Trauma has a way of rewriting the story you tell about yourself. The person you were before feels distant, and the world around you may not feel as safe as it once did.

While many of the details immediately following my husband’s death are a blur, I can recount some conversations with shocking clarity. Namely, the invalidating statements made by the most unlikely sources. Why? Because the person failed to understand the power of his/her words. From unknowingly dismissing someone’s feelings to emotional abuse, people either knowingly or unknowingly invalidate one another every day.