The Wounded Healer, The Therapy, and The “Woo Woo”
carl jung teaches about The archetype of the Wounded Healer. the wounded healer encounters painful experiences and engages in their own personal healing work as a result. doing their own work, gives them the ability to heal others. sometimes wounded healers do their own work while healing others at the same time.
I have embodied the wounded healer archetype in various chapters of my career. I remember trying to find a therapist or coach when I needed some support. It was a frustrating process for me. I felt I knew too much for my own good. I could feel the therapist taking me down a line of questioning that I knew would not be helpful to me. Or explain concepts and theories that I already knew. I encountered therapists who were all about the “vent in a safe space and I’ll validate you” approach, which can be helpful, but wasn’t what I needed.
Eventually I found the right therapist for me (for that particular period of time). That particular therapist guided me back to myself- my wise place within. The best personal growth professionals (at least the ones that work best for me) know how to do this. Then I stopped working with her. I was connected to myself again. My life went into a different direction.
8 years later and I was a Wounded Healer once again. This time the “woo woo” called to me. This is the point in the story when the magic found me.
I explored Taoism, Western mystery traditions (yes I’m talking about full on owning it with a “k” magick, unapologetically witchy)- Hermetic Kabbalah, mysticism, witness consciousness, oneness consciousness, yoga…
…did I loose you in the woo woo?
I was skeptical as I explored the more “alternative” approach to personal growth, but I couldn’t NOT explore it. The woo woo called deeply to an authentic place within, I guess some might call it a place of “soul,” others might call it “intuition,” or “spark,” or “curiosity,” insert your vocabulary word. My inner skeptic watched the woo woo evolve me into a better, more authentic, happier version of myself.
The woo- woo chapter gave me life-affirming perspectives and practices. It gave me tools to become the master of my own mind, the master of my own reality. It gave me the ability to capitol C Create things into my life that could not exist without me. I Create my life, rather than being impacted by the tsunamis of everything going on “out there.”
The skeptic is dead- long live the witch! Nah, the skeptic isn’t actually dead, he’s just changed his opinion on the woo woo. My inner skeptic knows, from personal experience, that the woo woo trains my brain in a way that is directly related to having the life that I say that I want. The woo woo actually operates on a very logical process.
That doesn’t mean that it’s for everyone. Take what works for you, leave the rest. I know I do. Taking what works and leaving the rest is a sign of being connected to inner wisdom/ inner authenticity/ inner knowing/ intuition (choose your vocabulary word).
If you are currently embodying the wounded healer archetype then yesssssss. That’s the sound of me loving you and cheering you on. other than that, i can offer you some advice. or maybe it’s not so much advice as it is a reminder. Or maybe it’s not so much a reminder as it is something that worked for me, but isn’t for you.
When things got gnarly for me as The Wounded Healer I made decisions about how to move through challenges guided by my inner knowing/ intuition. My inner knowing told me what I needed for each particular chapter of my healing and personal growth process. Sometimes it was “right” for me to engage in self-healing using the tools/ practices that I already had. Sometimes it was “right” for me to be a client and work with a therapist, coach, or healer. When I was the client, I remembered that the therapist/coach/healer in the room was never the expert. I only worked with professionals whose energy and approach guided me back to myself and strengthened my connection to my inner knowing. Anyone who took me somewhere else, who took me in the direction of depending on them for example, wasn’t for me. I only worked with folks when it felt “right” and the moment it stopped feeling “right,” I stopped working with them.
Trust your intuition friends and colleagues. Wishing you safe and interesting journeys, both inner and outer :)
Are you a therapist/coach/healer wanting to do your own personal growth work?
Are you a more “traditional” therapist feeling pulled to connect more with your spirituality, ancient wisdoms, or mysticism as you approach your personal growth work?
Are you a healer connected to your spirituality, but want to do some trauma work from a western psychology/ CBT/ Jungian/ parts work approach?
Are you not so much needing personal growth work- but looking for some business coaching?
Some combination of all of the above?