Healing and Peace

Caveat: This article does not express the views of the practice psychotherapy but the opinions expressed are entirely my own as a Roman Catholic. I write this article NOT as a psychotherapist but rather as a practicing Roman Catholic.

As a therapist, I see many troubled individuals. While each age group appears to suffer from different stressors, there is some common ground to all of them.

Many, if not everyone seeks both peace and healing. In our very busy world with traffic jams, crowding and increasing uncertainty about the future. people experience stress. Living with uncertainty is very painful and uncomfortable and so people seek answers that will guide them. They look for a solution, sadly often with drugs or medications which mask the issue but do not address it!

The unrest in our hearts, the seeking for peace, for tranquilty is a lifelong search. There are those who look to the past or a mythical golden age when all was well and mourn the present. There are those who embrace the realities of the present and fling themselves headlong into activities, only to emerge battered and stressed from their efforts.. These are the multi taskers, who speak on the phone, while writing a letter and checking emails and watching their children play outside all at once!

Peace is an inner state that essentially transcends both time and space. One can be at peace everywhere and anywhere. It is not dependent on externals.

If you read about the early Christian martyrs what stands out is a remarkable peace despite the torment that would befall them. They willingly chose death over apostasy. I have heard it said that this was because life was so miserable, that death was not so bad. That may be the case, but it does not explain the serenity. The torturer's used to screams and pleas for mercy were astonished, and many onlookers converted to Christianity as a result.

Many people link peace with security. I am at peace if I have security, such as a healthy bank balance, or good friends whom I can count on. I am at peace if I have no challenges or if everything 'goes my way'. So people try their utmost to avoid any and all challenges. If a marriage is difficult..divorce. If there is an unwanted pregnacy, dispose of the problem. There can be only one victor in the quest for peaee and that is you.

When situations arise where we are hurt, we once again try to find peace and comfort in ourselves or in things that we do. We go on vacations, or console ourselves in some way. Typically the pain does not go away. We nurse our wounds and harbour ill feelings towards those who hurt us.

To find peace, to experience true healing from our wounds, we cannot look within us, or use our own resources or thought patterns, In fact many people think that if they simply rephrase or modify their thinking patterns and beliefs that they will heal. That is like asking a man with a broken leg to change his thinking and run once more.

Real healing and freedom from our past hurts can only come from outside of us. Outside of our thinking, outside of our feelings or friends. As a practicing Roman Catholic, I can attest that true peace and healing can only come from our relationship with our Lord and also using and treasuring the sacramental life of our Church.

Are you troubled? Spend some silent time in adoration. You will find the peace that you seek. Do you worry? Pray the rosary!

Are you in need of healing? Do you have wounds that fester, or long standing grudges. Examine your conscience and ask for the grace to forgive. Go to confession. The Roman Catholic church has a 2000 year history of finding peace of writing about rich spiritual practices that heal, and all of them recommend surrendering your will to that of God's will.

When the early martyrs faced certain death and torture they sought union with God at that point, and death was not an obstacle but rather a gate to another reality. Let us embrace the reality of our life within the Kingdom of God.