Click on the below article link to obtain background information to this blog post:
This article was inspired by an assignment in my Trauma-informed Expressive Art Therapy class. In my response to a safe place, I wrote the following, "I feel
safest while in my home. It is an extension of my creativity and it reminds me
of me at my healthiest. This is my 8th year volunteering in a
domestic violence/sexual assault shelter and I have and continue to feel
grateful each and every time I put my key into the lock, unlock my door and
step into my home.
My home is
warm and colorful. It feels artsy and inviting. The furniture is familiar and
comfortable. The material feels soft but supportive. It usually smells like a
nourishing meal I’ve recently cooked. It’s a nice place for relaxation; a place
to let my guard down...
If I’m
feeling startled or uneasy, I turn on the lights outside of my home. I might
look around the front and the back yard through the windows upstairs to see if
anything looks questionable. I will also get up and make sure the doors are
locked; we have 4 young adults, 17 years old to 20 years old so most bumps in
the night are connected to our kids. I will wake my fiancé or I might call
someone if I’m feeling uncomfortable and he is away on business."
I'm happiest at home, it is a place of retreat for me. My heart aches for those who do not have a safe place in their life. I'm sending prayers of safety to all of you. May you find a peace of heaven right here on earth; you deserve this safe haven, create it if you can!
