The First Step in Healing from Trauma

Healing from trauma doesn’t begin with fixing, coping, or moving on. It begins with something far more fundamental—and often far more difficult: acknowledgment.

For many believers, acknowledging trauma feels like admitting weakness or lacking faith. We’ve been taught to “count it all joy” and “forget those things which are behind.” But here’s the truth: you cannot heal what you will not acknowledge.

Why Acknowledgment Matters

Acknowledgment is not wallowing in your pain. It’s not dwelling on the past or giving your trauma power over you. Acknowledgment is simply being honest about what happened and how it has affected you.

When we refuse to acknowledge our trauma, we:

• Carry wounds that never properly heal
• Develop unhealthy coping mechanisms
• Struggle to trust God and others
• Miss out on the fullness of life God has for us

The Psalms are full of honest acknowledgment. David didn’t pretend everything was fine—he poured out his heart before God, naming his pain, his fear, his anger. And in that honesty, he found healing.

The Courage to Look

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” — John 8:32

Acknowledgment requires courage. It means looking at painful memories, admitting how deeply you’ve been hurt, and recognizing patterns that trauma has created in your life.

But here’s what I’ve learned through my own journey and walking with countless clients: God meets you in that honest place.

He doesn’t condemn you for having been hurt. He doesn’t minimize your pain. He sits with you in it, the way Jesus wept with Mary and Martha at Lazarus’s tomb, even though He knew resurrection was coming.

How to Begin

If you’re ready to take this first step, here’s how to start:

1. Find a Safe Space

Whether it’s journaling, prayer, or conversation with a trusted counselor or coach, create a space where you can be completely honest.

2. Name What Happened

You don’t have to tell everyone your story, but you do need to tell the truth about it—at least to yourself and to God.

3. Identify the Impact

How has this trauma affected your relationships? Your view of yourself? Your relationship with God? Your behaviors and patterns?

4. Release Shame

Trauma is not your fault. The way you’ve coped may not have been healthy, but it made sense given what you experienced. God’s grace is bigger than all of it.

5. Give Yourself Permission to Feel

Your emotions are valid. Anger, grief, confusion, fear—these are normal responses to trauma. You don’t have to sanitize your feelings for God.

The Journey Ahead

Acknowledgment is just the first step, but it’s the most important one. Once you acknowledge the truth of your trauma, you can begin the actual work of healing—processing the pain, rebuilding trust, discovering purpose, and stepping into the wholeness God has for you.

This is the journey from Scarred to Mended to Bloom. And it begins right here, with the courage to say: “This happened. It hurt. And I’m ready to heal.”

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Need support on your healing journey? Consider scheduling a discovery call to explore how faith-based coaching can help you move from survival to thriving.