--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Catharsis isn’t a wound being excavated…" description: "\"Catharsis isn’t a wound being excavated from childhood.\" — Sarah Ruhl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/sarah-ruhl-13926_catharsis_catharsis-isn-t-a-wound-being-excavated_2665565.jpg" --- # Catharsis isn’t a wound being excavated from childhood. ![“Catharsis isn’t a wound being excavated from childhood.” quote by Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/sarah-ruhl-13926_catharsis_catharsis-isn-t-a-wound-being-excavated_2665565.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/sarah-ruhl-13926_catharsis_catharsis-isn-t-a-wound-being-excavated_2665565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/sarah-ruhl-13926_catharsis_catharsis-isn-t-a-wound-being-excavated_2665565.jpg) > “Catharsis isn’t a wound being excavated from childhood.” [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Catharsis is not about digging up past wounds but about processing emotions in the present. **In simple terms:** Catharsis processes current feelings, not past trauma. Key Takeaway Focus on feeling now, not re‑opening old pain. Themes emotion psychology healing Mood reflective calm Type psychological inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - creative writing - conflict resolution - personal reflection Key Concepts Therapeutic release present‑moment awareness Questions to Reflect On - How can you process emotions without revisiting old pain? - What present actions help you release tension? A Different Perspective May overlook unresolved issues that need attention. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Catharsis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catharsis/) [Catharsis Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catharsis-isn-2462919/) [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Excavated Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excavated-childhood-2462920/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Isn Wound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isn-wound-2462921/) [Wounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wounds/) ## Related quotes > [Catharsis isn't art. You can't rely on catharsis to get a laugh. Because guess what? People do laugh when something's shocking, but that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/catharsis-isn-t-art-you-can-t-rely-on-catharsis-to-get-a-laugh/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [I try to interpret how people subjectively experience life. Everyone has a great, horrible opera inside him. I feel that my plays, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/i-try-to-interpret-how-people-subjectively-experience-life-everyone/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [Life goes on, unmindful of beginning, end…crisis or catharsis, moving forward like a slow, dusty caravan of kochis (nomads).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/life-goes-on-unmindful-of-beginning-end-crisis-or-catharsis-moving/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [ Was there happiness at the end \[of the movie\], they wanted to know. If someone were to ask me today whether the story of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/was-there-happiness-at-the-end-of-the-movie-they-wanted-to-know-if/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [I still wrestle with the catharsis of acting. I don't end up playing a lot of likable characters, so I find myself living in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ransone/i-still-wrestle-with-the-catharsis-of-acting-i-don-t-end-up-playing-a/) [James Ransone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ransone/) > [Knowing about comedy has helped me with the drama. To see people laugh, it's like there are moments of catharsis in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-coogan/knowing-about-comedy-has-helped-me-with-the-drama-to-see-people-laugh/) [Steve Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-coogan/) > [My view of actors is that basically they're all harmless lunatics who'd be on the psychiatrist's couch, except that we get this sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/my-view-of-actors-is-that-basically-they-re-all-harmless-lunatics-who/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I thought music could take you to a place where you didn't even feel ownership of it, you just felt lucky you were there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-schultz/i-thought-music-could-take-you-to-a-place-where-you-didn-t-even-feel/) [Wesley Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-schultz/) > [Rarely is the pain of losing someone expressed with such directness, energy, and, yes, humor. The grief in Evan Kuhlman'sWolf Boyis palpable, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orner/rarely-is-the-pain-of-losing-someone-expressed-with-such-directness/) [Peter Orner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-orner/) > [Good practice, everyone," Rusty said at last. "Light on the actual learning, heavy on the emotional catharsis, and thanks to Jared I think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/good-practice-everyone-rusty-said-at-last-light-on-the-actual/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [It's difficult to define catharsis. But I think that only those who acknowledge and respond to unseen worlds and energies can harness the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyon-gyon/it-s-difficult-to-define-catharsis-but-i-think-that-only-those-who/) [Hyon Gyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyon-gyon/) > [This living, this living, this living Was never a project of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/this-living-this-living-this-living-was-never-a-project-of-mine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Music is my catharsis for that. It's an incredible blessing that I have this way of expressing myself through music and lyric, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbra/music-is-my-catharsis-for-that-it-s-an-incredible-blessing-that-i/) [Kimbra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbra/) > [A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself . . . with incidents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/a-tragedy-is-the-imitation-of-an-action-that-is-serious-and-also-as/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) ## More by Sarah Ruhl > [“I hate parties. And a wedding is the biggest party of all. All the guests arrived and Orpheus is taking a shower. He's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/i-hate-parties-and-a-wedding-is-the-biggest-party-of-all-all-the/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [Have you ever been so melancholy, that you wanted to fit in the palm of your beloved's hand? And lie there, for fortnights, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/have-you-ever-been-so-melancholy-that-you-wanted-to-fit-in-the-palm/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [“the theater is one of the few places left in the bright and noisy world where we sit in the quiet dark together, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/the-theater-is-one-of-the-few-places-left-in-the-bright-and-noisy/) [sarah ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [I do think there's a relationship between a book and a reader that's more intimate, in many ways, than the relationship between an audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/i-do-think-there-s-a-relationship-between-a-book-and-a-reader-that-s/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [“When you read a novel, it seems that everything is clear, trite and understandable. But when you yourself fall in love, you understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/when-you-read-a-novel-it-seems-that-everything-is-clear-trite-and/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [“When you snatch happiness in little bits, fits and starts, and lose it, like me, you become coarse, little by little, you become hateful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/when-you-snatch-happiness-in-little-bits-fits-and-starts-and-lose-it/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [Sitting down with younger women writers and saying, "This is what I do and you can do