--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The very first part in healing is…" description: "\"The very first part in healing is shattering the silence,\" — Erin Merryn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ff/erin-merryn-29419_firsts_the-very-first-part-in-healing-is-shatte_2858410.png" --- # The very first part in healing is shattering the silence, ![“The very first part in healing is shattering the silence,” quote by Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ff/erin-merryn-29419_firsts_the-very-first-part-in-healing-is-shatte_2858410.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ff/erin-merryn-29419_firsts_the-very-first-part-in-healing-is-shatte_2858410.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ff/erin-merryn-29419_firsts_the-very-first-part-in-healing-is-shatte_2858410.png) > “The very first part in healing is shattering the silence,” [Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Healing begins by breaking the silence surrounding pain. **In simple terms:** Speak out to start healing. Key Takeaway Share to heal. Themes healing silence vulnerability Mood empathetic hopeful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - therapy - activism - personal trauma - community outreach Key Concepts psychology social support Questions to Reflect On - When is silence protective? - How to encourage safe sharing? A Different Perspective Silence can also protect vulnerable people. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ## Related quotes > [“My longtime broken heart was breaking again, shattering, falling to pieces and disintegrating. And in its place was a brand new heart. Like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-sheehan/my-longtime-broken-heart-was-breaking-again-shattering-falling-to/) [Madeline Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-sheehan/) > [Farewells can be shattering, but returns are surely worse. Solid flesh can never live up to the bright shadow cast by its absence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/farewells-can-be-shattering-but-returns-are-surely-worse-solid-flesh/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“However, one certainty floated in the air: that night, at the end of a conversation that should have brought them closer, something had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arturo-p-rez-reverte/however-one-certainty-floated-in-the-air-that-night-at-the-end-of-a/) [Arturo Pérez-Reverte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arturo-p-rez-reverte/) > [The unexpected action of deep listening can create a space of transformation capable of shattering complacency and despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/the-unexpected-action-of-deep-listening-can-create-a-space-of/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [Many people can listen to their cat more intelligently than they can listen to their own despised body. Because they attend to their pet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-woodman/many-people-can-listen-to-their-cat-more-intelligently-than-they-can/) [Marion Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-woodman/) > [Our modern world defined God as a ‘religious complex’ and laughed at the Ten Commandments as OLD FASHIONED. Then, through the laughter came the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-b-demille/our-modern-world-defined-god-as-a-religious-complex-and-laughed-at/) [Cecil B. DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-b-demille/) > [Successful people are able to rise above crises by relaxing no matter what the external situation. Their belief in themselves, the strength of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/successful-people-are-able-to-rise-above-crises-by-relaxing-no-matter/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [“Many think they play the last act. With life in turmoil, they seem to live the setup of a shattering countdown. To an insistent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/many-think-they-play-the-last-act-with-life-in-turmoil-they-seem-to/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [“Sometimes, certain of God’s blessings arrive by shattering all the windows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/sometimes-certain-of-god-s-blessings-arrive-by-shattering-all-the/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [She didn't even know how dangerous the truth could be, all the tiny, shattering seeds it carried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/she-didn-t-even-know-how-dangerous-the-truth-could-be-all-the-tiny/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [I don't believe I did anything earth shattering as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arbaaz-khan/i-don-t-believe-i-did-anything-earth-shattering-as-an-actor/) [Arbaaz Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arbaaz-khan/) > [“You don’t want me, and I don’t want anybody else. So I’ll just be . . . left behind. Left to pick up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hayley/you-don-t-want-me-and-i-don-t-want-anybody-else-so-i-ll-just-be-left/) Elizabeth Hayley > [“bored, the strikes almost lazy. The blades made an echoing clang that reverberated up her spine, sending tiny vibrations down the arches of her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-vance/bored-the-strikes-almost-lazy-the-blades-made-an-echoing-clang-that/) Francesca Vance > [Just saw an orthodox Jewish kid do 3 pull-ups on the scaffolding. Shattering the previous record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-gulman/just-saw-an-orthodox-jewish-kid-do-3-pull-ups-on-the-scaffolding/) [Gary Gulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-gulman/) > [What makes a story a story is that something changes. Internal, external, small or large, trivial or of earth-shattering importance. Doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-monette/what-makes-a-story-a-story-is-that-something-changes-internal/) [Sarah Monette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-monette/) ## More by Erin Merryn > [“I lived through this horror, and no one can tell me I have to stay quiet. "I have been silenced long enough, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-merryn/i-lived-through-this-horror-and-no-one-can-tell-me-i-have-to-stay/) [Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) > [“I felt like I needed to comfort both the little girl inside me and my mother, assuring them that neither of them could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-merryn/i-felt-like-i-needed-to-comfort-both-the-little-girl-inside-me-and-my/) [Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) > [“She was so upset about a blog that maybe a total of six people read yet had no compassion for her granddaughters who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-merryn/she-was-so-upset-about-a-blog-that-maybe-a-total-of-six-people-read/) [Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) > [“Hiding my pain and acting strong, afraid to cry and show my tears, I struggle with all this years later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-merryn/hiding-my-pain-and-acting-strong-afraid-to-cry-and-show-my-tears-i/) [Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) > [“Along with the trust issues, one of the hardest parts to deal with is the feeling of not being believed or supported, especially by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-merryn/along-with-the-trust-issues-one-of-the-hardest-parts-to-deal-with-is/) [Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) > [“So often parents of abused children feel helpless. 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Through this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-merryn/as-i-faced-each-tragedy-in-my-life-i-learned-to-reach-into-the-depth/) [Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) > [“My goal in going public was not to put my extended family to shame, or to get back at Brian for abusing my sister…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-merryn/my-goal-in-going-public-was-not-to-put-my-extended-family-to-shame-or/) [Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) > [“By opening the door to my life, it is my hope and mission to shed light on the hidden wounds of abuse, to end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-merryn/by-opening-the-door-to-my-life-it-is-my-hope-and-mission-to-shed/) [Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) > [“While my sister and I were reminded we did not cause this pain, it was knowing that because we broke our silence about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-merryn/while-my-sister-and-i-were-reminded-we-did-not-cause-this-pain-it-was/) [Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) > [As in so many cases of sexual abuse within the family, it is much more complicated than had it been done by a stranger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-merryn/as-in-so-many-cases-of-sexual-abuse-within-the-family-it-is-much-more/) [Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) [Explore all 18 Erin Merryn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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