When a child gets a physical wound, he or she typically runs to a parent, shows the wound, and the parent bandages the wound. When a child comes to us for healing of surface wounds like this, he or she is showing us that we are trusted, safe, and that we have something that the child needs. Parents are able to provide this level of security when they have the skills and time to be attentive to the physical needs of the child. It is important to note, too, that healthy families do not arrange every detail of a child’s life so that the child never gets a scrape or cut, but rather provides for the child’s healing when a scrape or cut happens.
Healing emotional wounds are much more difficult. Most of us started our families when our children were young and we instinctively made our families a safe place, bathe, fed, safe place to sleep. As needs become complex we need to think about emotional, psychological, and developmental needs. These areas are where most of us face challenges and frequently the source of deep wounds. The goal of a healthy family is not to prevent a child from ever suffering, but to have the means by which a child may recover from his or her injuries. Most families have a first aid kit with bandages and things to clean a cut, but we equip your family with an emotional first aid kit so that when people feel hurt in daily life, they may come to each other in the family for support and healing – on a daily basis.