Time heals all wounds

Ever wonder how true the old statement, time heals all wounds, really is?  With all the emotional things I have been going through lately, I have wondered about it.  What role does time have in healing?  Is it more than just distance from what ever caused the wound in the first place?  I have wondered if it is time that gives us time to process it, or even just time to mature in some circumstances.
With time, most physical wounds will heal.  I cannot heal myself.  I do not know how to heal a physical wound.  It is something that my body instinctively knows how to do and begins the process in most cases.  I do not have to tell my body to do it.  It knows it needs to and begins to try.
Those emotional wounds do not work in quite the same way.  Most of us do have a survival instinct and do try to protect ourselves from harm.  I don't think we set out to harm ourselves emotionally.  I do believe that we have to set out purposely to heal ourselves from emotional wounds.  I also know that this process does indeed take time.
The healing process is different for each of us.  It also can be very different for each wound inflicted.  My advice is to give it time and give it the necessary effort.  How long?  However long it takes!