Written By: Dr. Veronica Johnson
December 16, 2025
My mom is better at Instagram than I am. She’s good at interacting with posts and sending me reels that are interesting. She also likes all of our Envision posts – which I very much appreciate. (You can follow us too! @envisioncounselingclinic) Not long ago, my mom brought this video to my attention – it’s labeled A Visual Representation of “Time Heals.”
Now, I know that social media pulls for supportive and positive responses (yes, that’s sarcasm), but this video received some negative feedback. I found it most interesting how many responses pushed against the idea that wounds heal. Huh. Could the video have been more nuanced in how it approached the topic? Perhaps. But we are talking about an Instagram reel. Why would there be a push against the natural healing process?
Maybe we do not know what it takes to move past pain.
Maybe we have just stopped doing what it takes to heal.
Maybe there is a belief among us that wounds can’t heal.
If we believe wounds can’t heal, it explains why our communities insist that:
- we don’t get hurt (look at playgrounds today vs. 20 years ago)
- we don’t get sick (2020-2021)
- we don’t die (have you tried to say “No, thank you” when your doctor says you should get a colonoscopy?)
If we believe wounds don’t heal, we will do everything in our power to make sure we don’t get wounded. The problem is that all of us will be wounded at some point in time. Pain is part of reality.
That being said, if you have begun to question if your wounds will ever heal…here are some truths to restore hope.
- The natural design of the universe is to heal. Our bodies are most amazing! So many different systems immediately respond to a wound in order to bind it up.
Similarly, God designed our soul to be restored. Example: When we feel sad, our natural tendency is to cry. Crying itself is physiologically healing. Crying brings others close to us in caring ways. Crying naturally moves us toward health.
- There are things you can do to block healing. If you rub dirt in an open wound, you’re going to cause problems. (Don’t take Gen Xers literally when they say you should just “rub dirt in it!”) If you continue to injure your wound, it won’t be able to heal. If you neglect caring for the wound, it may get infected.
What’s true for the body is true for the soul. If you hold beliefs that are wholly negative, very black and white, or lacking humility, you will keep away the natural process of healing. You can choose resentment over healing. You can choose non-functioning instead of walking with a limp. All these things (and so many other creative options) will keep you from healing.
- There are things you can do to assist the natural process of healing. When we have an open wound, we protect the wound, we pull it closed (aka stitches), and we keep it clean. All these activities are meant to help the wound heal.
In the same way, you can facilitate psychological healing by connecting with friends and family, by acting with wisdom gained from the wound, and by being open to a different understanding of what happened. One of the most powerful ways to heal is to choose forgiveness. Yes, I know I just used the F-word… but research has shown forgiveness to heal not only emotional wounds but it heals physical problems as well! Fascinating research….
So, does time heal wounds? It depends on what you do with that time.
If you don’t know how to shift toward healing, reach out to Envision. We can help. 720-WELCOME.
