• Anguish is an almost unbearable and traumatic swirl of shock, incredulity, grief, and powerlessness. Shock and incredulity can take our breath away, and grief and powerlessness often come for our hearts and our minds.

• Brene Brown Atlas of the Heart p. 90

Anguish often causes us to phyusically crumple in on ourselves, literally bringing us to our kneees or forcing us all the way to the ground.

Brene Brown Atlas of the Heart p. 91

Anguish not only takes away our ability to breathe, feel, and think it comes for our bones. Anguish often causes us to physically crumple in on ourselves, literally bringing us to our knees or forcing us all the way to the ground. The element of powerlessness is what makes anguish traumatic. We are unable to change, reverse, or negotiate what has happened. And even in those situations where we can temporarily reroute angish with to do lists and tasks, it finds its way back to us.

We're Hurting