Quiet Confessions, Episode 14: Taking Up Space

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In this week’s Quiet Confessions, Chelsea shares the raw reality of navigating hospital visits that reopen old wounds. From the dysregulation of lab work and MRIs, to the panic of walking familiar halls, to the choice to slow down and decompress instead of bulldozing through — this episode is a reminder that scars live in our bodies long after the moment has passed.

With honesty, vulnerability, and a little humor (yes, ice cream counts as medicine), Chelsea reflects on how planning for recovery time, acknowledging limits, and taking up space are not weaknesses but survival strategies.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Hospital visits can reopen old wounds. 
  • Even “routine” lab work or scans can trigger memories of past hospitalizations and trauma.
• The body remembers. 
  • Trauma isn’t only emotional — it’s stored in the body and resurfaces under certain conditions.
• Acknowledging limits matters.
  • Choosing to pause, decompress, and not rush back into responsibilities is an act of care.
• Planning for recovery is a survival tool. 
  • Building in time and space after triggering events can prevent complete burnout.
• Taking up space isn’t selfish. 
  • It’s survival — a vital reminder for anyone feeling guilty about needing time and care.
• Joyful coping counts. 
  • Whether it’s journaling, rest, or salted caramel ice cream, small comforts can make hard days easier. 

 🎧 Soundbites 

• “Walking through those hospital doors, my body remembers all the things I want to forget.”
  
  
• “Trauma leaves scars, and they flare up — that’s not weakness, that’s being human.”
  
  
• “Taking up space is not selfish, it’s survival.”
  
  
• “Usually I bulldoze through until I break. This time, I chose to pause.”
  
  
• “Ice cream always helps. It’s science.”

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Special Thanks to Steve Audy for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection

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