Traumatic timeline
In this exercise we document all possibly traumatic events in our life. It is fundamental to have a map of all possible events in our life that might still be affecting us and documenting when they occurred is of extreme value. This exercise will cast in place the memories and context of those events.
Preparation
Trauma definition
A trauma is a memory within us that still carries negative emotional weight. One useful way of spotting if we have a traumatic memory is that when it arrives we cannot make a joke about it or find humor in it. This is a sign that most likely there is a kernel of pain that is blocking the way into healing.
​​
Usage
In a separate session we will use the map created with this exercise and re-orienting these specific memories into something productive.
​
Material needed
Two sheets of paper and a pen or a pencil.
​​
Disclaimer
This exercise is aimed at memories that are traumatic yet in the realm of mental health, not mental disease. If bringing up traumatic memories has an extreme negative effect, please stop this exercise and visit a professional doctor or psychologist as soon as possible.
Traumatic timeline exercise
1. Sit down comfortably in either a chair or the floor and pay attention to your breathing for approximately two minutes.
​
2. Situate yourself within the environment and connect with your body and how it comes into contact with the chair / floor for an additional two minutes.
​
3. Prepare a strong mindset within by concentrating on the fact that memories cannot hurt you physically in the present.
​
4. Bring into attention the memories that cause the most tension in your current state of mind, specially the ones that have been plaguing you for longer than two weeks.
​
5. Start writing the core of the memories (attention: not a large text) and give them a title. Next to each one write in parenthesis the year that memory occurred (i.e. School incident (2010)).
​
6. Draw a horizontal line in the second sheet of paper and write down the titles in ascending order resembling your own individual age timeline.