Overcoming Trauma: Different Paths, Same Virtue
Understanding Trauma and the Many Paths to Healing
Trauma doesn’t come with a manual, and recovery doesn’t follow a single blueprint. My own journey out of the darkness was paved with Stoicism and journaling,two tools that demanded relentless self-honesty and a willingness to own every choice, past and present. But if I’ve learned anything through my work with The Honesty Experiment, it’s that there are many paths to healing. The important thing isn’t which path you take, it’s whether that path holds you accountable for your actions and empowers you to control only what is within your power.
My Sister’s Faith-Based Recovery: Different Path, Same Virtue
I recently asked my little sister if she’d be a guest on my podcast. She experienced the same childhood I did and felt the same wounds, carried the same burdens. While I found my way through philosophy and writing, she found hers through Jesus Christ's life and teachings. Her response was telling: she didn’t think she’d be a good guest because her recovery is faith-based. That struck me because, at the core, her path and mine aren’t that different. All genuine healing, whether through philosophy, religion, therapy, or something else, must confront the same fundamental truth: we are responsible for our own choices. We cannot rewrite the past, and we cannot control others, but we can shape how we move forward. And to do it all well, good must always and only come from an intent of love and motivation to help others.
The Universal Power of Virtue in Healing
What unites every successful path to healing is the same: commitment to virtue. Stoicism is all about the four cardinal virtues: wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance. Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and nearly every major religion also hold these virtues at their core. They all tell us to be good and unselfish, to seek truth, to act justly, and to live with discipline. The vehicle may smell different and offer a different type of ride, but the destination is always the same. My advice to everyone: find the sights, smells, and sounds of the virtue that attracts you.
Psychedelics as a Trauma Therapy Tool: My Podcast with Nicole Harmony
My latest podcast episode with Nicole Harmony explored yet another perspective,one that is growing in prominence in trauma therapy. Nicole spoke about her experiences with ayahuasca and psilocybin, two powerful plant-based substances that, under the right conditions, are being used to help people process trauma in ways that traditional talk therapy often can’t reach. There’s growing scientific and anecdotal evidence that these substances, when used intentionally and with guidance, can help people break free from patterns of fear, addiction, and self-destruction.
The Key to Recovery: Personal Responsibility
The key, again, is responsibility. No tool,whether Stoicism, faith, psychedelics, or anything else,can do the work for you. They are just that: tools. If you know me, you know I know a thing or two about being a tool. But seriously, recovery isn’t about numbing pain or finding shortcuts. It’s about facing the truth of your life, owning your role in it, and taking control of your future. It’s about refusing to let trauma define you and instead using it to fuel your growth.
Radical Self-Honesty: The Foundation of The Honesty Experiment
That’s the heart of The Honesty Experiment. Radical self-honesty is the only non-negotiable. Whether you find it through philosophy, faith, therapy, or psychedelics doesn’t matter as much as whether you’re willing to look at yourself with clear eyes.
Are you taking responsibility for your actions?
Are you controlling only what is yours to control?
Are you striving to be better, wiser, and more just?
Healing is Not One-Size-Fits-All, but It Requires Accountability and Radical Self-Honesty
Healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. But true healing always requires us to step up, be accountable, and commit to being good; not just for ourselves, but for the world around us. I, along with many others, have healed our trauma and come to terms with our recovery through these steps.
That’s the path forward, no matter which road you take. But I'd offer it's easier, quicker, and much less messy using journaling as the backbone of your recovery. Got questions? Get in touch.
Have a good one.
