Monday, February 3, 2014
So the question of the moment is "What Next?" That was the overarching question of my therapy appointment today. I am no longer clinical for PTSD...but there are still some criteria that I do meet. It's clear to me that more work awaits me. Thankfully my hard edge has dissolved; I feel I can be completely myself in the presence of my therapist. Living a life in which we cannot be completely ourselves is a sure prescription for frustration and pain.
The deeper work I wish to do is partially of a cultural nature. Some of my pain and sense of alienation are a very predictable result of being the child of two parents from different cultures. Despite the fact that Germans settled the United States throughout its history they, like many people, became assimilated into the predominant culture. Though my mother and father are both of Germanic origin the differences that grew between my two family lines in the 140 years my father's family has lived in America are not insignificant.
My friend Jason Little shared my blog web address on one of his Facebook pages today. That was gratifying! I first met Jason last year after I began more seriously exploring the leather community here in the Twin Cities. That's right, you read correctly! Leather! As I continue to explore my mother's culture of origin and the phenomenon of leather (which I have long associated with Germany) I feel I will be honoring myself and my ancestry.
Just like the adventure of my recovery, this new adventure will take me in directions I cannot clearly see at this moment. That is part of life. Whether we know it or not the future is a capital U Unknown whose contours often don't reveal themselves as we had predicted, hoped, dreamed or feared they would.
Uncertainty is something we humans can handle in certain doses. Once the uncertainty reaches some level, however, many of us seem likely to shrink back and grasp for that which we know that is comfortable and reassuring. I sense this is only typical human behavior.
...
I welcome new and not so new followers of my blog to consider the following questions and answer them if you so choose:
* What has been the most helpful aspect of my blog?
* Do you feel this blog has enhanced your capacity to understand the nature of PTSD and the healing process specific to it?
* Do you have any friends you would consider referring to this blog as a source of information or inspiration?
* If you yourself have PTSD or have friends who have it what healing techniques have you seen prove effective?
* Feel free to share from your own experience.
Thanks for your consideration!
More to come soon!
So the question of the moment is "What Next?" That was the overarching question of my therapy appointment today. I am no longer clinical for PTSD...but there are still some criteria that I do meet. It's clear to me that more work awaits me. Thankfully my hard edge has dissolved; I feel I can be completely myself in the presence of my therapist. Living a life in which we cannot be completely ourselves is a sure prescription for frustration and pain.
The deeper work I wish to do is partially of a cultural nature. Some of my pain and sense of alienation are a very predictable result of being the child of two parents from different cultures. Despite the fact that Germans settled the United States throughout its history they, like many people, became assimilated into the predominant culture. Though my mother and father are both of Germanic origin the differences that grew between my two family lines in the 140 years my father's family has lived in America are not insignificant.
My friend Jason Little shared my blog web address on one of his Facebook pages today. That was gratifying! I first met Jason last year after I began more seriously exploring the leather community here in the Twin Cities. That's right, you read correctly! Leather! As I continue to explore my mother's culture of origin and the phenomenon of leather (which I have long associated with Germany) I feel I will be honoring myself and my ancestry.
Just like the adventure of my recovery, this new adventure will take me in directions I cannot clearly see at this moment. That is part of life. Whether we know it or not the future is a capital U Unknown whose contours often don't reveal themselves as we had predicted, hoped, dreamed or feared they would.
Uncertainty is something we humans can handle in certain doses. Once the uncertainty reaches some level, however, many of us seem likely to shrink back and grasp for that which we know that is comfortable and reassuring. I sense this is only typical human behavior.
...
I welcome new and not so new followers of my blog to consider the following questions and answer them if you so choose:
* What has been the most helpful aspect of my blog?
* Do you feel this blog has enhanced your capacity to understand the nature of PTSD and the healing process specific to it?
* Do you have any friends you would consider referring to this blog as a source of information or inspiration?
* If you yourself have PTSD or have friends who have it what healing techniques have you seen prove effective?
* Feel free to share from your own experience.
Thanks for your consideration!
More to come soon!
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I invite you to accompany me as I document my own journey of healing. My blog is designed to offer inspiration and solace to others. If you find it of value I welcome you to share it with others. Aloha!