"IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT" Processing and Healing from Trauma and the Role of Trust and Connection in It

Every time I write a new journal to you, I tell myself, “Today, no movie examples.” But here I am again, because a film reference perfectly illustrates what I want to share—how trauma leads to the repression of vulnerable emotions like sadness and hurt within our body.

In Good Will Hunting, Will, a brilliant but troubled young man, navigates a life shaped by severe childhood abuse. As an orphan with an abusive foster father, he endured physical and emotional trauma that left deep scars, shaping his worldview and behavior in ways he struggled to understand. Will learned to suppress vulnerable emotions such as sadness and hurt, to distrust others, and to build emotional walls to avoid getting hurt again, ensuring he never needed anyone. His trauma responses—freezing, shutting down, even becoming catatonic in moments of high stress—were his nervous system’s way of protecting him. Whenever someone got close to him and reached those vulnerable layers, his mind activated the same defenses he’d developed as a child to survive abuse.

Later in the film, we see the importance of Will’s connection with a trustworthy person—his therapist, Sean—who offers a safe, loving and nonjudgmental space for exploring his wounds. As we watch Will open up gradually to Sean, he moves from distrust and defensiveness to trust and connection, allowing himself to experience and release the trapped emotions, like sadness, that had kept him in a state of desperation. In trauma work, a compassionate guide like Sean helps us believe there is life beyond pain, that trust can be rebuilt through joint work, and that we can regain balance in our lives and relationships as we process emotional repression.

With the Kiloby Inquiries (KI), we approach the release of trauma and trapped emotions with skill, compassion, and without judgment. Emotional repression work in KI supports us in facing hidden pain with someone who understands trauma’s delicate nature. A mentor helps us navigate trauma responses safely, accessing buried emotions. Through this work, we learn that true healing means moving beyond the past and reversing repression, creating a present filled with trust, connection, and peace.

Warmly,

Serena

What you find inside transforms everything outside!" 🌀