Trauma denial is a means of protection. Psychologists say that trauma denial is a “defensive mechanism that protects you from emotional pain.” It’s more than just saying it didn’t happen, it’s a way in which you suppress and avoid dealing with what happened. By not allowing yourself to acknowledge and feel the ugliness of what happened to you, you can’t heal. The longer you pretend that you weren’t affected by what happened to you, the stronger that pain becomes subconsciously. It will take up so much space in your entire being and you won’t even realize it. Thank your body for protecting you when it needed to. Forgive yourself for not knowing what you know now. Learn what self-compassion is. Give yourself enough grace to know that you have to go deeper into the pain to pull it out and release it.