The second step of the twelve steps founded by Alcoholics Anonymous reads, “Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity”. Twelve-step programs are sometimes called a program for living which is designed to help someone taking the steps have a spiritual awakening, the likes of which inspires their maintained recovery for decades to come. Right off, the twelve steps encourage their participant to realize that the problems of their life have stemmed far beyond their control and that as a result, their life has become unmanageable. Moreover, the unmanageability of their life has taken away some of their sanity. As quickly as in step two, a solution is offered: a power greater than the self. Once a twelve step participant gets to step three, the word “God” is used. Throughout the steps the word God is used interchangeably with Higher Power and is always followed by a clause: as we understood Him. There is no single religious or denominational Higher Power that is required for a spiritual experience or a spiritual awakening, but the personalized entity of what someone in recovery can believe in. Ultimately, that is the role of a higher power in trauma recovery: having something or someone to unconditionally believe in.
Trauma makes the world a harder place to live in. For many people, traumatic experiences are a spiritual experience of their own negative kind. In the instant a traumatic experience takes place, many people find that their sense of God, spirituality, or a higher power are shattered. Trauma is a reality-shattering moment. Judy Crane, author of The Trauma Heart defines trauma as “any life event or series of life events or ongoing life events that create a negative impact on your life that changes or distorts your vision of yourself and your place in the world.” Millions of people feel the impact of trauma through depression and despair. Everything they thought was good and faithful about the world gets painted in a much more grim setting. Trauma, for many people, leaves life without anything good to believe in.
A higher power is a guiding star, a shining light, and a beacon of hope for individuals in trauma recovery. Realizing that the experience of trauma has taken away the ability to believe and have hope is a sad but empowering moment because hope always thrives- even if only as a mustard seed.
The Guest House Ocala offers concierge style customization for residential trauma programs, as well as treatment for related issues like addictions and mental illness. Our private estate offers you the privacy and comfort you need to do the work and heal your mind, body, and spirit. For information on life at the estate and our programs for healing, call: 1-855-483-7800