A book but also a state of mind.
I read this book years ago; I can’t remember much detail of it but I do know it fundamentally changed my perspective on human connection, everyday encounters and the things we might never know.
The layers
I was reminded of it recently when a friend told me she had passed an assignment that I had made a suggestion about.
She is training to be a paramedic and had to write an assignment on trauma. I presume there was an expectation this would be about physical trauma to the tissues of the body, but as a psychotherapist, my mind immediately went to emotional/relational/psychological trauma.
A few weeks prior to this she had been talking about the completed suicides she had attended so far in her placement. I am always alert to healthcare staff when they tell me about attending these impactful events because I am curious about (and usually now cynical about) what sort of support they are offered afterwards — usually none.
During this assignment chat I wondered aloud if suicide counted as trauma in this context. She thought it did. We didn’t talk much more about it.
Assignment complete
Fast forward a few weeks and she has passed the assignment — Hurrah!
