There is an old saying (I think it might come from Brené Brown?) that we are wounded by others and must also heal with others. In other words, healing doesn’t happen in isolation. That’s why even the most self-aware person can still benefit from therapy, as the feelings that are shared and emotional experience that arises between the therapist and patient are what allows the healing process to take place. This doesn’t just happen in therapy, though, and is why we might find ourselves commiserating with friends, joining support groups, or even partaking in a group fitness class. There is something powerful that happens when we are vulnerable and share an experience with others that you can’t totally re-create in thinking, reflecting, or writing alone. It’s why the pandemic was so painful as a collective, as we were in pain, alone, disconnected from others. There’s so much research documenting the detrimental effects of loneliness, as experiences of social isolation have been linked to everything from heart disease to depression and anxiety.

Today is Passover.

This holiday has no real significance to me, other than the fact that my husband is Jewish. I say this as if it’s an aside, even though that makes it important in the eyes of almost anyone else.