One thing I’ve learned about healing from trauma is that reconnecting with my body has really helped. For months after leaving an abusive church situation all I could do was lie on the floor, cheek to carpet, so broken. I wanted to sink into the ground, to disappear, find some peace with no-one looking at me. As time passed, I started to get outdoors a bit, remembering that walking had been beneficial when I was suffering with PND. I often lay on the earth when I was out and about, longing for grounding and connection. I was re-establishing trust with my body, to feel my feelings rather than numb them out, re-igniting my senses and intuition. Moving in nature helped me heal so much, it was in wild spaces especially that I learned to feel safe in myself again. I guess I was self-soothing and self-medicating without fully knowing all the ins and outs of it! To this day, 12 years later, moving my body any way that I can still stands as one tool that I use to centre myself as daily ritual. Sometimes it’s a hike, sometimes a run, or workout, maybe a dog-walk at sunrise, other times it takes all my strength simply to lay on my mat and twirl my ankles and stretch a little. Whatever feels good in the moment. Being gentle and compassionate with myself. It all helps bring me home to me whatever the format. Healing from life-altering trauma isn’t a linear path either, it is a journey of spirals and takes time, but I am convinced that getting back into my body and trusting it has been instrumental in getting well. Our bodies are smart. Mine protected me from the overwhelm of spiritual abuse for a long time and as I grow in physical strength that is mirrored by emotional, mental and spiritual strength to face all I have been through and to build a beautiful, whole life on my own terms and maybe help others I meet along the way to do the same. Moral of this story: movement is medicine!