Whenever I am asked to ‘share my story,’ a bunch of red flags and alarm bells go off in my head about protecting myself from token participation, being made into a poster child for someone else’s cause and being defined by my trauma, loss and pathology. My own experience with homelessness, trauma and drug addiction when I was a teenager inspired me to work with youth who were homeless for 12 years. I approach my work from a strength-based perspective and I apply this theory to myself as well. Deciding whether to share traumatic experiences with others or not is made more difficult because of the effect that trauma has on one’s ability to trust other people. Having attachment issues and experiencing homelessness means that I have experience with over-sharing (because you have nothing to lose and you need reciprocity from someone), as well as under-sharing (by putting on my protective armour so as not to be vulnerable to further betrayal). Naturally, both of these extremes have negative consequences. On the street it is very dangerous to ‘have lonely in your eyes’ because you are broadcasting buttons that can be pushed. In the housed population, if you hug someone when you first meet them you might be rejected for a cultural misunderstanding.
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The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is the largest national research institute devoted to homelessness in Canada. The COH is the curator of the Homeless Hub.
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About UsCanadian Observatory on Homelessness
The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is the largest national research institute devoted to homelessness in Canada. The COH is the curator of the Homeless Hub.
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- Foreword
- Introduction
- Stories
- 3. Contrast
- 4. All The Way Home
- 5. She must have been crazy
- 6. My Life Story, My Youth
- 7. Maison de Maternity
- 8. Hail Mary Pass
- 9. Into a storage locker
- 10. Officer Down
- 11. Rooming at the Haunted House
- 12. My Journey from Nova Scotia to Ottawa
- 13. Anatomy of Hero
- 14. Battered Schmattered
- 15. My Journey
- 16. Aloha Big Kahuna
- 17. How Being a Veggie Burger with Bacon Saved My Life
- 18. I brave enough to leave
- 19. Hope Eternal
- Policy
- 20. A Pragmatic, Humanistic and Effective Approach to Additions: The Importance of Harm Reduction
- 21. A Comprehensive, Community Process on Ending Homelessness: The System of Care Approach
- 22. What Comes Next? Supporting Individuals After Institutional Discharge
- 23. Healing the Pain and Hurt: Dealing with the Trauma of Homelessness
- 24. Ending Homelessness: Building not only homes but relationships of respect
- Conclusion
- Introduction
- Homelessness is Only One Piece of My Puzzle: Implications for Policy and Practice
- Stories
- 17. How Being a Veggie Burger with Bacon Saved My Life