What is Innate Health?

Innate Health is an approach to emotional wellbeing that emphasizes the access every person has to a positive, resilient, and resourceful outlook - unconditionally.  See more

Our Mission

Our goal is to make a simple and affordable resource available to the Jewish community in order to strengthen lives and homes while serving our commitment to Jewish values and ideals. See more

Rodents never invade your true psychological home

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Of Shadows, Toddlers, & Adults

I used to think my emotional distress or anxiety was real in the way a toddler thinks a shadow is real.  The toddler thinks the shadow is something to fear and run from – it’s alive, it moves, it’s something of this world no less real than he is.  And try as he might, he can’t shake it.  Of course he’s terrified of the shadow. 
 
Let me be clear – I don’t mean to belittle or dismiss the toddler’s fear.  He is not making up his perception.  He sees a real shape on the ground that pursues him.  He just misunderstands the truth about that shape.  The truth is that he needn’t run.  The truth is that nothing needs to change for him to be safe right now.  

Similarly, when I used to feel sensations of pain, fear, or shame, I used to think they were real in the sense that they indicated real and threatening things in my life.  How else to explain my feeling threatened if not for there being something threatening – to run from, battle, or control?  (Note: I’m not saying there’s no such thing as damaging behavior to protect one’s self from.) MORE