Okay, so we’re agreed? If you are reading this then you are not in any kind of immediate danger? If there’s any little pit in your gut telling you that you might be, jump over to Before You Go Any Further, right now. Still here? Excellent. I’m glad you’re in a safe place.
Our next order of business is talking about the implicit difficulty of the subject matter involved here. Many components of this essay will be triggering. Hell, I had a few good cries writing it. If you are perfectly aware that you are in a safe environment, then deliberately exposing yourself to trauma triggers can be a productive exercise. This is not to say that being involuntarily triggered in a situation which is beyond your control is productive. But you are reading. This is the most in control of your stimuli you can be. Simply reading this essay may help you to regain your autonomy and heal from your traumas — if you’ll let it. However, if you’re actively triggered from a recent assault, or if you’re feeling especially vulnerable due to a threat you just received, then I would recommend that you: take some time to ground yourself, find a friend to read this essay with, or both. The headspace you are in when you approach any piece of thinking will greatly affect your ability to benefit from it.
That’s the first piece of practical advice I have for you. Take back control of your healing and experience of your own life by deliberately exposing yourself to difficult thoughts — at your own pace and discretion. This little primer may be an excellent tool for that.
Here’s a brief outline of what you’ll find in this chapter:
The rest of this chapter will become available following the success of this Kickstarter campaign.
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