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Being A Wounded Healer
Being A Wounded Healer presents a "spiritual model of care" to complement the typical "medical model of care." The medical model looks at eliminating wounds. The spiritual model looks at finding meaning in the midst of wounds. The spiritual model presented in this book is based upon the spiritual traditions of all of the major religions. The model is presented to assist physicians, nurses, social workers, clergy, and counselors find meaning in the midst of their own wounds so that they can help patients/clients find meaning in the midst of their wounds.
172 pages, Paperback
First published July 8, 1999
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August 11, 2021
I was drawn to this title because I have personally felt like I have been wounded by things in life. I felt that it was a book I could relate to and learn from. The intended audience seems to be for doctors, chaplains and people in "power" but I think anyone could benefit from reading this.
The purpose of this book is how to help others while you are hurting or struggling with your own wounds. I was really looking forward to reading about the author's struggles and how he learned from them. I was interested in the reflection pages and found them to be very thought provoking. This was a very inspirational read.
One of the things the book teaches is that putting up armor can hinder instead of protect us. One quote I found to be particularly inspiring was: "Only in the facing of who we are in all of our vulnerability can we ever open up to growth and healing." The author tells us that we can find true strength in admitting we are vulnerable. I love that the author seems to truly embrace who he is. He told a story about how he used to be embarrassed by and try to hide his shakes (familial tremors). Now he thinks of them as a gift and reminder to stay humble.
Some of the main points that resonated with me in this book are the following: Cures can come with or without healing; Healing can come with or without cures. Basically, what this means is that you can be clinically cured of a physical ailment without emotional healing. Healing can also come to those who are facing a terminal illness and will never be cured. The author talks about how we are all in this world together. We all have woundedness and are capable of receiving and giving healing to one another. Helping others heal can also help heal you.
We also must accept other’s unique way of dealing with grief and suffering. Just because you went through something similar, such as a loss of a child for example, does not mean you fully understand what the other person is going through. One thing I’ve come to understand from this book is that we can sometimes be too quick to sympathize and say, “I know exactly what you’re going through because I went through it too.” People going through a loss should feel heard and validated without feeling like someone is trying to dismiss them.
I also learned that there can be a big difference between sympathizing and empathizing with someone. Sometimes people can have sympathy but not empathy when they act like they understand another’s pain before letting that person have a chance to truly speak about what they are going through. A sympathetic person may try to make someone feel better quickly while an empathetic person has patience and listens quietly while the other person explains their feelings.
Over all, I really enjoyed reading this book and have a lot of respect for the author. I thought it was very brave that the author was so open about all of his woundedness and I was moved by his stories. It is so inspiring that he wrote about his personal struggles and what he has learned to help other people heal from their own woundedness. I was drawn even more into the book because he seems to be a kind and genuine person with a lot of wisdom to share. I would recommend it to pastors, nurses or anyone who is interested in helping other people heal emotionally and spiritually.
The purpose of this book is how to help others while you are hurting or struggling with your own wounds. I was really looking forward to reading about the author's struggles and how he learned from them. I was interested in the reflection pages and found them to be very thought provoking. This was a very inspirational read.
One of the things the book teaches is that putting up armor can hinder instead of protect us. One quote I found to be particularly inspiring was: "Only in the facing of who we are in all of our vulnerability can we ever open up to growth and healing." The author tells us that we can find true strength in admitting we are vulnerable. I love that the author seems to truly embrace who he is. He told a story about how he used to be embarrassed by and try to hide his shakes (familial tremors). Now he thinks of them as a gift and reminder to stay humble.
Some of the main points that resonated with me in this book are the following: Cures can come with or without healing; Healing can come with or without cures. Basically, what this means is that you can be clinically cured of a physical ailment without emotional healing. Healing can also come to those who are facing a terminal illness and will never be cured. The author talks about how we are all in this world together. We all have woundedness and are capable of receiving and giving healing to one another. Helping others heal can also help heal you.
We also must accept other’s unique way of dealing with grief and suffering. Just because you went through something similar, such as a loss of a child for example, does not mean you fully understand what the other person is going through. One thing I’ve come to understand from this book is that we can sometimes be too quick to sympathize and say, “I know exactly what you’re going through because I went through it too.” People going through a loss should feel heard and validated without feeling like someone is trying to dismiss them.
I also learned that there can be a big difference between sympathizing and empathizing with someone. Sometimes people can have sympathy but not empathy when they act like they understand another’s pain before letting that person have a chance to truly speak about what they are going through. A sympathetic person may try to make someone feel better quickly while an empathetic person has patience and listens quietly while the other person explains their feelings.
Over all, I really enjoyed reading this book and have a lot of respect for the author. I thought it was very brave that the author was so open about all of his woundedness and I was moved by his stories. It is so inspiring that he wrote about his personal struggles and what he has learned to help other people heal from their own woundedness. I was drawn even more into the book because he seems to be a kind and genuine person with a lot of wisdom to share. I would recommend it to pastors, nurses or anyone who is interested in helping other people heal emotionally and spiritually.
Displaying 1 of 1 review