From Trauma to Triumph: My Journey Through Community Service
Life can often resemble a series of unforgiving waves crashing upon the shores of our existence. For some, like myself, these waves began early in life and left scars that would shape my interactions and beliefs for decades. Growing up as a traumatized child and young boy, I grappled with social skills, anxiety, and bullying, both at school and at home. Yet, it wasn’t until a life-threatening illness at age 68 that I found the true essence of fulfillment through community service.
My childhood was anything but ordinary. Social skills were a constant struggle, and anxiety was an unwelcome companion, lurking in the shadows of my mind long before I understood what it was. Bullying at school and by my older sister at home added layers to my trauma. Despite my efforts to be a good person, I often found myself isolated and misunderstood.
Boy Scouts was a beacon of hope, offering structure and goals through merit badges. One badge required community service. But the idea of giving back felt like an abomination. I had already endured enough, I thought, and refused to participate. Little did I know that this resistance would linger for decades, shaping my reluctance to serve the larger community.
Fast forward 55 years later, and I was a 68-year-old man who had fulfilled his obligations to family and employment but had never extended a hand to his community. Then, five months ago, I was struck by sepsis. The illness ravaged my body, and as I felt myself deteriorating, memories of Boy Scouts surfaced. In that moment of vulnerability, I made a conscious decision to be willing to serve the larger community.
Joining the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) was my first step towards this newfound purpose. TIP offers support to individuals in spiritual need due to the death of a loved one. Initially, I was apprehensive, uncertain if I had anything to offer. But as I engaged with those in need, I found incredible fulfillment. Each interaction was not just about providing comfort but also about healing parts of myself that had long been neglected.
My aversion to community service was deeply rooted in my past traumas. It wasn’t just about refusing to give back; it was a defense mechanism, a way to protect myself from further emotional harm. But my illness forced me to confront these beliefs head-on. Volunteering for TIP was a revelation. It showed me that giving back wasn’t draining; it was enriching. It wasn’t about losing something; it was about gaining a sense of purpose and community.
The rewards of volunteer work are manifold. For those we help, it provides immediate relief and support during their most challenging times. For volunteers, it offers a sense of purpose, fulfillment, and even healing. Programs like TIP provide a structured way to give back, making it easier to overcome initial apprehensions. Each act of service becomes a step towards personal growth and societal contribution.
Community service is not just beneficial for those who receive aid; it profoundly impacts the giver. It transforms lives, fosters a sense of belonging, and offers a unique avenue for personal growth. For trauma survivors, it can be a path to healing, a way to turn past pain into present purpose. For Baby Boomers, it provides an opportunity to contribute wisdom and experience to younger generations. And for community service supporters, it reinforces the value of collective effort in making the world a better place.
My journey from a traumatized child who refused community service to a fulfilled volunteer at TIP has been nothing short of transformational. It took a life-threatening illness to catalyze this change, but the rewards have been immense. Community service has not only allowed me to give back but also to heal and find a deeper sense of purpose.
If my story resonates with you, I encourage you to explore opportunities for community service in your area. Join programs like TIP, volunteer at local shelters, or simply offer a helping hand to a neighbor in need. The impact will be profound, not just for those you help, but for yourself as well.
Take that first step today. You never know how it might change your life.
A Beacon in the Darkest Times: A Tribute to the Trauma Intervention Program
In a world that often feels like it’s spinning out of control, where traumatic events seem to be a constant fixture in the news cycle, the existence of a beacon of hope like the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) is not just comforting—it’s essential. Founded in 1985 by Wayne Fortin in San Diego, California, and introduced to Portland, Oregon, in 1992 by June Vining, TIP embodies the essence of compassion, support, and healing. My journey of healing and rediscovery intertwines deeply with the principles and values this remarkable volunteer organization upholds, granting me a unique perspective on its undeniable impact.
The Trauma Intervention Program is not the option for trauma victims who are negatively responding to events from a distant past. TIP’s unique approach is to offer immediate emotional first aid and pragmatic support to those ravaged by today’s traumatic events, giving a vital lifeline to those survivors. TIP is not just about the individual acts of kindness by its volunteers as contributors with the other first responders to life’s tragedies, like the police and fire departments, the EMTs’ ‘s, and the hospital employees. This organization is also about a profound commitment to emotional healing and honoring the resilience of survivors in the face of their adversity.
