The months are just flying by because I can’t believe that it is already November, and Thanksgiving is only weeks away. So much has happened in October it is hard to find a starting point. The one topic that I have been waiting in anticipation to discuss is the new movie, The Woman King! Yes, I am a black woman, and Yes, I loved this movie, and Yes, I am going to go see it again! If you didn’t like it, this blog may offer you a new perspective to view it from. There is so much TRAUMA in this movie it is hard to discuss just one aspect. For someone that works with trauma survivors you would think that I would stay away from movies that are about trauma, especially black female trauma, but not this movie. There are so many movies that are out that focus on the trauma of black lives from a historical perspective. This movie was no different in that regard. Spoiler Alert, if you haven’t seen The Woman King, and want to see it, don’t keep reading. The Woman King was different though. It showed each trauma for what it was, how each character dealt with it, and how the society of that time dealt with it too. I’m going to try to pull some of them out, but I may go off on a tangent. We will see what happens. Of course, there is the obvious trauma of the enslavement of Africans by other Africans. Racial Trauma is real, and while our current context of racial trauma only exists due to the ongoing exposure of racial discrimination, I would assert that the possibility of selling your own race for money and/or status created it’s own type of racial trauma in history. How difficult must it have been to watch a king sell his own people, all while wondering if you could be next on the selling block. Until the Woman King stepped up to help break the cycle of trauma with her Agojie warrior woman tribe. Now, let’s remember this movie has factual information, but with entertainment license. Did “The Woman King,” really stop the slave trade, not really, but that is for another blogger to write about in a different blog. This blog is about the trauma within this movie. The lesson in that specific trauma of slave trade by your own people, is that you have the power within you to break the cycle of trauma and trauma reactions., within yourself, and I would go as far to say sometimes within others, depending on the reach of your influence. Another noticeable trauma within the movie was the idea of generational trauma that is placed upon you, such as a woman being sold to a man to be his wife, even after the parents notice physical abuse from that man to the daughter. Whew! That alone was heartbreaking to me. Parents were so desperate for money and willing to continue in cultural traditions that they would sell their own daughter to someone that was physically abusive. The holds that traditions have on us should be examined. What traditions do you hold that could be traumatic for someone, but you do them anyway for the sake of tradition and culture???!!! This is a very implicit bias and American point of view on this complex topic, but is does bring to mind American traditions that African American households hold that may need to released and re-evaluated. The movie didn’t address this trauma, other than allowing the girl to become an Agojie warrior, which ultimately made her stronger and more resilient. Being sold became a protective factor instead of a risk factor in that specific traumatic situation. This alone is rare in life in general, but possible. Another trauma that I want to address, before this blog gets too long, is the trauma of sexual abuse, and the PTSD that comes along with it. Despite being the most powerful woman in the kingdom, she was not immune from flashbacks of her sexual abuse, dis-association episodes due to that abuse, and giving out trauma reactions like candy to her fellow warriors (without even realizing it). She is a great example that being strong and tough doesn’t mean that trauma won’t impact you in your life, and that recovery is possible. Trauma is powerful in that way. Trauma kept her disconnected from the other woman (only relying on one friend to confide in). Trauma had her believing that death was a viable option out of the pain she was experiencing in this life. Trauma had her trust levels at zero percent, even when it was her fellow warriors she needed to trust in. Trauma had her doubting herself in multiple moments throughout the movie. Viewing this movie through a trauma-informed lens was very different than viewing this movie as a normal spectator. Despite all of the traumas that rose out of this movie, the resilience, the strength, and the connection with the other warriors ultimately led to a road of recovery and being able to dance with her daughter. While there were many more traumas to discuss I might have to do a part 2 to this blog to cover them. For now, I will say this…look at the decisions that you make on a daily basis. The decisions you make as it relates to your family, your work, and your life in general. Take an evaluation to see if any of these decisions are rooted in trauma that has occurred over the years. Sometimes it is hard to tell on your own. The curiosity of a trauma recovery coach can help. Trauma Recovery Coaches treat each session with Courage, Curiosity, and Care. Let me help you ask the hard questions for self-examination. Are your traumas still impacting you today, even though they happened years ago? Do you react out of trauma in situations and don’t notice that is what is happening to you? Do you feel in control of your emotions? Do you assign good and bad to your emotions? Do you listen to what your body tells you about you? If I could interview The Woman King, I have a whole list of questions that I would ask to get to a place of continued recovery and wholeness. I’m interested in your thoughts. What questions would you ask and to whom, in the movie, to help that character recover from trauma?