When Bones Break: The Paradox of Recovery from Trauma

How we tend to our deepest wounds determines whether they become sources of strength or lifelong fragility

When a bone breaks, two futures emerge from that singular moment of fracture. Left untreated, the break may heal poorly, remaining crooked, weak, a constant source of ache that flares with every storm. But when properly set, supported, and given time to mend, the bone becomes stronger at the break point. A dense lattice of new calcium deposits forms around the fracture creating a callus, nature’s own reinforcement, more resilient than the original structure.

The human psyche follows a similar pattern when faced with trauma.

Do we ever fully heal from trauma?

It’s a question that echoes through therapy offices, late-night conversations, and the dark, lonely spaces where we confront our deepest wounds. The answer is both complex and more hopeful than you might imagine. Like bones, your psychological breaks don’t simply return to the…