Part of the Voice I Almost Lost – Blog #13
by Alana Pierre Curry
Healing is not always soft.
It doesn’t always feel good.
Sometimes, healing hurts before it helps.
When you begin to process trauma, you may find yourself revisiting moments you had buried long ago—moments so painful or uncomfortable that your mind shut them out just to help you survive. But to truly heal, you have to be willing to face them. Not all at once. Not without support. But face them, still.
And that part? It can sting.
It can shake you.
It can bring you to your knees.
Find the Tools That Keep You Safe
Healing is not a one-size-fits-all process.
And it should never be done recklessly.
You need the right tools to walk through it safely. For some, that means seeing a licensed therapist in person or virtually. For others, it may mean doing deep research online, reading books, or watching videos that help unpack what’s been locked away.
I have done both.
I’ve had formal therapy and informal therapy—those sacred conversations with a trusted friend, a mentor, my significant other, or even members of my church family long ago. Some of the most life-giving insights I have received have come from people who don’t have a license on the wall—but who showed up with love, truth, and empathy.
The route you choose is yours.
Just be honest with yourself.
Honor your capacity.
And whatever you do—don’t retraumatize yourself in the name of healing.
Give Yourself Permission to Take Your Time
Healing is not linear.
You don’t walk a straight path from broken to whole.
You stumble. You pause. You circle back.
And that’s okay.
Take your time.
Be gentle with yourself.
Allow your body and mind to move through what they need to.
You are not on anyone’s timeline but your own.
Because the goal is not to erase the pain—it’s to no longer be ruled by it.
My Prayer for My Own Healing
As I walk my own paths—yes, plural—toward healing, I’ve learned that trauma doesn’t always show up in just one place. It’s layered. Complicated. Different in every season.
And I want to be able to reflect on those seasons and feel strength instead of fear.
I want to face what once hurt me… without it paralyzing me.
I know I’ll always be an emotional person.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
I will likely carry emotion in me until the day I leave this earth.
But I don’t want those emotions to cripple me.
I want them to move through me—not stop me.
I want to be able to tell my story—not through tears I can’t control—but with steady strength and the kind of peace that says, “I made it through.”
This Is My Offering
I share this because someone else is still in the thick of it.
Still afraid of their own memories.
Still pushing everything down just to keep going.
If that’s you, I hope you’ll remember this:
- You can take your time.
- You can choose your path.
- You can be both emotional and empowered.
- You can fall apart, and then rebuild stronger.
- You can believe, even now… that trouble does not last always.
Your healing may hurt, yes.
But so did your silence.
And only one of those has a future waiting on the other side.