Series:
Core Wounds
The pain we carry has a name. The healing we need has a path.
What are Core Wounds?
Understanding the Deep Pain That Shapes Us—and How God Begins to Heal It
Most people don’t realize they’re still carrying pain from childhood. They know they struggle with trust, or overthink every text, or can’t quite feel safe in love—but they don’t always know why. It’s not because they’re broken or weak. It’s because at some point, something broke inside them—and they didn’t have the language, tools, or support to understand what was happening.
Core wounds are the hidden injuries that form when our emotional needs go unmet, especially in childhood or adolescence. They aren’t just about what happened. Often, they’re rooted in what didn’t happen—comfort that never came, affirmation that was never spoken, safety that was never established. And from those gaps, we learn to protect ourselves. We shut down our voice to avoid rejection. We stop reaching out to avoid being left again. We control everything we can so we’re not caught off guard. These behaviors helped us survive—but over time, they become the very things that sabotage our ability to thrive.
Clinically Speaking:
The Psychology Behind Core Wounds
In psychological terms, a core wound is a deeply ingrained belief or emotional imprint formed through repeated experiences of pain, shame, fear, or neglect—often during the formative years when our identity and attachment patterns are still developing.
These wounds usually stem from five primary experiences: abandonment, rejection, betrayal, humiliation, and injustice. Each one leaves behind a narrative—a subconscious message we begin to believe about ourselves and others.
For example:
- “I’m not worth staying for.”
- “I’ll always be second choice.”
- “I can’t trust anyone.”
- “If people really knew me, they’d leave.”
- “I have to fight for everything I get.”
The problem is, once these beliefs are formed, the nervous system reinforces them. The brain becomes wired to anticipate pain, rejection, or abandonment—even in healthy situations. This is why a small trigger in adulthood can activate a disproportionate emotional response. It’s not just about the moment. It’s about the wound underneath.
Spiritually Speaking:
What God Says About Your Wounds
Scripture shows us that Jesus didn’t just come to forgive sin—He came to heal the heart. ISAIAH 61:1 (AMP) says He was sent “to bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted.” That means He sees the places where you’ve been hurt, silenced, or overlooked—and He calls those places worthy of healing, not shame.
The enemy often uses these wounds to distort our identity. If he can’t stop God’s love, he’ll do everything possible to stop us from believing we’re loved. He’ll plant lies in the pain, hoping we’ll live from the wound instead of from the truth. But God offers something better. He doesn’t shame us for adapting. He invites us to surrender what protected us so He can restore what was lost.
You are not what happened to you. You are not what you didn’t receive. You are not the defense mechanism you built to survive. You are the beloved of God—and He is more committed to your healing than you are afraid of facing it.
The Five Core Wounds We'll Explore
What God Says About Your Wounds
In this blog series, we’ll walk through the five core wounds most people carry—often unknowingly—and explore how they affect our emotions, behaviors, and relationships. More importantly, we’ll look at how to begin healing each one from both a clinical and spiritual perspective.
Here’s what’s coming:
- The Wound of Abandonment – Why we fear disconnection, even when we’re not alone
- The Wound of Rejection – How shame convinces us we’re not enough
- The Wound of Betrayal – What happens when trust is broken, and how we learn to trust again
- The Wound of Humiliation – Why we hide behind silence, and how to release toxic shame
- The Wound of Injustice – When life feels unfair, and our sense of worth becomes tied to performance
Each post will unpack the root cause, the emotional and relational patterns it creates, how it shows up in adulthood, and how we begin the healing process—with truth, with grace, and with God at the center.
What You Can Expect in Each Post
Every post in this series will follow the same structure for clarity and depth:
- A grounded explanation of the wound
- Common behaviors and beliefs tied to that pain
- How it shows up in adult relationships
- Clinical insight into the emotional and nervous system responses
- Biblical truths and spiritual healing pathways
- A practical step: reflection, breathwork, or prayer
You’re Not Alone in This
If you’ve ever felt like something’s wrong with you but couldn’t explain why…
If you’ve ever tried to change your reactions but keep falling back into the same cycle…
If you’ve ever longed for connection but feared it just as much…
This series is for you.
Not to fix you. But to give you language for what’s already been true:
You’ve been protecting yourself from pain for a long time.
But now—it’s time to let healing begin.
This is just the beginning. These wounds may have shaped your story—but they don’t get to define it. Your healing is holy. And your heart was made for wholeness.”
The Series:
Coming Soon!