Does Everyone Really Need Healing?
It’s a question that comes up more often than we admit:
Does everyone really need healing?
Some people answer yes without hesitation. Others feel unsure. You might even find yourself thinking, “I don’t feel broken… so do I really need to heal?”
This question inspired the very first episode of my podcast, and it’s one I want to sit with more deeply here—because healing is often misunderstood.
Healing isn’t just about fixing what’s broken.
It’s about growth, awareness, and releasing what no longer serves you.
What Healing Really Is (and What It Isn’t)
When we hear the word healing, many of us think about obvious wounds:
Trauma
Violence
Loss
Major life disruptions
And yes, those experiences absolutely deserve care and attention.
But not all wounds are obvious.
Some are subtle. Some are inherited. Some are absorbed quietly through what we see, hear, and live around—without realizing they left a mark.
Our brains and bodies are constantly scanning for information to keep us safe. Even when we’re not consciously aware of it, we’re taking things in: sounds, emotions, patterns, stories. And our bodies remember.
That’s why healing isn’t only for people who can point to one big traumatic event. It’s for anyone who wants to understand themselves more deeply and create healthier relationships with themselves and their community.
Invisible Wounds We Often Carry
You may not have personally experienced violence, but you may have grown up hearing constant stories of danger.
You may not have been mistreated, but you watched it happen around you.
You may not remember a specific moment, yet your body still reacts.
These experiences can still live in us—quietly—shaping how we move through the world.
Without awareness, we carry them forward, believing “this is just life.”
The Illusion of Nothing to Heal
There’s a concept I often talk about called the illusion of nothing to heal.
It’s the belief that:
We have no emotional wounds
Healing isn’t necessary
Everything is “fine”
This illusion can form for many reasons.
Why We Convince Ourselves We Don’t Need Healing
Defense mechanisms
Our brains protect us by minimizing, denying, or numbing pain—especially pain that once felt overwhelming.
Trauma as identity
For some people, survival becomes so familiar that they don’t recognize it as something that can be released.
Fear of change
Healing requires change, and our brains are wired to fear the unfamiliar—even when growth is on the other side.
Shame and guilt
Some people feel ashamed of what happened to them or guilty for carrying pain at all.
Learned helplessness
After living with pain for so long, it can feel pointless to try something different.
My Own Story With This Illusion
There was a time when I truly believed I had nothing to heal from.
I told myself I was fine.
My father was absent for long periods during my childhood, but I convinced myself it didn’t affect me. When he returned, we built a relationship, and I believed everything was resolved.
That pattern of absence felt familiar—until it wasn’t.
When my father passed away, the cycle ended permanently. And the grief brought something forward: the little girl in me who had never healed. She was angry. She was hurting. She needed to be seen.
That’s when I realized I was never “fine.” I had simply learned how to live around the pain.
Healing meant allowing my adult self to care for that younger part of me—to grieve, to forgive, and to accept what was lost. That process brought a sense of wholeness I didn’t know I was missing.
Healing Beyond the Individual: The Collective Layer
Healing doesn’t stop with us as individuals.
For the Haitian community, healing is also collective.
Even if you personally lived a peaceful life, our community carries generations of pain—political instability, violence, loss, displacement. These stories live in our collective memory, whether we grew up in Haiti or in the diaspora.
To move forward, we have to heal together.
Haitian Proverbs and the Healing Journey
There’s a proverb that says:
“Dèyè mòn gen mòn.”
Behind mountains, there are more mountains.
Healing is like that. You may reach one peak, only to discover another layer beneath it. Each step brings you closer to freedom and wholeness.
Another proverb says:
“Men anpil, chay pa lou.”
Many hands make the load lighter.
Healing is not meant to be done alone. Community matters.
Gentle Practices to Begin Healing
Healing doesn’t have to be dramatic. Small practices can be powerful:
Self-awareness
Check in with yourself daily—emotionally and physically. Not just “I’m fine,” but how am I really feeling?
Grounding
Breathing, slowing down, and reconnecting with the present moment helps regulate your nervous system.
Journaling
Writing allows the unconscious to surface without filters. You may discover things you didn’t know you were carrying.
Community connection
Healing deepens when we feel safe enough to share and be witnessed.
Remember: healing is not linear. It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress and connection.
A Word to the Haitian Community
Our strength is real. Our resilience is powerful.
But healing is an act of love—for ourselves and for future generations.
Healing is resistance.
Healing is care.
Healing is possible.
Final Reflection
So, does everyone really need healing?
I believe the answer is yes—not because everyone is broken, but because healing is a path toward awareness, growth, and wholeness.
I’d love to hear from you:
What does healing look like in your life right now?
Share your reflections with me on Instagram or Substack. Your voice matters, and together, we can continue building a community rooted in healing.
