Wounded but Now Well: Family-of-Origin Dysfunction and Later Functioning in Mental Health Practitioners

Abstract

Richard Kownacki and Sangeeta Singg

This study examined the wounded healer concept, asking whether the family-of-origin dysfunction it describes is accompanied by impaired later functioning among mental health practitioners. The mental health practitioners (34 healers) were compared with other professionals (34 non-healers) on family-of-origin, self-esteem, stress, Type A behavior, wellness, reason for career choice, alcohol consumption, somatic complaints, medication use, and involvement in self-improvement activities. Healers reported significantly less healthy families of origin, consistent with the wounded healer concept. They did not differ from non-healers in self-esteem, stress, or Type A behavior, indicating that this early woundedness was not accompanied by poorer present functioning. Healers reported significantly greater wellness, more often cited altruistic reasons for their career choice, consumed less alcohol, and engaged more actively in selfimprovement, including personal counseling and self-help reading. These findings suggest that the wounds associated with the wounded healer lie in the family-of-origin rather than in present functioning, and that practitioners, as a group, appear to have moved toward wellness through active personal and professional development.

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