Heal from Childhood Trauma
Childhood relational trauma takes many forms and--sadly--is common throughout the world, among people of all income and ethnic groups. It changes how people think and feel about themselves and how they relate to the world. Childhood trauma takes time and courage to overcome, and the efforts to confront it can lead to life-giving change.
What Is Childhood Trauma?
Children can be traumatized when they are abused physically, emotionally, sexually, or spiritually; when they see others being hurt; when they fear for their lives or the lives of others; when their spiritual beliefs are used against them; when their basic needs aren't met; or when they are left to fend for themselves because the people who are responsible for raising them can't or don't, whether it's because they are mentally or physically ill, overwhelmed, or suffering from addiction.
How Does It Affect People?
Childhood trauma has lasting and deep impacts. It affects how you relate to yourself and others and what you expect from life. It makes you see the world and other people as dangerous. You do not expect to be treated kindly, and when you are, you may not know how to react. You are afraid to get close to others, even as you long for closeness: you are afraid of getting hurt or being abandoned, or you are afraid you'll hurt someone. You are blind to "red flags" that others can easily see because you had to be blind to those red flags to get through your childhood. You may not trust yourself and you may have difficulty knowing when to give your trust to others. You may get emotionally flooded and then feel disturbingly numb. You may engage in behaviors that at some level you know are self destructive but that also help you cope when you don't know what else to do. You may dissociate, losing time, watching yourself from above, or feeling sometimes that you are younger than you know you are. You may not remember parts of your past, or you may find that people tell you you've done or said things you don't remember. You may find yourself grappling with intrusive images or sensations you wish would go away. You are afraid to hope, but in some secret place in yourself, you do. That's how you survived.
How Would We Address It?
The truth is that you are the way you are today because of what happened to you. Your current "symptoms" and behaviors are rooted in how you were treated, and they helped you maintain relationships with the people on whom you were dependent. For many good reasons, these ideas can be hard to accept. That's where therapy can help. It can create the space and emotional safety that allows you to start to see yourself and to make new choices. For more information about how I would work with you, click on this link to my Approach to Therapy page.
Childhood relational trauma takes many forms and--sadly--is common throughout the world, among people of all income and ethnic groups. It changes how people think and feel about themselves and how they relate to the world. Childhood trauma takes time and courage to overcome, and the efforts to confront it can lead to life-giving change.
What Is Childhood Trauma?
Children can be traumatized when they are abused physically, emotionally, sexually, or spiritually; when they see others being hurt; when they fear for their lives or the lives of others; when their spiritual beliefs are used against them; when their basic needs aren't met; or when they are left to fend for themselves because the people who are responsible for raising them can't or don't, whether it's because they are mentally or physically ill, overwhelmed, or suffering from addiction.
How Does It Affect People?
Childhood trauma has lasting and deep impacts. It affects how you relate to yourself and others and what you expect from life. It makes you see the world and other people as dangerous. You do not expect to be treated kindly, and when you are, you may not know how to react. You are afraid to get close to others, even as you long for closeness: you are afraid of getting hurt or being abandoned, or you are afraid you'll hurt someone. You are blind to "red flags" that others can easily see because you had to be blind to those red flags to get through your childhood. You may not trust yourself and you may have difficulty knowing when to give your trust to others. You may get emotionally flooded and then feel disturbingly numb. You may engage in behaviors that at some level you know are self destructive but that also help you cope when you don't know what else to do. You may dissociate, losing time, watching yourself from above, or feeling sometimes that you are younger than you know you are. You may not remember parts of your past, or you may find that people tell you you've done or said things you don't remember. You may find yourself grappling with intrusive images or sensations you wish would go away. You are afraid to hope, but in some secret place in yourself, you do. That's how you survived.
How Would We Address It?
The truth is that you are the way you are today because of what happened to you. Your current "symptoms" and behaviors are rooted in how you were treated, and they helped you maintain relationships with the people on whom you were dependent. For many good reasons, these ideas can be hard to accept. That's where therapy can help. It can create the space and emotional safety that allows you to start to see yourself and to make new choices. For more information about how I would work with you, click on this link to my Approach to Therapy page.