Olivia Hamel Boeken

In 2019 I chose to put my professional life on hold. My son had been exhibiting signs that he had undergone trauma. However, in November of that year, the signs became deafening. It was clear I had to divert all of my attention to figuring out what was going on with him. By the end of December, I was desperately hoping for new energy to envelop us and carry us away from the hell that had become our lives. What they don't tell you is in order for new life to blossom, sometimes you need to expose the rot. On the eve of 2020 the rot in our lives was uncovered. If you are a parent of a child who has undergone trauma you know that the task of regulating your own emotions, alongside your child's, can seem like an insurmountable responsibility. Luckily, I found solace in writing. Writing became a way for me to process the emotions that come along with trauma. With each poem, a load was taken off my chest and given wings. I hope they fly right into your heart and act as a spark; helping to ignite your own fire.