Hope for Healers and the Healing: You Were Never Meant to Carry It Alone
- Denice Colson
- Aug 10
- 3 min read
By Dr. Denice Colson, PhD, LPC, MAC, CPCS, CCS
Some weeks leave you wondering if you're making a difference at all.
By Friday, you're poured out. The sessions were heavy. The silence was loud. The grief—yours or someone else's—lingered longer than expected.
Whether you've been sitting in the counselor's chair or doing the hard work of healing as a survivor, there's one truth we all need to remember:
God doesn't ask you to be the Healer—just the vessel.
You are not meant to carry this alone. And whichever side of the counseling room you're on, this post is for you.
If You're the One Doing the Work to Heal
If you're walking through trauma recovery—especially with a counselor—you may feel fragile by week's end.
Maybe you were brave enough to say something you've never said out loud. Maybe you're just exhausted from feeling everything. Maybe healing is taking longer than you hoped.
Let me remind you of three things:
Your healing isn't behind schedule. Recovery doesn't follow a calendar, and comparing your pace to anyone else's only adds a burden you were never meant to carry.
Your hard days don't mean you're doing it wrong. In fact, hard days often mean you're doing the real work—facing what you once had to survive by avoiding.
Your tears don't make you weak. They make you human.
Even on your most broken days, God is at work in your story.
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed." — Psalm 34:18 (NLT)
You're not too much. You're not too late. You're not alone.
A Simple Reflection
Light a candle or sit in a quiet space.
Read Psalm 34:18 slowly.
Whisper: "God, I don't have to hold this alone. I give it to You."
Let your shoulders drop. Exhale.
Say: "I am healing—even when it hurts."
If You're the One Holding Space: A Word for the Wounded Healer
Counseling is sacred work. But some weeks, it feels like survival work.
You listen deeply. You carry burdens silently. You offer hope even when you're exhausted yourself. And by Friday, it's not uncommon to feel empty, overlooked, or just emotionally flat.
If that's you this week—or any week—I want you to know something:
Your weariness is not a weakness. Your fatigue doesn't disqualify your calling. And your feelings don't make you any less anointed. In fact, they may be the evidence that you're doing this right—leaning into real pain with real people and bringing it all to the only One who can truly heal.
You are not the Healer. You're the conduit.
God is the Source. He is the One who does the deep work. You are the hands and heart that show up.
"He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless... But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." — Isaiah 40:29, 31 (NLT)
Let that take the pressure off. You don't have to carry it all. You don't have to fix it all. You just have to be present, faithful, and surrendered.
A Weekly Practice for Counselors
After your final session of the week:
Close your laptop or notebook.
Reflect on Isaiah 40:31 aloud.
Pray: "God, I give You every story I've heard this week. Every person I've held space for."
Picture God holding them—whether they believe or not.
Sit in silence for two minutes. Just breathe.
From the Trauma Healing Toolbox: Naming the Grief
One of the most powerful early steps in trauma recovery is simply learning to name what we feel. This FREE tool, Naming the Grief, is a printable exercise that builds emotional vocabulary, normalizes grief, and reminds you (or your clients) that you're not alone in loss. It's especially useful in Phase 1 of the trauma recovery process, laying the groundwork for deeper healing work.
Reclaim Your Hope. Refuel Your Calling. Reset for Next Week.
This post is adapted from The ChainBreaker's Weekly Reset, my weekly newsletter of hope for healers and the healing. Each edition includes encouragement for survivors, a note for counselors, and a practical tool from the trauma healing toolbox.
With admiration and empathy,
Dr. Denice Colson Exec Director, Center for Trauma Education & Spiritual Formation, LLC, www.TraumaEducation.com
