George Kavanagh

Permission to Heal George Kavanagh

No self-respecting family objects when a family member seeks healing for a physical injury. But telling outsiders that someone in the family has a disease can be a different story. In Ireland, people will tend to say the person is not well and avoid saying it is cancer or anything else that may be considered serious. Emotional injuries are met with even less acceptance. From a family point of view, physical injuries bring no shame, disease may bring some shame; however, emotional or mental health issues can put you in the category of the 'untouchables.' Some families do not want to hear any 'bad news.' If your family demands that you keep sensitive information private, you may not be given permission to share your pain. To protect the guilty, it is necessary to silence the innocent. Victims should not have to fear rejection from their own families. But rejection is precisely what may happen. Should you remain in pain? Do you need their permission to heal? If they reject you for breaking the family code of silence, can you handle the rejection?George is an ordained pastor in California. He also has a Master's degree in both Theology and Counseling from Northwest Baptist Theological Seminary, in Canada. George and his wife, Linda, currently reside in Redding, California.