Why Healing Moves in Waves

Healing isn't linear because our body and nervous system work in cycles.
After a new insight, release, or moment of relief, a "step back" often follows — not because you failed, but because your system is processing and integrating the new experience.

In integrative body-psychotherapy, we see this as natural:

• Sometimes there's opening — more energy, more emotional availability, more connection.
• Then comes contraction — your body and mind need time to absorb and integrate the changes.

Just as in nature there isn't a constant spring, healing has active phases and resting phases.

Why Setbacks Often Signal Growth

When difficult emotions reappear, it can feel discouraging.
But often, these moments reveal deeper layers.

Previous therapy or self-awareness work has created the safety that allows these feelings to surface now.
A "setback" is often a sign that your capacity is expanding — you can hold more feelings, memories, and experiences without being overwhelmed.

This process shows that healing isn't only about "fixing problems" — it's about building inner capacity: emotional resilience, self-compassion, and presence in daily life.

The Body as a Compass

In integrative, body-oriented work, the body constantly gives feedback about where we are in the healing process:

• Tension, stiffness, or fatigue may indicate that deeper processing is occurring.
• Openness, ease, or energy in movement signals renewal and integration.

Just like the breath has an inhale and an exhale, healing has rhythms. Both states are necessary for sustainable change.

How to Support Yourself Through the Waves

1. Don't judge where you are.
   Difficult days are not failure; they are part of the integration process.
2. Listen to your body.
   Movement, rest, breathing, or simply being present can all support healing.
3. Allow your emotions.
   Fear, sadness, or anger are not enemies — they are information. Feeling them safely contributes to integration.
4. Embrace a spiral perspective.
   Healing is not a straight line, but a spiral. You revisit the same themes repeatedly, but each time with a bit more awareness, strength, and compassion.

Healing Is a Rhythm, Not a Race

Your body and mind know what they need.
Your job is simply to trust the rhythm and not rush the process.

The non-linear path can feel exhausting at times, and the progress may appear uneven.
But every return to old patterns, every small insight, and every moment of self-compassion brings you closer to feeling at home in yourself.

Healing is not a straight line — it's a dance.
And every step, even the pauses and setbacks, moves you toward balance and wholeness.