By Hazel Namponya
“Self-healers believe in the power and authority of their own voices.”
Across generations, the legacies of pain are deeply embedded in the psyche of Black women. We have carried the burden of pain and shame, internalising them in various ways. Gender stereotypes have dictated our lives, reminding us that we are someone’s property and have no authority over our own bodies. This shared history has left us scarred with generational wounds. For transformation to occur, survivors of GBV must not remain trapped in this narrative. We need support and disruption to break free from this toxic cycle. GBV has left many women destitute and emotionally shattered, causing them to doubt themselves. Survivors often struggle to articulate their pain and process their experiences. They have adopted toxic beliefs that suggest there is no hope, and a bleak future awaits them. However, victims and survivors of gendered abuse have the capacity to heal and overcome their traumatic experiences. They can become agents of change and catalysts for healing as self-healers.
Self-healers understand that the personal is political and the political is personal. Despite challenging circumstances, they are eager to meet themselves on the other side of their pain. They are determined to resist and overcome the traumas they have witnessed or endured. This healing journey becomes a necessity as survivors defy stagnation and shame. They begin asking the necessary questions, embarking on a deliberate and lengthy journey of healing. It requires each one to become a self-healer, embracing the process of learning, unlearning, and relearning. It demands vulnerability as they strive to define themselves as the best versions of who they can be. Self-healers take responsibility and acknowledge the triggers that remind them of their past pain and inner wounds. Many carry shame associated with their personal stories of gender-based violence. These stories reflect lived experiences of abuse and heartache. Self-healers write and journal about their past and future, revisiting dark corners that have brought them to tears. They confront stories that have shattered their souls.
“Self-healers are determined to resist and overcome the traumas they have witnessed or endured. This healing journey becomes a necessity as survivors defy stagnation and shame.”
Generations within families have become hosts of pain, abuse, shand shame. Our mothers and great-grandmothers have endured immense suffering, passing down these experiences as a blueprint for womanhood. Self-healers possess a consciousness that yearns to break the chains of suffering. They willingly do the necessary work, recognising that their pain and suffering have not been in vain. They approach the path of healing with determination, aiming to heal the past so that they can pass on a legacy of victory and freedom to future generations. These warriors demand better opportunities and define love as something that heals, affirms, and celebrates. With intention and purpose, self-healers share their stories to break the cycle of abuse and help those who feel trapped.
Self-healers meticulously examine every detail of their lives, noting patterns, from struggles with anxiety to cycles of shame and poverty that hinder the future. They refuse to accept darkness as their reality. They confront the discomfort of being in a dark space where secrecy prevails. They are aware of cultural scripts and religious dogmas that continue to suppress them. With intent, they redefine a future of healing, where they can thrive and flourish. Self-healers shine a spotlight on the beauty that awaits them. They grow through discomfort, aspiring to meet their authentic selves. They awaken to the sacred and conscious path of embracing their power and living their truth.
Self-healers meticulously examine every detail of their lives, noting patterns, from struggles with anxiety to cycles of shame and poverty that hinder the future. They refuse to accept darkness as their reality.
Self-healers believe in the power and authority of their own voices. Life may have been dim, but they know that lightness can dawn, and freedom is possible. Healing is a treasure waiting to be discovered. So, go out there and do the necessary work of healing. Self-healers are healers, dreamers, and midwives, carrying hope, and dreams.
