30/11/2025
I'm so looking forward to celebrating the birth of my debut Poetry Book in Spring 2026. It's for all survivors of childhood abuse and trauma. It's like a healing balm of words, supporting you through the hard days of recovery. It's for you 🥰
We're working on a debut poetry book by Attracta Gill scheduled for publication in Spring 2026. Her poems illuminate the journey from developmental trauma to healing and belonging by categorising and addressing various aspects of this complex process through distinct themes. Here’s how we feel the poems contribute to understanding this journey:
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Trauma Recovery: The collection begins by acknowledging the profound impact of developmental trauma, particularly the "silence" associated with it. Poems under this theme suggest that the body holds intrinsic knowledge for recovery ("The Body knows how to recover from trauma: just listen") and highlight the lasting presence of past experiences ("The past is not in the past"). They point towards the possibility of "Freedom of Spirit" and acknowledge the resilience of "Brave Brave children," indicating an initial step towards confronting and understanding one's traumatic past. The idea of "The Whispering Storyteller" suggests that narratives and introspection are crucial for addressing trauma.
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Love as a Healing Force: Healing is deeply intertwined with the theme of Love, which is introduced with the idea of growing a "cloak of Love" as a debt to oneself. This section includes poems that explore various facets of love relevant to recovery, such as "Love Letters" and "A Fathers Love," suggesting the importance of both self-love and supportive relationships. Titles like "Begin Again" and "Rupture and Repair" directly speak to the process of healing and rebuilding connections, which are fundamental to moving past trauma. "Safe Touch" also implies the re-establishment of healthy physical and emotional boundaries, crucial for trauma survivors.
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Navigating Loss: The journey inherently involves confronting loss, and this theme is introduced with the concept of accepting oneself "Just as you are". Poems like "Betrayal," "Shame," and "Grief showed me the way" directly address the painful emotions and experiences that often accompany trauma. The title "The Wound is the Birthplace" offers a powerful reframing, suggesting that healing and growth can emerge directly from painful experiences. Other poems like "It’s Easier Now" and "The Rhythm of Falling Apples and Letting Go" point towards the gradual process of acceptance and release that is necessary for healing.
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Achieving Belonging: The final theme, Belonging, encapsulates the culmination of the healing journey, emphasising a "deep resonance and understanding for trauma travellers" and encouraging the use of "movement as your ally" and to "Dive Deep". Poems in this section illustrate the path to self-acceptance and connection, featuring titles such as "I flew over the cuckoo’s nest," "A Bluebirds Song," and "Once your shame, hurt and trauma start to melt". They highlight the importance of embracing one's true self ("Be Yourself," "I am good") and finding a place where one feels accepted, even celebrating "Welcome the Misfits" and "Let’s Hear for the Ones who Flew". Themes of truth, freedom, and self-expression are prominent, with poems like "Truth will rise like dust," "Let me be Free," and "My Voice". The concept of "Rebirth" and "The rebirth message of Trauma and Easter" signifies a profound transformation and renewal, indicating that the journey leads to a new way of being.
In summary, the poems illuminate the journey from trauma to healing and belonging by systematically addressing the acknowledgement of past wounds, the embrace of love and repair, the processing of loss and grief, and ultimately, the discovery of self-acceptance, freedom, and a place of belonging. They offer a poetic narrative that moves from the initial impact of childhood trauma to a state of integrated healing and connection.
Poems of Trauma Recovery, Love Loss & Belonging
