Do I Have to Forgive to Heal? - Christine Gautreaux, MSW

What if forgiving the people who caused your childhood trauma feels like betraying the child who survived it? For many adult glass children, forgiveness can feel dangerous. When you grew up minimizing your pain, suppressing your emotions, or putting the needs of a high-needs sibling and your family ahead of your own, forgiveness can sound less like freedom and more like being asked to disappear all over again. Key Moments: 00:00 Do I Have to Forgive to Heal? - Christine Gautreaux, MSW Ep 01:40 Why Forgiveness Feels Dangerous 03:45 Defining True Forgiveness 12:36 Sacred Space and Somatic Healing 35:44 Art as Release 38:28 Forgiveness as Clearing 41:49 A Therapist Guided Practice 48:09 Choosing Safe Support 56:40 Myth Busting and Farewell In this episode of I See Glass Children, Alicia Meneses Maples sits down with social worker, somatic coach, author, artist, and facilitator Christine Gautreaux, MSW, for a candid conversation about forgiveness, childhood trauma, emotional neglect, anger, grief, boundaries, and healing. Together, they challenge some of the most damaging misconceptions about forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean what happened was okay. It does not require reconciliation. It does not require restoring a relationship with someone who hurt you. And you are not a bad person if you are not ready to forgive. Christine explains why forgiveness may be less about absolving another person and more about releasing the hold that an old wound continues to have on your life. She also explores the role of the body in trauma recovery and why healing may require more than intellectually understanding what happened. Alicia also shares a deeply personal experience with forgiveness and the unexpected freedom she experienced when she finally confronted anger she had carried for years. For adult glass children, survivors of childhood emotional neglect, and anyone trying to understand how family trauma continues into adulthood, this conversation offers a different way to think about forgiveness: not as something you owe the person who hurt you, but as a deeply personal process that you get to approach in your own time. The question isn’t simply, “Should I forgive?” It may be: “What would I need in order to finally feel free?” --- Christine Gautreaux, MSW is the co-author of Stillpoint: A Caregivers Playbook to find ease and to take a deep breath and reclaim joy and Women Connected in Wisdom stories and resources rooted in the 8 dimensions of wellness volumes I & II. She believes in the power of body wisdom and somatic play to help heal trauma and live our best lives. Connect: https://www.womenconnectedinwisdom.com or christine@womenconnectedinwisdom.com https://linktr.ee/christinegautreauxmsw --- What You Will Hear In This Episode: Why forgiveness does not mean forgetting, excusing, or approving what happened Why some survivors of childhood trauma experience forgiveness as threatening Whether forgiveness is actually necessary in order to heal -Why anger, grief, and painful memories can return even after you thought you had dealt with them How childhood trauma and emotional neglect can disconnect adult glass children from their emotions and bodies Why healing is often a process rather than a one-time breakthrough How somatic practices can help people notice what they are carrying Why forgiveness may require witnessing, validation, and a sacred space How to begin healing when therapy or professional support is not accessible Using writing, movement, music, nature, and art as tools for processing difficult experiences Why forgiving someone does not require reconciliation Why boundaries may still be necessary after forgiveness The danger of confronting a parent or family member expecting acknowledgment or an apology Why telling someone “I forgive you” can sometimes lead to further hurt How childhood trauma can affect our ability to choose emotionally healthy relationships Why you are not a bad person if you cannot forgive or are not ready to forgive Alicia’s personal story of confronting anger, forgiveness, faith, and God Why healing may begin with one very small question: “May I?” — Connect & Engage Ready to join the movement? Here’s how you can help break the silence around glass children: Subscribe to the I See Glass Children Podcast Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it and tell them, “You have to hear this.” Spread the Word Share this episode with your bestie, your therapist, your teachers, your minister, friends. Sharing is caring and hearing is healing. REMEMBER: If you’re struggling, reach out to a mental health professional. You do not have to do this alone. Thank you for listening to the I See Glass Children podcast. I’m Alicia Meneses Maples and I see you. — Produced by: https://Brewing.Media Dedicated to: My Daddy. I love you with all my heart forevers. Special thanks to: BlueHair