“The future can still be beautiful despite the trauma of the past.”

There is nothing we can do to change the past. It can’t be erased. It can’t be undone. But we can change our relationship with the past. Here are some steps that might help you with this.

1. Make the decision to create a future that is not tied in to what happened to you. Although this is easier said than done, making that commitment can be freeing and empowering. It doesn’t mean the memories and the pain will fade away, but it helps you to envisage a future you would like. And that’s the first step to creating this new future.

2. Allow yourself to feel the feelings, and to process what happened. Again, this isn’t something that transforms life overnight. However, it absolutely crucial that you feel and work through feelings – without…