Childhood Trauma

And as you are here, in this place of calm and ease, you can begin to imagine a garden... not a garden that you have seen with your eyes, but a garden that exists just for you, in this moment. A garden of peace... where the air is still and warm... and the light that filters through the leaves is a soft, golden light... a light that is both protective and gentle. And as you feel the warmth of that light on your skin, you can feel that it is a light that reminds you of a deep truth... a truth that is always present, that you are safe... you are enough... and you are healing.

And in this garden, there is an old oak tree... a magnificent tree. Its roots go deep... so deep that they are anchored in the very heart of the earth itself... and its branches reach up to the sky, strong and full of life. You can just notice that tree... and as you notice it, you may also notice that there is a quiet, powerful strength that is simply there, within you. Just as the tree has grown, and bent, and adapted to all the seasons, you too have grown... you too have bent, and you have become strong in your own way. You can touch the rough bark of that tree... and feel its unwavering presence... and as you do, you can know... in a very deep place... that you are resilient.

And perhaps there is a river flowing through this garden... a river that is clear and clean and always in motion. And you can watch as this river flows... and you can notice that it is carrying with it all the things that it doesn't need to hold on to... the small pebbles, the fallen leaves... and as you watch it flow, you can have the quiet understanding that your own feelings, your own thoughts... the old, painful memories... they can be like those things in the river. They can just flow... and they can be carried away... without you needing to do anything about them. You can just watch them... from the safe, comfortable bank of the river... and as they flow away, you may find that the feeling of a heavy weight begins to lift... a sense of release. You are not holding on to those things anymore. You are simply allowing them to move on, to be carried away by the natural current of things.

And as you are in this garden, you can see a younger you... a little one... a child. You don't have to remember the specifics, you can just know that the child is there... perhaps they are sitting quietly under the shade of the oak tree... or playing by the river... and as the adult you, the wise and strong you that you are now, you can walk over to that child. And you can just sit with them. You can offer them your hand, or a gentle touch on the shoulder. And you can just be with them. There's nothing you need to say, unless a quiet, loving whisper comes to you. Perhaps you can just let that child know... without words... with a feeling... that they are not alone. And that they are safe. You can offer them the feeling of that warm, protective light that fills the garden... and you can wrap that light around them, like a soft blanket. And as you do, you can feel a deep, resonant truth... the truth that you, now, are the one who is protecting... you are the one who is caring... and you can tell that little one, with all the love and wisdom you have now... that everything is going to be alright. And you can let them know... with a simple, quiet feeling... that they are enough... they were always enough.

And as you do this... you may find that the child's face becomes a little brighter... their shoulders a little less tense... and you can just watch as they begin to play, or rest... or just be... in the safety of this garden. And you can have the deep knowing that this part of you... this precious part... is now being held... being seen... and being loved... by you. The wise and capable you.

And you can bring that child with you, back to the oak tree... and they can sit there, safe and sound, as you just feel the strength of that tree... and feel the unwavering sense of safety that is now a part of you. The old memories... the old sensations... can continue to flow away like the river... and you are not those memories... you are not those sensations. You are the one who is here now... the one who has endured, and is now healing. And you can repeat to yourself, quietly, in your mind... I am safe. I am enough. My body is healing. I am resilient. I am capable of love and joy.

Post-Hypnotic Suggestions

And in a moment, you will begin to come back... and you can know that this feeling of safety, of comfort, of resilience... it will come with you. It will not stay in this garden, but it will be a part of you, in your waking life.

And you will find that in the coming days, you will notice... in a quiet, unexpected way... a new feeling of calm. A little more confidence... a little more strength... and you will find yourself being kinder to yourself... with a deep and gentle self-compassion that will surprise and delight you. You will notice that your body is beginning to let go of old tensions, old patterns... and you will feel lighter... more free.

And from this moment on, you can know that the past is simply something that has happened... and that you are not in it anymore. You are here, now. And you are building a new future... one small, gentle step at a time... a future that is full of peace and self-worth and love. And all of these things will become a part of you, as you continue your life... so easily... so naturally... that you may not even consciously remember how they came to be.

Awakening

And now, in a moment, I will begin to count from one to five... and with each number, you will begin to become a little more aware of your body... and of the room you are in... and of the world around you.

One... beginning to become aware of your fingers and toes... perhaps giving them a gentle wiggle. Two... a little more aware of your arms and legs... feeling a sense of returning energy. Three... a little more aware of your body as a whole... perhaps taking a slightly deeper breath. Four... the awareness of the room is becoming more clear... the sounds and the light... and a feeling of being refreshed and at ease. And five... eyes open... fully awake and alert... feeling so peaceful, and so grounded, and so safe