The Perceptions of the Wounded Healer: How Childhood Adversity Influences Professional Counselors' Professional Work

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been linked to mental and physical health challenges throughout a person's life. Mental health professionals who have experienced ACEs may view themselves as "wounded healers," a term used to describe helping professionals who draw on their own past adversities to support the healing of their clients. The first manuscript consists of a PRISMA 2020 (Page et al., 2021) review of 15 articles that explore the experiences of professional helpers and wounded healers with ACEs in their clinical work. The review suggests that mental health professionals who have experienced childhood adversity continue to deal with the lasting effects of their past experiences while also working through the healing process in their professional practice. Based on these findings, the manuscript outlines implications for counselor education and practice, including the need to further investigate how professional counselors who identify as wounded healers believe childhood adversity affects their work. Additionally, the manuscript offers recommendations for future research in this area.

In Manuscript two, a Q-methodological investigation was conducted on professional counselors (n = 20) who identify as wounded healers due to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The participants completed Q-sorts, which were then factor-analyzed. Additionally, post-Q-sort questionnaires were used to provide qualitative data for further interpretation of the factor analysis. The analysis revealed two main factors, with one splitting into three factors due to bipolarity. These factors were identified as the Secure Wounded Healers, the Healing Wounded Healers, and the Reserved Wounded Healers. Implications for counselor educators and counseling professionals are discussed, emphasizing the embracing of the wounded healer framework to promote the growth and healing of professional counselors. Furthermore, the paper provides recommendations for future research in this area.

Keywords: wounded healer, ACEs, professional counselors, mental health, wellness