Breaking Silence: Talking about Trauma

Dr. Kathleen Young: Treating Trauma in Tucson

Have you heard any of the following: break the silence, stop the silence, speak out? In activist and healing circles, survivors are often encouraged to talk about their traumatic experiences. Why is this the case?  Should you talk about your abuse?

As is so often the case in healing, it is a matter of when, how and to whom.

Some survivors have spent years keeping their abuse secret, or they have disclosed to someone who responded poorly, perhaps expressing disbelief or victim blaming. Not telling anyone about your abuse can be a form of avoidance coping.  Avoidance can worsen post traumatic symptoms in the long run. It can even prevent you from fully understanding your experience.

Some trauma survivors may go to the other extreme and feel compelled to tell their story indiscriminately. This form of talking is often somewhat dissociative in nature, and does not reap the healing benefits…

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