Moved in the moment...

As you all know, we just completed our first season of Heart to Heart on the Scales of Justice Radio Show and it went out with a bang.  The topic tonight was about childhood trauma and when I say there was never a dull moment, I really do mean that.  Our three experts Dr. Cohen, Dr. Sultan and Dr. Simon peeled apart the layers of childhood trauma and how it manifests in our lives and they specifically looked at the trauma children face when their parents are separated from them due to incarceration.  Using play therapy and other techniques and case studies of "meeting the child where they are", they shed light on how to help start to heal the wounds that a traumatic experience leaves.

During the interview, we got a caller that really drove home to me why we need to continue to do this work.  This man was in his 70's and when he got on the line, his voice was welled with emotions and he struggled to get out the words that he needed to say while fighting back the tears.  He was a victim of intense childhood trauma and he had never received any help for it.  This pattern of trauma followed him throughout his life and eventually led him to committing a violent crime during adulthood.  You could sense the pain, guilt and sorrow over the phone line when he was reaching out to our expert guests.

I have to say there are few times that I am speechless, but for that moment, I muted my microphone and I cried my own tears for this man and for the pain he had experienced and was continuing to experience.  After we finished the show, I got a chance to touch base with my guests and we all agreed initially that the show was intended to educate the general public about the topic.  However, what really happened is that our listeners "met us where they were" and personalized what the experts were saying into their lives.  How did a traumatic experience affect the way their life has transpired?  What might have been different if they had gotten help?  Why is it important to address these scenarios rather than ignore them?  The candidness of this caller moved all of us to places we didn't intend to go, but I'm so glad that we did.

If you missed this show, you can catch the archive at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/scalesofjustice/2011/07/11/shirley-maria-talk-about-justice-for-the-children