Emotional
pain.
It’s one of the most pervasive commonalities we all have.
But, what is it?
Emotional pain is a type of intense distress or suffering that lingers from hurtful experiences, and is characterized by feelings like fear, grief, shame, guilt, and loneliness.
When left unresolved or if the pain continues without relent, it always shows up in our lives in other ways. Like, physical symptoms (i.e. fatigue), to relational tension, to internal turmoil (i.e. anger, rumination, paranoia). It has a spectrum of tell-tale signs.
Any of this sounding familiar?
:::
Your pain has a place to heal!
Together, we can:
:: assess how pain is showing up in your life
:: make sense of your pain story & what it may be revealing about what you care for
:: bring compassion to your hurting areas
:: empower you with skills to help you deal with pain’s power
:: brainstorm actionable steps that will lead to a meaningful, pain-resilient life.
What’s causing your
hurt?
Just talk to a family member or neighbor and you will quickly be reminded that everybody experiences hurt inside. But, the type of deep emotional pain we’re referring to here is usually caused by events or circumstances that can be broken down into two overarching categories: trauma and grief.
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Greek for, “wound.”
We all experience wounds that shape the stories we tell ourselves - about ourselves, others, and God.
Metaphorically, the pain we experience from a traumatic event becomes a soundtrack to many areas of life - from work to daily choices to relationships. We essentially see, hear, experience situations through the messaging of our wounds.
Here's a sample of some soundtracks:
If my daddy loved me, he wouldn’t have left.
It should’ve been me, not that other person.
I can never drive again because another car crash could kill me.
My body is failing me.
What if go to the party and [fill in blank] rejects me
What does yours sound like? Are you finding it hard to turn down or off?
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Trauma is, simply put, when an experience or set of experiences harms you so deeply it affects your ability to cope, adjust, or thrive in certain - or many - areas of life. The soundtrack takes over .
Another definition by world renown trauma expert, Peter Levine, describes trauma as experiencing fear in the face of helplessness.
Have you ever felt that?
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Here’s the good news, though! Research continues to reveal that when our wounds are addressed, healed and integrated, we can actually experience positive personal transformation (see: post-traumatic growth theory). The soundtrack can change!
Maybe you believe your trauma is pointless or meaningless. Or, maybe you've tried to heal but still struggle to make progress. Maybe you are not sure if change is really possible. It’s understandable.
Would you be willing to try therapy - maybe again? Because we believe your trauma can be turned into transformation.
Wounds heal. Yours can too.
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What is common to all grief is a sense of loss.
Loss of a person or a pet.
Loss of sense of self.
Loss of abilities or achievements.
Loss of familiarity or assurance.
Loss of good things
Loss of physical property.
Loss of status.
Loss of dreams or hopes, of what “could’ve been.”
Maybe you haven’t been able to identify or articulate what has caused the sorrow but you know it is there.
Are you experiencing the “waves” of grief? Like, one day you are okay and the next day you are in despair. Or, the thing you thought you were over suddenly comes back to mind and triggers an overwhelm of tenderness and tears.
It all has a place, regardless of how jarring it may seem.This may be a surprise, but your grief can be a great teacher. It can give you insights about who you are and the story you have lived and what you care about, and perhaps most profoundly, wisdom about life with God.
You do not have to march past the sadness, rather you can learn to move forward with it in meaningful and functional ways.
In a safe and un-pressured space, you can process the changes or losses that you have experienced. And like a chapter in a book, the scarring of your losses can be an integrated part of your textured and complex and beautiful story.
Ready to move
through
the pain?
There’s an axiom that says, the only way past the pain is through the pain. But, you do not have to move through it alone, confused, hopeless, or scared. Inner Shalom is ready to move with you.