suffered at the hands of an abuser are damaged and can never heal, and some still, even today believe that those children who have been abused will go on to become abusers themselves.  

With the right help, support, love and encouragement survivors of childhood abuse and trauma can and do survive and many even thrive despite their early painful experiences.  The most genuinely caring, non-judgemental and loving indiviudals I have met in my life have been those inidivuduals who have experienced great trauma in their childhoods.

My childhood experiences inspired me to heal, and to find a way to help others heal so as they could live through their experience and not only survive but thrive as the person they were born to be.  Having worked with many people, from counsellors, psychologists to mentors and coaches one of the best forms of healing for me came from the transformational change work that I learnt.  This not only helped me heal, it brought into my awareness how powerful a journey healing can be.  I spent many years searching, and looking for something that would make me better, help me "fit in" and be like everyone else and as a result realised that this would never happen, I just accepted that I would always feel the way I did.  However after years of personal study and personal growth the realisation came that I did not need to change, all that was required was a deep acceptance of myself so as I was able to set myself free from the burden, guilt and shame of abuse.  This was the transformation, the peeling back of years of conditioning and beleifs until ultimately I was able to re-connect with my true essence and find the courage and freedom to be me.  

That's exactly how transformational change works, it's a gentle process that encourages and supports an individual to heal.  No re-living bad memories, no blame, no shame, a gentle process that allows an individual to reveal and release one emotional layer at a time utnil the true essence of who you are comes into awareness. At which point a peacful, joyful feeling decends and so starts the journey from surviving to thriving.

If you are a survivor of childhood abuse today, I personally extend to you all my encouragement, support and love, and the knowledge from my own personal experience, that one day in the not too distant future you too will thrive and find a place of peace and joy.  I wish you all a truly transformational journey into healing.  

Love & Light
Avril :)

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If you would like to find out how Transformational Change can work for you then why not speak to me in person, call 07701 096006
www.newlandspersonaldeveopment.com

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