Integration

Now, every time I witness a strong person, I want to know: What darkness did you conquer in your story?

Mountains don’t rise without earthquakes.

Katherine Mackenett

Conversations at work have shifted dramatically. It may be pandemic reckoning, but I think it is more fundamental. I coach and consult in a global organization where integration of the whole person into their professional identity is encouraged, at least more, than when I began 25 + years ago. There is recognition that fragmentation from Adverse Childhood Experiences, like Child Sexual Abuse, exacts a high toll on wellbeing, creativity, and expressing our humanity. The prevalence of ACE survivors is staggering. Please follow the link above for more on this.

Brene Brown’s work on shame and vulnerability are mainstream, not academic theories discussed in esoteric circles. We see ourselves in the research. We know the grip of shame, how it chokes truth from being spoken. Each of us deserves an opportunity to heal, to integrate the pieces of ourselves that have been cut off by violence, substance abuse, neglect and all the other adverse experiences we survive despite the odds against our young developing selves. Stand for healing. Stand for integration of all of you and all of me working to make things better for one another and the countless children being harmed each day.

• What elements of your brilliance have you disowned due to shame? How will you bring them into your day?
• Where can you stand for wholeness and healing in your life to help another on their path?