Woundology, as I define it, is the attachment to our emotional wounds in life. We all have them. None of us made it through childhood without emotional wounds and scars.

Some common childhood wounds could be:

• experiencing favoritism
• neglect & abuse
• physical illness
• being bullied
• witnessing or experiencing any kind of trauma
• family addictions
• family mental illness

Wounds could even be from a traumatic experience as a young adult and not necessarily a childhood experience. While some of these can be easily worked through, others may take much longer.

So where does Woundology come in? Woundology is when you over identify (i.e. stay stuck) in your wounds.

There is strong energy surrounding wounds… but this is stuck energy. It can follow you for a lifetime and interfere with work, relationships and life fulfillment. This inhibits your ability to fully enjoy your life and reach your personal goals.

You can get out of the Woundology trap.

As always, the first step is to acknowledge what your emotional wounds are. Personally, I have found this to be very helpful. I am learning to see everything in life as having a purpose, and maybe the purpose is figuring out how to move beyond the experience.

I know this is not easy but it is doable. If this exercise feels too difficult or painful, then you will need to reach out and get support from a professional.

My heart aches for anyone experiencing pain, trauma or abuse in their lifetime. I recognize the importance of truly listening to someone’s life story. There is powerful healing in listening. I volunteer at our local free clinic and one day as I was completely present and listening to a young man’s life story, he shared with me that no one has ever done that before. He didn’t want the session to end. I was truly interested and felt compassion for him. This is the healing part.

Be kind to yourself. This is your life to live and I want you to live it fully.

By the way, I am on my journey of understanding and knowing myself better, too.

 

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Michelle Kelley Licensed Counselor, Owner, Girls Stand Strong

Licensed counselor and founder of Girls Stand Strong Michelle Kelley, LCSW, helps girls and women of all ages develop and improve their self-image, self-esteem, relationship and communication skills, emotional understanding, coping skills, the ability to handle difficult situations and people, and resiliency to create a brighter, better and more successful tomorrow. For more information about Michelle’s coaching and counseling services, call (703) 505-2413 or email michelle@girlsstandstrong.com.