One thing that isn’t talked about enough in trauma circles is righteous outrage—not explosive anger, but that clear feeling of “that was not okay.” Many of us were conditioned to downplay what happened, make excuses for others, or question our reality just to survive. So when anger shows up, it can feel wrong. But I’ve started to see it differently. Being angry can be a sign of healing. It means you’re beginning to recognize that you deserved better, and you’re no longer minimizing your pain or taking responsibility for what wasn’t yours. For a long time, I skipped straight to empathy. I could understand and forgive others, but I wasn’t acknowledging my own wounds. That kept me stuck. Letting myself feel anger didn’t make me a worse person—it made me more honest. It helped me see the truth without sugarcoating it. This kind of anger isn’t about bitterness. It’s more like a boundary forming where there wasn’t one before. It’s your system saying, “I matter too.” And that’s a powerful part of healing, even if it feels uncomfortable.