One of the major insights of my life has been the realization that everyone has emotional scars and how impactful those scars are in a person’s attempts to have a fulfilling life. Emotional scars can vary over a wide spectrum. They could come from what was done unto you, or what you did not get that was needed, or something you did that has left an emotional negative imprint. Headline factors would include abuse (physical, emotional, sexual), abandonment, guilt) .

The limbic area of the brain, the emotional part, has been “recording” every event in your life from early on in your existence. Some of emotional imprints are retrievable in your conscious memory. Others would be shut down in your subconscious, difficult to remember because you have blocked memory, perhaps due to the defense mechanism of denial. Defense mechanisms exist and persist to block perceived emotional pain.

Part of my challenge as a therapist is to help a person come to know what these scars are and the particular area of the person’s life that is being negatively impacted. Some of these scars may have come from parents, other caregivers including baby sitters and relatives, friends, dating relationships, employment experiences, financial setbacks, etal. They can be many and diverse over a period of time.

Once the painful scars are brought into consciousness, with an understanding of its damage, the work of healing can take place if you are committed to the process. And healing CAN take place!

A qualified and competent therapist that understands this and does this type of psychotherapy can offer much to facilitate such emotional and behavioral healing. In my practice, I give some challenging, usually pain inducing, “homework” to dig out these buried scars. While this may initially be painful it is critical to the healing. An analogy would be a broken bone. Surgery is needed that initially causes pain but leads to healing and full recovery. I do psychological surgery!

As part of the therapeutic process the therapist may partner up with a medical professional for pharmaceutical assistance, as well as a significant other or two, who have a current impactful role in the person’s life. A spouse is the usual significant other here, other times it may be a parent or child.

I reiterate with emphasis, everyone has emotional scars from wounds experienced along life’s trail. The key is to know what they are and how they have limited the potential successes in various parts of your life.

Dr. Stathas can be reached at 706-473-1780. Email: Stathas@plantationcable.net. Web site: drstathas.googlepages.com. Blog: drstathas.com