Adena M'lynn's Voice

Trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that disrupts a person’s sense of safety and well-being. While trauma can take many forms—physical, emotional, sexual, psychological—it never affects two people in exactly the same way. Its impact is shaped by a range of factors including the individual’s age at the time of trauma, the length and intensity of the trauma, the presence or absence of support systems, and the broader context in which the trauma occurs. Some people may appear to function well on the outside, hiding the internal struggles they face. Others may exhibit visible distress, behavioral changes, or emotional instability. Understanding the complexity and uniqueness of trauma is essential for offering compassion, healing, and meaningful support to survivors. Age and Trauma The age at which trauma occurs is one of the most significant factors in determining how deeply it affects a person. Children who experience trauma often carry its imprint throughout their li...

I am a survivor of childhood sexual trauma, and I live with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). My journey has been long, painful, and filled with hard work to heal wounds that were kept hidden and denied. Yet, despite everything I have endured, I have had people—friends, even family—minimize my trauma and the impact it has had on my life.  I have been told, “You’ve been in therapy all these years, you should be over it.” As if healing has a deadline. As if the pain of childhood violations can simply expire with time. I have been accused by family of using my trauma as an excuse, “You are just using that as an excuse to keep doing bad things.” As if I enjoy reliving the past to explain why I do odd things, things that are illegal, and lie.  And I have heard other words meant to silence me, blame me, and dismiss what I live with every day. But I refuse to be silent anymore. Trauma doesn’t work on a timeline. DID is not a choice. Healing is not linear, and it certainly doesn...

Coping with my childhood trauma feels like I’m locked in a chess match I never agreed to play. My opponent—the memories, the pain, the fear—sits across from me, always patient, always ready to pounce on my missteps. The board is a battlefield of my life, and every piece I move feels heavy, like it carries the weight of the choices I’ve made just to survive. Sometimes, I can see a clear path forward—a bold move that might give me an advantage—but just as often, I feel trapped, backed into a corner by thoughts I can’t seem to shake. My pawns are my small victories: getting out of bed, reaching out for help, choosing to forgive myself for things that were never my fault. They move slowly, and sometimes it feels like they don’t matter, but I know they’re my foundation. The knights are my coping mechanisms, the unexpected ways I maneuver around the pain—music, writing, or just breathing through another hard day. The bishop is my intuition, guiding me diagonally through the fog, even when I ...

Understanding the Complex Barriers to Speaking Out When survivors of sexual assault wait years before coming forward, society often questions, “Why didn’t they speak up sooner?” I have personally, heard this by law enforcement, psychologist, and family. Unfortunately, these queries often lack understanding of the many complexities surrounding sexual violence, the trauma it inflicts, and the societal forces that shape survivors’ responses. There are many reasons why a woman may choose to delay reporting a sexual assault or going public, and these reasons are deeply intertwined with psychological, social, and legal factors. Trauma and Psychological Impact One of the most significant reasons survivors delay reporting is the profound trauma caused by the assault. Rape is not just a physical violation but an emotional and psychological one. After such an event, many survivors experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including denial, dissociation, and avoidance. Th...