Trauma happens in relationships, so it can only be healed in
Trauma happens in relationships, so it can only be healed in relationships. Art can't provide healing. It can be cathartic and therapeutic but a relationship is a three-part journey.
The words of Alanis Morissette—“Trauma happens in relationships, so it can only be healed in relationships. Art can’t provide healing. It can be cathartic and therapeutic but a relationship is a three-part journey”—carry the weight of timeless truth. They speak of the wounds inflicted by human bonds, and of the same bonds as the only vessels strong enough to mend what was broken.
The ancients knew well that the deepest sorrows are not born in solitude, but in the meeting of hearts. Where there is trust, betrayal can wound; where there is love, loss can shatter. Thus, trauma arises in the sacred space between souls. And if such wounds are planted in this soil, Morissette reminds us, only the tender work of new relationships can nurture them back to life.
She acknowledges the role of art—as the poets, musicians, and sculptors of old did. Art can be a mirror, a release, a river carrying sorrow out of the body. It is cathartic, yes, and therapeutic, yes, but it is not the final cure. For art speaks about connection, while only the living bond with another can restore it. The ancients carved laments into stone, yet always returned to the embrace of community to find renewal.
The mystery of the “three-part journey” of relationship lies in this: it begins with the self, extends to the other, and is sanctified in the sacred space they create together. Healing is not given by one alone, nor found within the self alone, but is born in the living thread that binds two beings. It is there, in that shared current, that wounds are rewoven into strength.
So let this teaching be remembered: when pierced by the arrows of trauma, seek not only solitude nor the solace of expression, but the renewing fire of connection. For just as hurt is carried into the soul by another, so too must wholeness be carried back by the hand of another. In this lies the eternal wisdom of human life—that we are broken together, and we are healed together.
QTQuynh Tran
Alanis Morissette’s view on trauma and healing through relationships challenges the idea that we can fix ourselves alone. While art is cathartic, it can’t replace the relational aspect of healing. But how do we know when we’re ready for that kind of connection? Is healing a solo journey that eventually leads to healthy relationships, or can it be done simultaneously with others’ involvement?
NNngoc nguyen
Morissette’s words about trauma and relationships really speak to the healing power of human connection. But I wonder, does this mean that healing is impossible without a strong support system? Can someone heal from trauma in isolation, or is this a process that fundamentally requires others? How do we find balance between healing ourselves and relying on others for support?
AQvu anh quan
This quote made me reflect on the idea that trauma can only be healed in relationships. It’s a bit of a paradox, right? If trauma often happens in relationships, can we truly trust others again to heal us? Does this mean that healing is a vulnerable process that requires not just connection but also time, patience, and mutual understanding from those we interact with?
NDnguyen dung
Alanis Morissette’s insight about trauma being healed only through relationships really struck me. It’s true that while art can provide temporary relief, it doesn’t offer the deep, relational healing that comes from connection. But how do we navigate relationships when we’ve experienced trauma? Can we rely on others to heal us, or do we also need to do the personal work of healing before we can engage meaningfully with others?