When we’ve experienced trauma, it’s common to want to pull away. To feel shame. To think, “I should be over this by now,” or “What’s wrong with me?” Confusion, anger, and self-judgment often follow—and all of that is completely normal.
But when we start isolating ourselves, that’s when it becomes harmful.
Social isolation has been linked to poor mental health, emotional distress, insomnia, and even early death (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015).
In short: pulling away from your support system makes things worse, not better. If you notice yourself withdrawing, reach out. Let someone who loves you know what’s going on. You don’t have to carry it alone.
In American Indian communities, healing is deeply rooted in connection—to others, to spirit, and to culture (Asamoa-Tutu, 2013). I’m deeply moved by the meeting point between healing and therapy. Sometimes the most powerful therapy isn’t a technique—it’s a warm, safe hug from someone who loves you just as you are.
That’s also why therapy can be so transformative. To sit with someone who doesn’t need you to shrink your pain. Someone who won’t turn away. Who will walk with you through the darkness, without flinching.
That’s what I aim to offer every day.
References: Holt-Lunstad, J. et al. (2015). Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10:227–237.
Asamoa-Tutu, S.R. (2013). Walking Two Worlds: Healing from Trauma in the American Indian Community. Retrieved from: sophia.stkate.edu/msw_papers/146