Saw this posted on a friend's livejournal account. It's a passage from "The Horse Whisperer". I think it applies to survivors, learning to trust again.

----THE GATE----

I am a thoroughbred racehorse and I am terrified of the gate. I see it ahead and know that I am going to be forced to go in. I will be whipped until I go in and the gate will close behind and before, and I will be trapped until the clanging bell rings.

But now I see that I am that horse nowhere near the gate, and a man comes to me frequently. He treats me with gentleness and love. He brings me treats and talks to me. His voice is soothing and I hear it although I don't always understand what he is saying. He comes often and I learn to recognize him and look foward to his coming. Over time, the man develops a relationship with me and I learn to trust him. Then one day, he leads me to the gate; not to make me ho in but just so I can see it and I know that I will have to go in at some point. I am terrified at this thought and balk under his hand, but he steadys me. He talks to me in soothing tones and carresses me. He tells me that there will be no more whips, no forcing. I come to understand that I cannot avoid the gate forever but that when I have courage and am ready, he will help me be brave and go in. He will be before me, leading me. He will go in first to show me that no harm will come to me. He tells me that I must conquer the fear of the gate and go through it, because on the other side is what I was born and bred to do...run the race. If he did as I was pleading with him to do, that is, lead me away from the gate, I would just linger day after monotonous day in the field or stable and would feel that I was living a purposeless life. I would be deprived of my calling, of doing what I am born to do and love doing in my heart, all because of fear. The gate would conquer me.

So, I trust him. I allow him to lead me to the gate with pounding heart and bated breath, but with my eye on him. I feel his calm reassurance and love and I become brave. I trust him, and know that, with his help, I can do it.