At the heart of TIP are its volunteers who selflessly dedicate their time, energy, and empathy to assist those in despair. Their volunteers stand on the front lines, providing a shoulder to lean on when the unimaginable happens. This silent army of compassionate souls forms the backbone of TIP, embodying the purest form of altruism. Their readiness to be present, listen, and offer solace makes TIP’s work not just necessary but extraordinary. The volunteers’ ability to hold space for those in distress is a testament to the organization’s ethos—offering a glimmer of hope amidst sorrow.
One of my recurring observations, penned across years of self-reflection, writing, and observing our world is our culture’s pervasive aversion to confronting the sources of trauma within itself. This avoidance not only perpetuates unnecessary suffering but often exacerbates the trauma. TIP’s mission is a clarion call for a shift toward emotional awareness and healing. By fostering a culture that prioritizes these values, we can prevent countless instances of needless trauma and reduce the incidence of secondary injury trauma induced by untrained or unconscious responses to others’ adverse life experiences.
The inexorable truth is that trauma, in its myriad forms, will continue to be a part of the human experience. However, organizations like TIP offer a blueprint for compassion and resilience that can profoundly impact individuals and communities. It’s not enough to applaud their work from the sidelines; it requires a collective commitment to support and invest in programs that embody such critical missions, such as the Dougy Center, and other worthy services. In doing so, we aid those in immediate need and nurture a societal framework that values healing and recovery.
My connection to trauma and the eventual path to recovery began on a day etched in collective memory—January 28, 1986—the day the Challenger spaceship tragically exploded. That catastrophe mirrored my internal turmoil, leading me to a nadir where I attempted to take my own life. Thankfully, I survived, but the incident ushered me into a labyrinthine several-decade quest for truth and healing, revealing deep-seated wounds from my childhood. These scars, long embedded in my body and psyche, had sapped the very essence of joy and purpose from my existence. Because of traumatic wounding, all that I wanted for myself prior to my suicide attempt was “to get off of this fucking rock.”
Only through confronting and healing these wounds did I discover a newfound capacity to live in a healed and whole state while being more present for others, even those experiencing their darkest days. My evolution from a survivor of trauma to a volunteer reflects the transformative power of healing from traumatic wounding, and the substance of my story is not unique within the corps of TIP’s volunteers.
The Trauma Intervention Program is more than an organization; it’s a testament to the indomitable spirit of compassion that resides within each of us. My path from despair to healing, and eventually to serving others, mirrors the journey many volunteers and those they support undertake—a passage from darkness into light, guided by empathy and a shared resolve to heal. I urge communities everywhere to rally behind TIP and similar initiatives, recognizing their indispensable role in weaving the fabric of a more compassionate, resilient society. Our support for all initiatives to reduce suffering, be it through volunteering, advocacy, or funding, not only enhances or saves lives but also fortifies the collective soul of our communities.
On the most troubling day of my life, January 28, 1986, I had no one to listen to and meet me where I was, both emotionally and spiritually. I had an acquaintance who stood in the same pharmacy line as I was tell me that he had no time to listen to me and my problems. I was there to pick up what was to be my “final prescription”.Had that acquaintance been able to listen and be emotionally present for me, I may have changed my mind about self-harm, but he could only turn away. It is no wonder that our society often maintains a conspiracy of silence around the suffering of others, as many cannot deal with their own pain. Our culture and many of our citizens can be poor listeners, and it is no wonder that up to 95% of all trauma survivors have never developed a narrative around their losses nor could find anyone to share it with even if they did.
TIP, though not a suicide prevention service, is here to listen to those who lost family members or friends to death, for those whose rugs of love, safety, and security have been yanked out from under them. TIP offers short-term help to assist the survivor to regain a measure of control over their trauma destabilized life.
TIP is here for people having the worst day of their lives.
TIP listens, supports, and cares.
So can we.
