Compassion Trauma circle

 "When you study prison populations, you see a common preponderance of childhood trauma and mental illness. The two go together. So what we have in prisons are the most traumatized people in our society" -Dr. Gabor Mate

The realization of that phrase holds an insurmountable weight. 

Every person who stepped inside the circle carried that burden with them. 

"I was a traumatized child, raised by a traumatized child" 

Hearing the thoughts and experiences of these individuals is heartbreaking. These people need help. They need help processing what they have gone through, they need help healing from it. 

The counselor even stated that she committed many of the crimes that the men in this video have committed. She acknowledged her get-out-of-jail-free card. She acknowledged that she could have been where they are. This goes to show how sad and flawed the prison system is. Some individuals held to lesser degrees than others simply based on demographics and race. That's not a just system. It's a system that recycles the abuse. 

These men were broadly categorized as criminals, a dehumanizing adjective. That was their common factor seen by the public. But as we take a closer look, we can start to see past that. The circle enclosed as the questions progressed, and with every step, we start to relate more. With every step, it brought everyone closer together. Maybe we're not so different deep down after all. Maybe some of us have just been more fortunate than others. Maybe some of us have healed while others have not had the chance to. 

The world would be a better place if we just started treating others with compassion. Imagine walking in their shoes, and maybe we won't be so quick to judge.