Our emotional wounds often originate from our earliest interactions with others; parents, siblings, friends, teachers, and later, partners or colleagues. These relationships, whether nurturing or painful, shape our adult identity and condition our emotional responses. Yet, it is through relationships that we also have the opportunity to heal.
Emotional wounds don’t simply vanish with time. Instead, they often lie dormant, subtly influencing how we relate to others. Then, someone says something, reacts in a certain way, or withdraws, and suddenly, we’re triggered. These intense emotional reactions are not random. They are the residue of emotionally incomplete experiences from our past, reactivated in the present moment.
Being triggered in a relationship isn’t a sign of failure or dysfunction. It’s actually an invitation to look inward. Triggers act as mirrors, reflecting unresolved pain and limiting beliefs we still carry. For example, if a partner’s disapproval evokes intense shame or anger, it may stem from earlier experiences of conditional acceptance or criticism in childhood. That emotional charge is calling for completion.
Emotional incompletion can manifest as ongoing hurt, resentment, regret, or discomfort toward someone; regardless of whether they are still part of our lives. It may even relate to someone who has passed away or whose memory alone brings unease. These lingering emotional attachments are not about the present, they are unfinished stories from our past seeking closure.
Healing begins when we acknowledge these feelings and the relationships that still hold an emotional charge. From there, we can begin to access, feel, and ultimately express the unprocessed emotions; be it grief, fear, anger, or regret. This is not about confronting the person involved, but rather about processing the experience within ourselves in a safe, supportive space.
In my work, I help clients navigate this emotional completion process through guided reflection, intuitive support, and energy work. Together, we gently access the core wounds behind the trigger, understand the belief systems they created, and give space for full emotional expression. This might include speaking, writing, or visualisation techniques that allow the emotional energy to move and be released.
The final stage of this process is surrender; letting go of the emotional burden. This is not forced forgiveness or spiritual bypassing, but a natural emergence that arises once the emotion has been fully acknowledged and expressed. At this point, clients often report feeling lighter, clearer, and no longer emotionally entangled in the relationship that once triggered them.
Healing doesn’t mean forgetting or excusing past harms, it means reclaiming the parts of ourselves that got stuck there. When we do this work, we restore our emotional wholeness and shift from reactive patterns to conscious responses. We become free, not only from the past, but also in our ability to choose how we live and love in the present.
If you’re finding that certain people or patterns keep triggering you, this may be your soul calling you to complete what’s been left unfinished. You don’t have to do it alone. Together, we can explore the deeper meaning of your emotional landscape and walk the path toward true emotional freedom.
Vicki Haspels is a Tarot Card Reader, Psychic and Energy Healer, Reiki Master/Teacher, Past Life Regression Therapist, Intuitive Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Teacher with Toni Reilly Institute, Angel Intuitive, Crystal Therapist.
