🕯️ Why Firefighters Don’t Want to Be Healed

Firefighters act with urgency because they’re responding to pain that feels too big to bear. Whether it’s through compulsive behaviors, distractions, or bursts of anger, their goal is simple: protect you from overwhelming emotion. But healing them can feel dangerous to them.

Firefighters believe that if they stop, the system will collapse. They’ve seen the aftermath of the pain they’re trying to block. To them, healing feels like an invitation to expose the very thing they’re protecting against.

To approach a firefighter, it’s vital to respect their role. If you push them to heal, you’ll meet resistance.

Instead, start with a gentle question: “What do you fear would happen if you let go of this job?”

Often, they fear that vulnerability will consume the system or bring back painful memories.

The work with firefighters isn’t to take away their strength, but to help them trust that Self can hold what they fear. Over time, when they see they don’t need to be the barrier anymore, they can begin to relax into their true role: not as guards of the system, but as wise, passionate parts of you.

Healing doesn’t mean silencing them; it means helping them step back, knowing you’re safe without their constant intervention.