Healing Emotional Wounds

Book excerpt: Though emotional pain constitutes an inevitable part of life, not only can it be healed, it can be the soil out of which we grow into greater wholeness and wellbeing. This book arose not simply out of the author's work with others but out of lessons learned as he worked his way to healing and forgiveness associated with his own emotional wounds as well. In helpful, practical language that is filled with real-life examples, Healing Emotional Wounds examines the inner course of events that predictably follows experiences of emotional wounding. This includes a discussion of the ways in which we attempt to cope with hurt, focusing on common but counterproductive coping strategies that actually impede healing. It then examines in detail the emotional, intellectual, and volitional tasks that are involved in healing emotional wounds, each presenting concrete steps that we can take to help ourselves and others experience healing and gain freedom from bondage to our wounds. Such freedom does not involve escape from unpleasant experiences or difficult circumstances, but release from their tyrannizing inner consequences. This also provides the possibility of living a more fulfilling and significant life because of these experiences.