This is part of an occasional blog series in which I imagine fictional / historical characters coming to me for self care coaching, therapy, supervision and so on. In this post, I imagine being able to support Dr Jo Karev (Camilla Luddington) with some online trauma therapy (after the spectacular trauma focused episode, Silent All These Years in Season 16).

You are a wonder woman. What you did for Abby when you were in so much pain yourself was amazing.

Teddy’s right. It SHOULD be protocol for trauma cases. You somehow understood what she needed. You got the whole surgical staff to support you.

You saved her life.

And then you went home and gave up on yourself.

Even though you were abandoned at a fire station as a baby, stuck in bad foster care, homeless, abused… you found love. You’ve made amazing friends.

And you save lives.

Your biological mother’s best ISN’T good enough.

You deserve more. AND you’ve done so so well without this. You’re an award winning surgeon.

You’ve done so so much already. How can you take this small little step and do for your self – your inner abandoned baby, your inner homeless teen, your inner abuse survivor – what you did for Abby? What you do for other patients?

How can you show YOURSELF the same care and compassion?

How might you let Alex help you if he can?

You got the entire surgical staff to stop what they were doing to help Abby feel safe enough to go into the operating room.

You knew what was needed and used your voice. And they did it. They were lucky to be ABLE to do it.

What do YOU need to feel safe? Cherished? Loved? Whole? Worthy?
You’re all those things. You’re phenomenal.

Please trust that you’re worth the same care and compassion that your patients, your friends and others you care for are worth.

Let them help you.

You are worthy. And you are so much more than the terrible hands that were dealt to you. You HAVE survived, You’ve even thrived. It’s safe to heal.

This is not a setback. You’re NOT back at square one.

This is simply an enormous amount of stuff coming up for more healing but you know you can do this and I will support you in every way that I can.

You’ve done so much already. At this stage, I don’t know how long our work together will take. I recommend weekly sessions to start with as we want to really support you in integrating the healing you’re doing. You already know that my practice being called Feel Better Every Day doesn’t mean you’ll always feel better right away.

Trauma therapy can be especially challenging. It’s worth putting the work in. You’re worth it. And my focus, even as we work with your childhood and past, will be on helping you honour your resources and strengths, not falling apart, You’ve survived.

You can learn to be your own self care coach.

See you next week,