HOW DO YOU TURN YOUR PAIN INTO POWER?

 Years ago, Dr. Keith Ablow wrote a series of six psychological thrillers featuring a flawed forensic psychiatrist named Frank Clevenger. “Clevenger was in deep emotional turmoil, but that was precisely the energy he drew upon to resonate with the suffering of others and render extraordinary and life changing insights—not just as he investigated crimes, but as he explored the underlying pain of many of the characters who populated the novels,” Ablow said.  

 

One cannot help but wonder how Ablow might relate to his character Clevenger in light of his own personal turmoil. Ablow recently faced his own painful life events- enduring continued attacks against his character and assaults against his professionalism causing him significant pain as he defended himself.

 

“I have noticed something about the wounds I have endured:  They have made me especially able to identify wounds in others and help transform those wounds into growing places for personal power,” Ablow said.

 

Why is this?  By what alchemy does pain not only connect us, but also fuel spiritual and psychological strategies for survival and personal growth?

 

Dr. Keith Ablow believes we all live behind shields. He has written extensively about his theory in his self-help book Living the Truth. He defines shields as distractions that we use to deflect from facing the source of our pain. The shields can include addictions, or materialism, or food, or being a workaholic, or toxic relationships, or any number of other distractions from our true selves.  Ablow believes shields keep us hidden from one another and from our true selves.

 

“When we have to lower these shields, however, due to the force of the trouble in our lives, we can emerge as especially sensitive and connected versions of ourselves, unleashing extraordinary empathy.  It may well be that we feel most for one another when we are in touch with how each and every one us can be hurt,” Ablow explained.

 

Humans don’t bond through boasting about our successes or resumes. Humans connect on a deeper more genuine level through shared pain- when you can relate to one another because you have felt what the other person feels in their most painful moments.

 

Dr. Keith Ablow explained, “It is when we (even those of us who coach and counsel and provide therapy) encounter real life challenges that we have the most raw and accurate vision of the profound pain they can bring. This has motivated me to fight harder than ever to restore the clients I work with to well-being and to also set the stage for them to become everything they are destined to be.”

 

Living through adversity can strengthen one’s belief in self—one’s faith. Difficult chapters of one’s life story are just that—chapters.  They don’t constitute the whole of one’s story.  Pain can pave the way for better, truer chapters. Adversity can purify your sense of self, rather than

 

 

 

destroy it. Your pain can be transformed into power and that power can be shared with others through your work and relationships- setting the stage for helping them become their most powerful self.

 

Dr. Keith Ablow wrote:

 

Your pain is your invitation to become more powerful.  Every challenge and crisis in life is also a calling to become your greater self.

 

 

Faced with his own adversity and challenges, Ablow has reaffirmed his belief that pain is meant to be turned into power.  Every time.  

 

Dr. Keith Ablow suggests teaming up with a coach or a therapist when you are faced with challenges that you need help embracing and reflecting on, in order to turn that pain into power.  He said that those who want to work with him 1:1 should contact info@keithablow.com.