self-awareness helps us overcome blind reactions that make already difficult situations more turbulent. without self-awareness, it is difficult to make choices that differ from those you have made in the past.

sometimes deeper mental clarity is preceded by great internal storms

Healing does not erase the past, and the point of healing is not to forget what has happened. Old memories from hard moments may come up even after deep healing has taken place, but what shifts is how we react to them when they arise. If the intensity of the reaction is decreasing, then real progress is being made.