This first episode of Creative Trauma Recovery is dedicated to the two paramedics and the patient who recently lost their lives here in New Brunswick.

Some tragedies leave us without words. We pause to remember them and to hold close their families, friends, colleagues, fellow first responders, and the communities carrying the weight of this heartbreaking loss.

Have you been trying to hold everything together, care for everyone around you, and stay in control, only to find yourself exhausted, overwhelmed, or far from God?

For many helpers, letting go can feel frightening. Trauma may have taught us that staying alert, being responsible, and keeping everything under control were necessary for survival. Those patterns may have helped us through painful seasons, but carrying that level of responsibility for too long can contribute to burnout, compassion fatigue, anxiety, and spiritual exhaustion.

In this first episode, I share part of my own story. At my first Al-Anon meeting, the words of the Serenity Prayer deeply affected me. My marriage had fallen apart, my life felt out of control, and I walked into the washroom and cried out to God, “Please help me. I have messed everything up. I cannot do this, and I need You to be in control.”

That honest prayer became the beginning of a different way of living and healing.

I also share how I placed sticky notes around my apartment that said, “Let go. Let God.” I needed to see those words when I woke up in the morning and before I went to sleep at night. I needed the reminder that I did not have to carry everything alone.

In this episode, we explore the connection between trauma and the need for control, why helpers often feel responsible for everyone and everything, and what twelve-step programs can teach us about surrendering what has become unmanageable.

Letting go does not mean giving up, ignoring our responsibilities, or pretending that painful things do not matter. It means learning what belongs to us, what does not, and where we need to stop relying only on our own strength.

You will also be invited to gently notice one area of your life that you may be trying to control and take a small step toward placing it in God’s hands.

Whether your faith feels strong today, you have questions, or you are simply searching for hope, you are welcome here.

Healing does not require you to have everything figured out. Sometimes healing begins with an honest prayer:

“God, I cannot carry this alone. Please help me let go and allow You to lead me.”