Creating A Healing Community

Many of us are suffering from trauma of some kind.  Trauma can come in many forms, including physical, mental, and psychological abuse; the death of a close friend or relative; negative messages from society; you name it.  If we have a supportive community to help us work through the trauma, we can recover from it and lead a more happy and productive life.  If not, we often maladapt and carry the hurt and pain for many years, and suffer unnecessarily.

That is where a healing community comes in.  We are all in community of some sort, but many of them continue to traumatize us rather that heal us.  It is important that we become part of, and take a part in creating, healing communities.  In her book, Restoring Sanctuary, Sandra Bloom talks about community as a sanctuary - a place where a person feels safe to be themselves, cared for, trusted, supported, and accepted as they are, without judgment.  That would begin to define a healing community.

We can create these healing communities, no matter who and where you are.  A good place to begin to "restore sanctuary" is in our own home.  I doesn't matter if you live alone or with many people, you still can create that safe place where you and others can return to in order to heal.  You can create a healing community through your place of worship, on the job, in your clubs, wherever you are.

If you're wanting to experience a healing community, feel free to visit our weekly Pathways to Peace Lunch and Learn.  We meet Tuesdays from 12:00-1:30 at 2708 Grand Avenue on the 4th floor.

And remember, the community begins with you. There is a saying, "You can't teach what you don't know, and you can't lead where you won't go!"  Begin to heal yourself so that you can begin to help others to heal.