Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid. Do I act for God? Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people. Easy now, you have nothing to fear; I’ll take care of you and your children.” He reassured them, speaking with them heart-to-heart. Genesis 50: 19-21 (The Message)
I see so many clients who have overcome traumatic situations in their lives. I feel that it is important for me to affirm the struggle that they have had. Admittedly, some do better than others in their recovery, but their experience needs to be validated.
I remind these clients that they are not mere survivors of trauma. They are overcomers. That is, their life is not defined by the trauma, but informed by it. They have used that adverse experience(s) to make their lives better than they would have been without the trauma.
How is that possible? They found strength in themselves that they might not have known that they possessed. They refused to be victims of the trauma, but determined to grow from the trauma, and used it to better their own lives and the lives of others.
So, I always tell these clients to not say that they are survivors. They are overcomers.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the resilience that you have built into us, Amen
Reflections of a Counselor 