This topic is about processing the layers of trauma that often accompany living with an ostomy, as well as personal traumas such as the loss of a loved one. The discussion highlights various therapeutic approaches to help manage and heal from these experiences.

Here are some key insights and advice shared:

1. Trauma is often stored in the body, and people can usually identify where they feel it physically.

2. While avoidance can be a short-term coping mechanism, unprocessed trauma can eventually disrupt daily life.

3. Talk Therapy, Brainspotting, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) are recommended evidence-based methods. These therapies help reduce the emotional intensity of memories while keeping the memories themselves intact.

4. Not all therapists are trained in EMDR or Brainspotting, so it's important to seek out those who are certified in these techniques.

5. Brainspotting is favored by some over EMDR because it can address core issues more quickly. It involves finding a visual point where the client feels the strongest emotional pain, without requiring bilateral eye movement.

6. Healing is a gradual process, and it's important to take recovery one day at a time.

7. Grieving the loss of a parent is deeply traumatic, and it's normal for grief to persist over a lifetime.

8. Different therapies work for different people. For instance, if EMDR triggers migraines, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) might be a better option.

9. The "container" exercise involves visualizing a box or container to temporarily store intrusive memories or emotions until you're ready to process them in therapy.

10. Grounding exercises can help identify where emotional pain is felt in the body, which is valuable for processing trauma.

11. Cognitive reframing involves focusing on the positive aspects of life post-ostomy, such as fewer medical procedures, to balance out traumatic memories.

12. Symbolic mental imagery, like crumpling negative thoughts and "throwing them away," can help prevent rumination.

13. Faith-based coping, such as prayer and spiritual support, can provide peace and complement clinical treatments.