| From ridicule to humiliation, to a broken relationship, | | | | with this acceptance, we take back control by taking |
| to a shattered family, to the loss of a loved one, to | | | | charge of every aspect of our life. |
| physical pain, to emotional abuse, the suffering | | | | We seek more balance in our life by relying on other |
| caused by emotional pain is infinite. The pain, so | | | | people, yet more importantly, depending on |
| pervasive, so overwhelming, intensifies sensations of | | | | ourselves, discovering our inner strength. We meet |
| hopelessness and diminishes control of one's own | | | | our day to day responsibilities, and we challenge our |
| destiny. | | | | problems with decisive action. We savor our |
| Emotional pain is betrayal, resentment, and anger. | | | | accomplishments. |
| Emotional pain strips its victims of confidence, self | | | | Our second step is to seek support and validation for |
| worth, passion, or dignity. | | | | our suffering. |
| We sense there is a journey ahead of us, yet the | | | | We must extend our relationships, overcoming our |
| road is uncertain. Is there a destination of hope? Can | | | | reluctance and our fears. And through these |
| we set a course to emotional healing? | | | | relationships, we validate the pain and the magnitude |
| We understand that we must embrace hope. But | | | | of our circumstances. We must seek counsel from |
| hope is not enough. We must find the strength and | | | | someone who can understand, from someone who |
| the understanding to take control. Emotional healing | | | | cares, from someone whose mere presence serves |
| means relinquishing what we are and seeking that | | | | to help us. A mentor, an expert, clergy, family, friend. |
| which we can become. | | | | The third step on our journey to emotional healing is |
| Instinctively we recognize that others before us | | | | to release the bond of isolation. |
| have suffered emotional pain. Has time alone guided | | | | Emotional pain creates loneliness and separation. |
| them to peace and security and strength? Or were | | | | Emotional healing means extending our circle of |
| they compelled by something more powerful? It is | | | | friends, finding those we can trust, those who will |
| our choice, like those before us, to respond, to seek | | | | share positive thoughts and life experiences. By |
| the power to heal, to learn again to trust and to love. | | | | sharing the experience of our life, we are reacting to |
| We must find the power. | | | | our suffering with positive action and anticipation for |
| We must find the path to emotional healing, finding | | | | what we are about to become. |
| the means, taking the risks to move forward, to | | | | Our journey has taken us away from the |
| realize the life happiness we deserve. | | | | unimaginable emotional pain of the past, and into the |
| Self empowerment is the first step on the journey | | | | realm of emotional healing. And at the end of the |
| to emotional healing. | | | | road we acknowledge that while we cannot alter |
| We begin by accepting that there are solutions to | | | | what has happened to us in the past, our response |
| the overwhelming suffering of emotional pain. And | | | | to our future has saved us. |