To the Person Who Hurt Me
Is the second resource in The Empty Chair trauma series. It offers a carefully paced way to explore those words without requiring contact, confrontation, forgiveness or reconciliation with the person who caused harm.
The guide looks at why trauma can silence us in the moment, including freezing, appeasing and other survival responses. It then provides an adaptable empty-chair exercise with grounding, body check-ins, writing spaces and explicit permission to stop.
Inside:
• preparing safely before chair work
• alternatives when visualising the person feels too activating
• prompts for the words that were never heard
• working safely with trauma-related anger
• unanswered questions and the right not to debate your experience
• boundaries, blame and returning misplaced responsibility
• making room for mixed feelings
• an anonymous personal perspective
• ending the exercise without requiring forgiveness
• re-grounding and after-care
• a personal message from Maggie
• books, clinical reference points and further-support guidance
The chair can remain silent. Readers do not have to imagine the other person's response and are reminded throughout that their healing does not depend on receiving acknowledgement or an apology.
Created for the Trauma section of the Space to Breathe Therapy Support Hub. This resource is educational and does not replace individual therapy, assessment or crisis support.
