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Amanda Ann Gregory Quotes

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Famous Amanda Ann Gregory Quotes

“We cannot separate forgiveness and social inequality in trauma recovery as forgiveness, trauma, and recovery always occur in a social and political context – one that is fraught with inequality.”

“Anger is vital in trauma recovery. It starts by shielding us from those frightening, overwhelming, and devastating emotions that are waiting for us behind that door. We can hold onto that shield until we feel safe enough to open the door and cross the threshold; then, anger turns from a shield to a key.”

“Shame is the bane of my existence both as a trauma therapist and as a survivor, as it is one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome in trauma recovery. It can masquerade as guilt, pessimism, or having a low opinion of yourself, but the reality is that it’s much more damaging and invasive, as shame erodes the fabric of our self-worth and identity.”

“Trauma is a thief. It steals our childhoods, years of our adult lives, or even our entire lifetimes. It takes away our ability to feel connected to others, to feel like we belong in the world, and to receive and extend love. It prevents us from growing and thriving. It steals our relationships, work, physical health, families, communities, spirituality, hobbies, passions, and identity. And to add insult to injury, trauma then demands that we grieve these losses in order to heal from them, which can feel overwhelming.”

“It’s often oppressed trauma survivors who have led the most successful social justice movements in American history, survivors who are commonly moved by anger, resentment, and rage – not forgiveness – toward those who are responsible for this oppression and trauma,”

“Supposed that you are a trauma survivor and member of an opposed group. In that case, you are not only more likely to experience trauma, but you are also more likely to feel pressure from society to forgive your offender(s).”

“Pressuring, demanding, or encouraging forgiveness from Black survivors may be used as a method to avoid the realities of systemic racism and racial trauma and used as a substitution for enacting substantive social justice.”