Hello again! It’s a sunny spring afternoon and I’m trying to sort out my thoughts and write something meaningful, helpful.

A little while back I wrote about the healing I’ve experienced through EMDR treatment. It really has been remarkable, how much freedom I’m experiencing.

Last weekend I fell into some old ways of thinking. And while I did try to communicate, I ended up miscommunicating, and things went sideways. I’m pretty sure my insecurity and mind mess ended up triggering my husband. Healing and forward progress into healthier relationships can still have bumps in the road. This is a hard reality.

Thankfully, as I prayed, and thought it through, that is where I landed. This was a bump in the road. It’s a little frightening at times when some of the old patterns of thinking show up, but I’m so very thankful that I have tools and practice to interrupt them.

The tools that I have are varied. I do continue in therapy, but I have employed some other things to help me grow and thrive. One of those things is a course on Udemy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Practitioner Training. I’m not taking this course for certification as a practitioner, but to increase in my ability to have a healed mind and healthy relationships. I’ve been so encouraged as I go through the course that it builds on and reinforces what I’m doing in therapy. I’ve linked the course above if you want to check it out.

If you ever want to chat about mental health or EMDR, message me. I’m happy to listen.

The Women by Kristin Hannah is the most recent book I’ve read/listened to. I’m an audible book reader for the most part and use Libby.

This book caught me by surprise, as somehow I did not know what it was about. Looking at the cover now, I realize that the image was small on the app and I just didn’t notice the trees and helicopter.

This was a “can’t put it down” type of book for me. As the daughter of a disabled Vietnam Veteran, this story filled in so many of the gaps in my knowledge and understanding of what my father went through. He shared very little and avoided any questions.

But the story is about the Women of the Vietnam War. The layers of injustice and trauma ran so deep, for men and for women. But for the women to come home to all the turmoil and hatred this country held for the veterans, and to be rejected by the VA and the male veterans. The women’s trauma dismissed because they didn’t “face combat”. Like a combat nurse didn’t face combat. I wish I could say this is unbelievable. But I do believe it.

I am thankful to have a fuller understanding of that war and the people who answered the call to serve our country, even while I am grieved over the same.

Have you read this book? Would you share your thoughts?