The day I was reminded that workplace trauma is real. A letter came in, and it wasnโt imagined. It was a real threat to my work. My name. My brand. Suddenly, I was back in places I know I would not forget, even if I tried: Rooms where I had to prove my worth 5 times over. Emails where โjust checking inโ meant โyouโre on thin ice.โ Moments where silence was taken as guilt, and clarity was not in my favouAnd just like that, I was in battle mode again. Not overreacting. Not paranoid. But reactivated. Triggered yes, but experienced this time. Thatโs the thing about workplace trauma, it can make you think that every new fire looks like the old one. Even when the threat is real, flashbacks come in faster than the facts. Yoh! Itโs pressure, mwe! But here is what I have learned through my experiences:
- ย To know that the fights were not imagined. They were real, and so was the growth that followed.
- ๐ก To respond with power and facts, not panic.
- ๐ก To protect what Iโve built, but not lose myself in the fight.
- ๐ก To recognise that this isnโt the same, even when it feels like it is.
- ๐ก Above all, to know that God is on my side and the fight should be His way, not mine. Trauma doesnโt always live in the past. Sometimes it shows up in real-time, and reminds you of why you left certain environments behind.
๐ If youโve ever found yourself fighting shadows in your current job because of past workplace trauma, you are not crazy. Recognise the need to heal and get the healing. Youโre not alone. Youโre not dramatic. Youโre experienced and maybe still wounded. Letโs talk about it. Share a moment where you had to defend your peace, your name, or your workโฆwhen the fight was real, and so was the growth that followed. Psalm 147:3 โHe heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.โ
Warm regards,
The Career Auntie
