Ouch!
Years ago, when my children fell down and hurt their knee, we called it a “boo boo.” Today, my grandson calls it an “owwee.” Regardless of the name, sometimes we experience an ouch!
This week, I began to feel the old shame arise, the old doom follow me around, and the old fear punch me in the gut. I guess you could call it a trigger, a memory, induced by some current day circumstances. Luckily, it wasn’t as profound as it used to be in the past, but it was unsettling enough for me to want to call my therapist whom I just recently dismissed! (I didn’t, so I’m proud of me 👍, and she would be too.)
Instead, I used two grounding strategies. One was to tell myself the reality-checking truths she would have told me. “This is now, that was then. You’re an adult now and can take care of the little ones. Why would this, that, or the other thing happen? You think/feel/act like you’re in the past. Why not try thinking/feeling/acting like who you really are?”
The other was to take a cue from her and act like an adult even though I felt like a helpless child. Faking it until I make it helped me discover I was competent, capable, and strong, which has always helped me find my way back to equilibrium.
A former DW writer, who has integrated and healed, told me she will probably always have triggers. I think that’s true for me too, and maybe true for all of us. Learning what grounding strategies work for us — cleaning the wound, applying the antiseptic, and wrapping it with a bandaid (oh, they’re so cute today … animals and spaceships and fun!) — brings us back into the present to live our life with more ease.
There will always be ouches. It’s how we help them heal that makes the difference!
Heartbeat Chat Logo
For the past year and a half, Dissociative Writers has used Groupeasy as our community platform. Beginning on June 1, we will begin transitioning to a new platform, called Heartbeat Chat (also called simply Heartbeat), that will better meet our needs. All new subscribers will be invited to Heartbeat (instead of Groupeasy) when they join. Current subscribers will be invited to migrate to Heartbeat through the month of June. Our subscription with Groupeasy will end on June 30, so beginning in July, all links will be found on Heartbeat.
Here are some of the advantages of Heartbeat: Zoom is fully integrated into Heartbeat so you can enter the Zoom room directly from Heartbeat. Alternate facilitators can more easily start the Zoom meeting because of the integration. Stripe, the paywall that is integrated on Heartbeat, has more payment options than PayPal. Heartbeat has some functions like Matchup and Voice Room which we won’t use immediately, but may open up in the future if folks are interested in more personal interaction with each other. Our admin can set reminders for all sorts of things. And more …!
As we’ve become accustomed to on Groupeasy, Heartbeat will have a calendar of all our events and a place to upload and download documents. We think you’ll like Heartbeat once you’ve signed on. Stay tuned for more information to help your transition to Heartbeat!
Our Logo in Color!
You’ve seen our black and white logo many times. Now, to blend with the colors on Heartbeat, DW has a colored logo! In the future, you’ll probably see both the black and white AND blue and green from time to time. Enjoy the colors!
Fall Memoir Class 101 Signups
6-Week Class for Dissociative Writers
October 7, 14, 21 and November 4, 11, 18, 2024
3:00 – 5:00 pm ET
If you’ve been thinking about writing your memoir, this class is for you! This year, DW’s Beginners Memoir Class 101 will begin in October and run through November with a week break at the end of October, giving participants more time to work on memoir structure. Our classes are two hours long, once a week, for six weeks. The first hour is devoted to content and the second hour to sharing writing and feedback. We have a maximum class size of eight and a minimum class size of four; each participant will get to share their writing twice during the course of the class. For more information, go to the Dissociative Writers webpage and scroll to mid-page, or email Lyn with question.
April & May Events
(To access these workshops and meetings, please go to the Groupeasy Calendar, click on the Event/Date, then click on the Zoom link.)
Tuesday, April 30, 1:00 pm Eastern: Writing-in-Place (Kim)
Wednesday, May 1, 8:00 pm Eastern: Evening Writing-in-Place (Surita)
Monday, May 6, 12 noon Eastern: Focused Writing Group (Rotating Facilitation)
Tuesday, May 7, 1:00 pm Eastern: Traditional Workshop (Sharri)
Monday, May 13, 12 noon Eastern: Focused Writing Group (Rotating Facilitation)
Monday, May 13, 6:30 pm Eastern: Business Meeting (All are welcome!)
Tuesday, May 14, 1:00 pm Eastern: Writing-in-Place (Kim)
Wednesday, May 15, 8:00 pm Eastern: Evening Writing-in-Place (Surita)
Monday, May 20, 12 noon Eastern: Focused Writing Group (Rotating Facilitation)
Tuesday, May 21, 1:00 pm Eastern: Traditional Workshop (Sharri)
Monday, May 27, 12 noon Eastern: Focused Writing Group (Rotating Facilitation)
Tuesday, May 28, 1:00 pm Eastern: Writing-in-Place (Kim)
Wednesday, May 29, 8:00 pm Eastern: Evening Writing-in-Place (Surita)
🕊️
Healing doesn’t have to look magical or pretty.
Real healing is hard, exhausting, and draining.
Let yourself go through it.
Be there for yourself without judgement.
~ Tiny Buddha
Lyn