As therapists and healers, we cannot avoid bringing our own histories of experiences and pain to each therapeutic encounter. This may, in fact, be our greatest asset, for the comfort we have with our own wounds, not their absence, is what provides the ability to intimately connect with anothers wounds in the therapeutic relationship. The more present we are in our own vulnerability, the deeper the connection in which we can participate. Our openness to regular self-examination (especially the function that our caregiving role plays in meeting our own needs) furthers our healing and promotes healing in those that we are helping on their path of healing. For most, true self-exploration and growth blend imperceptibly into a spiritual path, for mind and spirit resist separation just as do the body and mind. Thus, the holistic perspective of a healers path of growth cannot be ignored. It is a major factor in creating a positive therapeutic outcome. When we choose not to pursue the path of personal growth, our capacity as healers becomes limited. When we open in gratitude and surrender to each moment, we continue to grow The greatest challenge for the wounded healer lies in holding his or her actions to the light of regular self-examination. Some who explore these concepts fear that they hold practitioners to a saintly standard. I must be pure, selfless, and unconditionally loving. On the contrary, practitioners are released through this mutual healing to be human and real, with inevitable failings