Trauma and Healing

Recently I had my second conversation with Simon Benn of the Thriving Adoptees Podcast.

You can listen to it here (7 Dec 2023). The first one (23 Aug 2023) is here.

In addition to the profound pre-verbal trauma associated with adoption we talk about, there exists another layer of anguish—namely, inherited trauma, predating birth.

Although we didn’t delve into this aspect during our conversation, I would like to include it now as an addendum.

In my personal journey, being of Jewish descent has exposed me to a lengthy history of persecution, enduring pogroms, and ultimately culminating in the Holocaust. This dark chapter claimed the lives of my great-grandparents, leaving my grandfather permanently scarred by the trauma. And consequently my mother.

The reverberations of this historical trauma linger through generations, compelling my ancestors to constantly glance over their shoulders for lurking danger and maintain a perpetually packed suitcase in case a hasty escape was necessary.

These echoes manifest periodically, such as when I found myself entangled in the 7/7 bombings—a harrowing experience as can be.

Today, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza, triggered by a horrific pogrom on October 7th, these ancestral anxieties resurface. I wish to emphasize that I’m not delving into politics; rather, I am expressing the primal anxiety that intensifies when enraged masses take to the streets, some of them calling for the blood of Jews.

As an adoptee of Jewish heritage grappling with Parkinson’s, such events trigger both my pre-verbal and inherited trauma sensors on a massive scale.

How does one navigate through this emotional storm?

The essential question becomes: What lies within my control, and what choices do I wish to make for my life?

The answers, I believe, must incorporate a mindset focused on “opening up.”

Take a moment to breathe. Listen to your heart. The blood coursing through your veins is a constant renewal—you are still growing, still alive.

Life is fleeting.

Then, you depart.

Consider: What do you aspire to contribute to this world?

This question is not exclusive to those actively seeking to overcome trauma, anxiety, and depression. It extends to anyone interested in living a fulfilled life and embracing, or surrendering to, love in its myriad forms.

While an ancient query, the response remains timeless and profound.