Afraid of being hurt Quote by Susan J. Elliott
““One of the reasons I became a grief therapist was that my own grief work healed me. I had been an emotional cripple all of my life. I was afraid of being hurt and afraid of being close—all because of my unresolved loss. Thinking back on the losses was akin to putting my hand on a hot stove. I would recoil every single time. But when the pile got to be too big, I had to give in and work through it. I had to look at all of my losses, feel them, heal them, and then move on. Each time I did that, I became a more confident person, a more alive person. I started to heal and experience true happiness for the first time. I became a grief therapist to help others heal their broken places and experience the joy that is life once you heal your unresolved loss. Almost every client I have ever worked with resisted acknowledging his or her grief and working through the loss after a breakup. At first the process seems very difficult, because you have to face your true feelings head on. For a time it seems easier to ignore it, but when you ignore loss after loss, it takes an emotional toll that exacts a very high price.””
About This Quote
Source Book: “The Grief Recovery Handbook” by John W. James, 2000
Healing personal loss by confronting grief directly builds resilience and enables one to help others.
In simple terms: Facing grief makes you stronger and able to aid others.
Key Takeaway
Engage with loss to grow.
Themes
grief
healing
resilience
Mood
empathetic
hopeful
Type
motivational
therapeutic
When to use this quote
- counseling sessions
- personal loss
- support groups
- self‑reflection
Key Concepts
emotional processing
self‑compassion
therapeutic work
Questions to Reflect On
- What loss have you been avoiding?
- How might confronting it change your life?
A Different Perspective
Avoiding grief can cause deeper emotional damage.
