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How to Heal Your Orphan Heart
Most definitions of orphan begin and end with the idea of having no parents. But one can have two parents and still bear deep orphan wounds. Emotional abandonment in the form of critical parents, neglectful parents, or just very immature ones can leave a child scrambling to supply his or her own needs. Life in an orphanage is one of deprivation and competition, but sometimes life in a family can echo the same familiar themes. So many Christians today live in a state of insecurity, fighting for what is theirs, and working hard to earn approval from God and from others. As most adoptive parents can tell you, just because…
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Healing from Attachment Anxiety and Chronic Mistrust
Attachment anxiety often stems from a caregiver who found the needs of a baby overwhelming. Contrary to popular wisdom, babies are extremely sensitive to the responses of their mothers. If mama feels she can’t possibly fulfill the needs of her baby, the baby learns to become demanding. The more he or she cries, the more attention baby gets. But the emotional support is inadequate because just as mama is afraid she isn’t enough, the baby internalizes that anxious message as well. The belief developed in infancy and carried on into adult relationships is generally I can’t get enough! Later, in adulthood, romantic relationships and even friendships become unwitting repetitions of…
Healing Through Art & Words
