Giving pain a name and a voice is a giant act of courage in a subculture that privileges positivity. I can’t tell you how many clients I have seen who struggle to name how people they love hurt them, especially parents or others in authority. Naming harm can feel like a betrayal of love. And when the source of our pain is someone who stands as a symbol of our Good Shepherd, naming hurt and harm can feel like a threat to our connection to God.
