Outback Jack's Journey

In year 3, aged 8, there was a boy in my year who lived just beyond the end of my block. Darren had curly brown hair, buck teeth, and freckles. He talked funny when he would breathe in. He had an older taller brother who was in high school and had entered puberty. Our Mum’s knew each other and would catch up and they expected us to play and get along. Darren regularly wrestled and fought with his older brother. If he’d wrestle with me, he could tie me in knots, and I had no idea how to resist or to stop his attacks. One day I was riding around on bikes with Darren and his brother. We stopped at the end of my street, about 100m from his house.  I knew Darren was a liar and a deceiver. But he also knew I believed what people said if they spoke convincingly – I was gullible.  There was a little rust on my bike and he suggested squirting water from my bottle on the rust. I knew he was trying to deceive me, and I said that was dumb and it would make the rust worse. Initially he agreed, but

Triggered What to say/ask: Response "What are you feeling? What's your impulse? What emotions do you have?" I feel alone, abandoned, confused, unnerved, insecure. I wanted comfort, reassurance I'd done the right thing. I wanted to feel delighted in. Help to feel safe and secure, not alone. You needed care and delight, but not in a sexual way. . What thoughts do you have?  What "I am ...(something)" stories are you telling yourself? How old do you feel? When did you first feel this way? (feeling is stored in the ANS)? I first felt this way when I told my parents about the sexual assault. I was 8. All they said was, "What he did was wrong." No further explanation, no hug, no comfort. "Is this the first time? Is there an earlier time?" "How old were you?" "What happened at that age when this first happened?" No earlier time.   Although I already knew not to tell my parents important personal things as they didn

On Monday night my 16yro was meant to start an online learner driver course. I went out shopping and asked her to prepare some vegetables and to do her course. When I came home she was still preparing the vegetables (as I think she’d just been watching YouTube). She helped unpack the groceries. When we were done I said, “Oh aren’t you meant to be in your course now?” She was 45 min late. She was teary as she tried getting on but they said she was too late and needed to rebook ($50). She could have finished the course on Wednesday and been driving with me this weekend. I said to her that she’s allowed to make mistakes, and that I make mistakes and had missed a work meeting on Monday! We rebooked for this weekend. We thought it started at 10am. I woke her up at 0830 and went to the gym. At 10am she called and said it had started at 9am! 🤦🏻‍♂️ We have to rebook again, but due to our holiday to Queensland, she won’t be able to do it until late 22-23 July. 😢 I also had the time wrong for