The Kintsugi Story
THE BEGINNING...
In 15th-century Japan, a warrior broke his favourite tea bowl and sent it to China for repair. When it returned, he found it clumsily stapled together with metal. Disappointed, he asked a Japanese craftsman to find a more beautiful way to restore it.
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The craftsman repaired the bowl with lacquer mixed with powdered gold. Golden seams traced the cracks, making the bowl even more beautiful than before. This became known as Kintsugi - “golden joinery.”
THE PHILOSOPHY
Kintsugi (pronounced kent-soo-ghee) is the art of finding beauty in repair and transformation. It reminds us that healing is not about erasing the past, but embracing it - allowing the marks of our journey to become part of who we are.
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We all carry cracks: moments of loss, change, and growth. Kintsugi teaches us that these experiences are not flaws to hide, but stories to honour.
KINTSUGI IN COUNSELLING
In my counselling practice, Kintsugi represents the belief that healing and transformation can coexist. It reflects the strength and resilience that emerge through the process of rebuilding - whether from trauma, loss, or life transitions.
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For those who have experienced trauma, Kintsugi offers a gentle reminder that your story does not end at the point of fracture. Healing can reveal the gold within your resilience - the courage, wisdom, and self-compassion that emerge as you piece your life back together in a way that feels whole and true.
For mothers, Kintsugi is a powerful metaphor for embracing the imperfect, messy, and meaningful parts of motherhood. It’s about seeing the gold in your own story - recognising how identity, love, and selfhood evolve and deepen through change.
​At its heart, Kintsugi Counselling is about gentle, meaningful transformation - and the quiet power of coming home to yourself.