<![CDATA[The role of pastoral counseling in restoring self-love after experiences of rejection and failed relationships is very important in the midst of today's identity crises and mental health problems. The experience of being rejected, betrayed, or experiencing separation often causes emotional wounds that have an impact on self-esteem, self-image, and the quality of a person's relationships with God and others. This research aims to examine the contribution of pastoral counseling in rebuilding wounded self-understanding through a theological-anthropological approach that affirms human dignity as imago Dei. Using a qualitative-descriptive method based on literature studies, this paper emphasizes that the recovery of self-love takes place through the integration of reflection on faith, unconditional acceptance, and empathetic assistance which opens up space for inner and spiritual reconciliation, so that experiences of failure are no longer interpreted as a loss of self-worth, but as part of a process of existential growth that leads to personal wholeness and healthier relationships. The analysis was carried out through a thematic synthesis of the literature on pastoral theology, psychology and theological anthropology using Howard Clinebell's pastoral function framework which includes healing, sustaining, guiding and reconciling. Through a process of critical comparison and interpretation, research shows that the recovery of self-love is formed in an integrative manner through pastoral care that is centered on human dignity as imago Dei.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
