How could healing yourself help the world?

As a healing practitioner, I have heard the expression “Healer, heal thyself” repeated throughout the years.  And the more I teach and practice, the more I understand the why behind this wisdom.
There is always a difference in working with a practitioner who has gone through their own ‘stuff’, but has processed, understood, and resolved it, versus one who has not.  A lot of healers believe that because they are going through something now, they are qualified to help others with it.  But if you are still in your stuff, how can you see what is happening with your client?

The very best healers are those who are ready and willing, not only to help others through their suffering, but who have done the same for themselves.
The reality is that as long as you are swimming in your suffering, you cannot see the truth of what is happening within your client.  As long as you feel enraged over abuse from the past, you cannot really help another to understand his emotions, or to move beyond.
As long as you sit in your anger, your sadness, your grief, you cannot fully guide another through her own.

I have worked 20 years with support workers, carers, healers, practitioners, teachers, and the ones that burn out, burdened by stress, who often quit, are the ones who have not faced their own emotional baggage.
And many of them have gotten into the role from a desire to help, but also feeling a need to help others so that they themselves can feel better.
They are the healers who cannot stand being around sick people.
They are the teachers who are not patient enough to allow their students to learn.
They are the carers who resent those they care for.
They are the supporters who abandon or avoid their clients, because of burden and stress.

So many of those in a caring role can recognise on some level that another person’s suffering triggers their own.  And instead of dealing with their own emotional turmoil, they turn to another, and try to fix theirs.
And you cannot.
You cannot heal the entire world to save yourself from your own suffering.
You cannot save the world.  All you can do is heal yourself, and support others in their journeys.

So for those of you who are ready, willing, prepared to serve the world in a healing or caring capacity, show yourself the same compassion that you wish to show your clients.  Healer, heal thyself <3

**For those of you courageous to navigate that healing process, be proud of yourself.  Healing is not for the faint-hearted.  Keep doing the work, the world will thank you for it <3

-Jennifer

Download: Would you like to know how to face and resolve your pain, in the highest and best way,
to allow yourself to face your deepest, oldest fears, with grace,
to know that you are worthy and deserving of allowing yourself time and space to resolve your pain,
to know what it feels like to be courageous, dedicated, and to honour yourself in the process, on every level?
Say yes and receive! <3