this" is hugely important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/sitting-down-with-younger-women-writers-and-saying-this-is-what-i-do/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [Attachment parenting is this theory that if you wear your baby around and you sleep with your baby and you breast-feed for a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/attachment-parenting-is-this-theory-that-if-you-wear-your-baby-around/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [We all exist in relation to the world, our partners, the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/we-all-exist-in-relation-to-the-world-our-partners-the-human-race/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [“Play itself is a primary process, not a luxury, not a hobby, but something all children must do to survive into adulthood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/play-itself-is-a-primary-process-not-a-luxury-not-a-hobby-but/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [“Orpheus never liked words. He had his music. He would get a funny look on his face and I would say what are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/orpheus-never-liked-words-he-had-his-music-he-would-get-a-funny-look/) [sarah ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [“What silly little things sometimes take on meaning in life, suddenly, out of nowhere. And you know they're little nothings, and you laugh at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/what-silly-little-things-sometimes-take-on-meaning-in-life-suddenly/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [Being dead is the most airtight defense of one's own aesthetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/being-dead-is-the-most-airtight-defense-of-one-s-own-aesthetic/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [“Don't make a wall of glass between your play and the people watching. Don't forget they were once children, who enjoyed being read to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/don-t-make-a-wall-of-glass-between-your-play-and-the-people-watching/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) > [Plays are architecture, and you can make them stand in many ways that are hard to describe. And, I think, in our limited ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/plays-are-architecture-and-you-can-make-them-stand-in-many-ways-that/) [Sarah Ruhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) [Explore all 48 Sarah Ruhl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/) ## More Catharsis quotes > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself . . . with incidents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/a-tragedy-is-the-imitation-of-an-action-that-is-serious-and-also-as/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Music is my catharsis for that. It's an incredible blessing that I have this way of expressing myself through music and lyric, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbra/music-is-my-catharsis-for-that-it-s-an-incredible-blessing-that-i/) [Kimbra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbra/) > [This living, this living, this living Was never a project of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/this-living-this-living-this-living-was-never-a-project-of-mine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [It's difficult to define catharsis. But I think that only those who acknowledge and respond to unseen worlds and energies can harness the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyon-gyon/it-s-difficult-to-define-catharsis-but-i-think-that-only-those-who/) [Hyon Gyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyon-gyon/) > [Good practice, everyone," Rusty said at last. "Light on the actual learning, heavy on the emotional catharsis, and thanks to Jared I think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/good-practice-everyone-rusty-said-at-last-light-on-the-actual/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Rarely is the pain of losing someone expressed with such directness, energy, and, yes, humor. The grief in Evan Kuhlman'sWolf Boyis palpable, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orner/rarely-is-the-pain-of-losing-someone-expressed-with-such-directness/) [Peter Orner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-orner/) > [I thought music could take you to a place where you didn't even feel ownership of it, you just felt lucky you were there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-schultz/i-thought-music-could-take-you-to-a-place-where-you-didn-t-even-feel/) [Wesley Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-schultz/) > [My view of actors is that basically they're all harmless lunatics who'd be on the psychiatrist's couch, except that we get this sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/my-view-of-actors-is-that-basically-they-re-all-harmless-lunatics-who/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [Knowing about comedy has helped me with the drama. To see people laugh, it's like there are moments of catharsis in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-coogan/knowing-about-comedy-has-helped-me-with-the-drama-to-see-people-laugh/) [Steve Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-coogan/) > [I still wrestle with the catharsis of acting. I don't end up playing a lot of likable characters, so I find myself living in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ransone/i-still-wrestle-with-the-catharsis-of-acting-i-don-t-end-up-playing-a/) [James Ransone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ransone/) > [ Was there happiness at the end \[of the movie\], they wanted to know. If someone were to ask me today whether the story of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/was-there-happiness-at-the-end-of-the-movie-they-wanted-to-know-if/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Life goes on, unmindful of beginning, end…crisis or catharsis, moving forward like a slow, dusty caravan of kochis (nomads).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/life-goes-on-unmindful-of-beginning-end-crisis-or-catharsis-moving/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [The thing should have plot and character, beginning, middle and end. Arouse pity and then have a catharsis. Those were the best principles I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/the-thing-should-have-plot-and-character-beginning-middle-and-end/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“That's what it is. That's what my morning was like: all these real physical heavy positive vibrations, the soul of this tape. The fuzzy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/that-s-what-it-is-that-s-what-my-morning-was-like-all-these-real/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) [Browse all 112 Catharsis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catharsis/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Catharsis isn’t a wound being excavated from childhood.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sarah Ruhl" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/catharsis-isn-t-a-wound-being-excavated-from-childhood/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Catharsis" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/catharsis-isn-t-a-wound-being-excavated-from-childhood/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/sarah-ruhl-13926_catharsis_catharsis-isn-t-a-wound-being-excavated_2665565.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/sarah-ruhl-13926_catharsis_catharsis-isn-t-a-wound-being-excavated_2665565.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/sarah-ruhl-13926_catharsis_catharsis-isn-t-a-wound-being-excavated_2665565.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Catharsis isn’t a wound being excavated from childhood.” — Sarah Ruhl", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sarah Ruhl", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ruhl/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Catharsis isn’t a wound being excavated...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/catharsis-isn-t-a-wound-being-excavated-from-childhood/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ruhl/catharsis-isn-t-a-wound-being-excavated-from-childhood/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```