Healing Is Not Linear – The Truth About Mental Health Healing and The Journey There
Ashley Stricker, MA, LPCC
July 16, 2026
My experience as a counselor has taught me many things. One of those things is just how much people make sense. I find myself often saying in session “that makes sense to me” or “you make so much sense to me.” Another thing I learned is that healing is not linear. By this I mean, the healing journey is just that, a journey. It is not an end point, and the journey never truly ends. At some points in our life, our journey may be thriving, with constant movement forward, growth and with healing old traumas, and at some points, we will struggle to use what is in our mental health toolbox, we may not meet our goals, or we may return to old patterns. This does not mean that we took steps back in our healing. Remember, healing is not linear. I don’t think of it as steps back, I think the healing journey is a long walking path, and when we are struggling, it’s not steps back, it is a curve in the path. The movement is still forward, because we still have the awareness of our needs, struggles, and the old patterns we are returning to.
It makes sense that the healing journey is like a path with curves in it. Life brings surprises that derails plans, it brings times of action and movement, and it brings the slow times that are focused on reflection. It is also important to recognize and accept that the healing journey is never over, because the work is ongoing. Back to the idea of healing being a journey. Consider this, if we could snap our fingers and our counseling journey is finished; we healed old traumas and have a new view on life. What would we miss out on with skipping the journey? We would miss out on those moments when connection finally feels safe again, the “aha” moments when our understanding of self deepens, and those moments when triggers feel less triggering, and we know the work is working.
If you find yourself in a time of life when your healing journey is in one of those curves, I want to encourage you to keep moving forward. Recognize this time as a curve in the path, not steps back. You may even take a few moments to reflect on your journey and how far you have come. Consider the other times when you were in a curve, and how you kept moving forward.
Remember always, healing is not linear.
Ashley Stricker, MA, LPCC
You have taken a pivotal step to start your healing journey, and it would be an honor to walk alongside you on this path. Whatever your struggles are, I will collaborate with you to find path towards healing and wholeness. My goal is to provide space for you to focus on healing, for you to feel seen, heard, and understood. In my work, I do not ask “what us wrong with you?” I ask “what happened to you?” When working with me, you can expect trauma informed and person-centered care that is relational, humanistic, holistic, empowering, compassionate, and warm. I believe that for healing, we need to focus on what is happening in both the mind and the body as they work together so intricately. My approach integrates EMDR focused techniques, somatic therapy, parts work, mindfulness, and neurocounseling! If you have any questions about what any of this means, email me at ashleys@nexuscounseling.org and I would be happy to provide articles or further explanation so that you can be informed. My work focuses on trauma, specifically recovery from sexual violence including sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse, but I work with a range of types of traumas, life issues, and symptoms. I am passionate about my work that focuses on supporting clients through trauma recovery. Whether that trauma is recent, from your childhood or sometime in between. I work with sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse recovery, difficult childhood experiences, PTSD, CPTSD and much more! I also work with depression, anxiety, dissociation, shame, self-worth and empowerment issues. When doing trauma counseling, we move through four phases which include 1) Phase 1: Safety and Stabilization: to learn coping skills and other necessary skills that are needed for deep trauma work. 2) Phase 2: Trauma Processing and integration: this is time dedicated to trauma processing using EMDR techniques, somatics, parts work, neurocounseling and more. 3) Phase 3: Identity and Connection: focuses on reconnecting to others and self, and identity development. This phase emphasizes empowerment. 4) Phase 4: Surviving to Thriving: focuses on post-traumatic growth, living again after trauma, and interventions that promote Neuroplasticity. Reach out if you have any questions!