I am 59 years old. I have struggled in my life with forms of self-hate and feelings of inadequacy. One of my strongest protectors is a part which manages my life by making me avoid love and intimacy which keeps me from feeling my wounds of love related to my relationship with my mother. In my search for inner healing I began meditation practice in the Soto Zen tradition about 23 years ago. In more resent times I have augmented my Zen meditative path with insight meditation, yoga, and IFS (Internal Family Systems therapy). I am looking forward to learning more about how compassion can be accessed and drawn on for the healing of trauma, from Gabor Maté, Richard Schwartz and the other panelists who will be sharing their insights and experiences from their work in the field of trauma.