I am in service to the Inner Healer. That is an ethic that I live by…
The Inner Healer is one of the most evolved archetypes and one that lives, undeniably and without question, within EVERY sentient being. It is the wisdom within each one of us that guides us on our own journey to healing and wholeness. All of life is geared toward wholeness and healing, and each one of us contains that inner compass within. It’s just a matter of listening... or creating the space and getting quiet enough to hear its guidance.
In Hawaiian culture, they speak about the wisdom from the na’au, the belly button that once connected you to your mother and the source of life. This is the Inner Healer: it is our intuition, our innate sense of knowing, as well as our survival instincts.
Richard Schwartz’s discovery of Internal Family Systems (IFS) has revealed that we each contain a Self, which is yet another word for the Inner Healer. The Self is the whole and complete aspect of each human that has the capacity to guide the system to balance and health. In IFS terms, we are all comprised of many disparate parts, which include Exiles and Protectors, each developed to support our survival and functioning in the world. The very nature of turning inward and facing these parts is the Inner Healer at work. And through the IFS sessions, one is able to access and come to know their Self by recognizing when they are feeling the curiosity and compassion that simply wants to know and understand the other parts, not change nor eliminate them. It is important to recognize and genuinely validate that each Part has an inherent good intention (no matter what the behavior looks like on the outside). With that recognition and validation, a relationship is formed, and with acceptance and deep listening, habits change and we become more integrated and whole. Through developing and sustaining a relationship and appreciation of the parts, trust is created and healing ensues.
In the archetypal work of SoulCollage, each card invites the emergence of an aspect of the Self or Inner Healer (unless one is specifically working with Shadow Cards). Through imagery, intuition, and felt sensations, one is guided in the creation of a card. Then, through a Gestalt journaling process, the card offers the wisdom, insight, and healing that have surfaced for the person making the card. The SoulCollage process is a perfect example of the Inner Healer at work, as everything in the process is inwardly guided. And the beauty of SoulCollage is that one is left with a visual representation and reminder of this aspect of the Inner Healer that has emerged to support them in their lives going forward.
In Psychedelic Therapy, two pillars uphold this work with integrity. The first—and in my opinion, the most important—is the Inner Healer. The person who is seeking healing knows what they need, and the Therapist, Guide or Sitter’s work is to simply support that person on their journey, with no agenda. Rainbow Hawk, my first spiritual teacher said it best: “It is absolutely nobody else’s business what your path to healing looks like. You’re in charge. We’re just here to support you.” When choosing a guide, ensure that they are neutral, supportive, and have no agenda. Choose carefully and wisely, as this person needs to create a safe container for your deep work, hold you in your vulnerability, and support you to integrate the gifts you’ve been given to make positive changes in your life. These are important choices to be considered deeply. Trust is the cornerstone that enables surrender and for you to do your most profound and transformative work.
Which brings us back to the Inner Healer. Your guides in a journey are in service to your Inner Healer. Remember that. At the very least, your journey should strengthen, support, and direct you to that knowing within yourself, your own Inner Healer. It is your Inner Healer that brings you to do this work, that is seeking healing, wholeness, understanding, and release. And it is only your Inner Healer that will direct you back home to yourself. If you’re with a skilled guide, they will support you in learning to listen and follow the guidance of your Inner Healer as part of the preparation for your journey.
Psychedelic Therapy is a beautiful body of work, and at its greatest potential, nestles you right into the seat of your Inner Healer. Once you have found that voice, you don’t need medicine, you just need to listen. And keep listening. And keep responding. That’s when your life changes and the new path is laid before you. The medicine is simply a catalyst. Once you’ve experienced those feelings of freedom, love, and clarity, you learn to anchor those feelings and sensations so they become a resource and foundation for you in your life. By using the neuro-plasticity that psilocybin creates, you can curate new neural pathways that sustain healthier habits, habits that are positive and encouraging your life in the direction you want to go.
When we speak of the light within or God within, I believe that is also in reference to the Inner Healer. There are so many ways to say the same thing, and we each have a language that speaks to us and supports our understanding of these concepts. My hope in writing this article is not to teach or help you understand a “concept”, but to direct you back within, and encourage you to listen deeply to your own knowing. To trust that knowing is to trust yourself, and that is the greatest life hack I know to happiness, confidence, and living your truth!
Everyone is able to find the voice of their own Inner Healer, to make decisions from that deep visceral knowing, to speak from there, and build that pathway into every aspect of their life.
Ways to connect with your Inner Healer:
- When you imagine an outcome or plan to do something, identify your “no” as a drop in energy or a heavy feeling.
- Similarly, when you imagine an outcome or plan to do something, identify your “yes” as an uplifting feeling or expansion in your energy.
- Now, you can ask yourself questions and identify the response in your body.
- Create spaciousness in your day to connect with yourself and ask what you need for balance.
- Imagine opportunities, relationships, and situations, and sense where you’re energy is drawn.
- Ask a question and let it go. Allow your subconscious to work on it and watch for the answer to emerge within a few days.
- Give yourself time outside, in a natural setting, to simply allow your feelings to arise about people and situations in your life, and be attentive to what emerges.
I wish you health, happiness, and a beautiful relationship with your own Inner Healer.
May it be so! ✨
If you'd like to learn more about Psychedelic Therapy, here is a link to an article written by my husband, Jim Kragtywk, M. Ed, RCC, ICADC, as well as this podcast that highlights many aspects of this growing field in health and healing.
