From Inner Strife to Inner Acceptance Through the Gift of Imagery

In these terribly distressful and disturbed times, so many I know are called to heal old traumas and wounds from the past so they can more fully live their life in the present. Even in these intense times, they want to live with internal peace, and then send that out to others.

Integrative Imagery is one such modality that can bring deep healing. I want to tell you about one person with whom I recently worked. In just three sessions, she was able to mend some unresolved emotions and come to a place of lasting inner peace. Here is a description of those sessions.

My sessions are usually about an hour long, with half of that time in the internal imagery process. In the first session, Lynn wanted to address the unresolved feelings of grief and sadness she experienced when she was a single mother raising her three children. There was so much guilt and regret for having to work so much and for not being there for them. During the imagery process, after a safe, relaxed state was established, she began to see beautiful colors and experienced many feelings. Some intense. Initial feelings of sadness… then a warm light and a calming presence brought a sense of peace and safety. A clear message emerged saying gently, “I am here…when you are ready.” Beautiful colors of golden orange washed over her. In processing the session later, deeper memories began to surface where a past wound that was actually triggering all these difficult feelings surfaced. A childhood event was at the core.  

These are her words: “A bike accident… me, my sister, loud screams, all stuck in my childhood memory… profound feelings of “I am so sorry”. All this time, deep within the depths of my being, I had blamed myself for the accident.  I realized this was where the healing needed to happen. It was through this first session that I was able to see that these feelings of guilt and sadness had been buried much more deeply than I had imagined.”

In the second imagery session, the work continued. As a visual and sensory imager, Lynn could both see and feel being in an inner Healing Place from where she could communicate with some parts of herself.  Again, these are her words: “I went back and visited my young self, who had always blamed herself for the accident. She needed forgiveness from me. I was assisted by Susan to interact with her as my adult self. By addressing her by her childhood name, Lynnie, I was able to comfort her, love her and let her know she was forgiven…through many tender tears we hugged, we rocked, and we healed. In the imagery, I asked for my sister as her younger self to join us. We all hugged and my sister was able to tell Lynnie it was not her fault and she was forgiven. I wept. I finally released the pain that I carried for so very long.”

And finally, in the third session we focused on accessing an image of an Inner Healer-Nurturer.  After moments of centering, relaxing and experiencing being in her Healing Place, there appeared a warm, loving energy that felt as if her whole body was being hugged. Comforted. Healed. The Inner Healer appeared as a soft light and she remembered having a guardian angel, named Elizabeth, when she was a child. Elizabeth returned to be with her now. The messages that came were that she was not forgotten, that she was forgiven, to release any lingering self-blame and that she was worthy. Then some energy clearing and cleansing seem to happen when Lynn’s hands tingled and she felt the healer’s presence in her hands.  Lynn swept her hands over her body several times, breathing and releasing. The session was completed and I encouraged her to take some time after the session to integrate this profound experience.

It has been many months since those three sessions and Lynn continues to feel the presence of Elizabeth as well as a deep sense of relief, self-acceptance and gratitude.

This is just one person’s experience using the powerful modality of Integrative Imagery. Each person’s experience is unique. However we all have access to this “imaginal realm” of healing. 

For more stories of imagery in healing and transformation, read my book Guided Imagery and Beyond: Stories of Healing and Transformation, co-authored with Terry Reed (Outskirts Press, 2008).

To learn how to practice Integrative Imagery in your coaching, healthcare, and/or healing practice, join the upcoming Integrative Imagery for Coaches Course. Click here to learn more.