Trauma and Childhood Trauma
What do we have in mind when we speak of ‘trauma’? Trauma can be described as an event that has a damaging impact on one’s emotional, psychological and/or physical wellbeing. This can be either a one-off incident or a long-lasting situation.
When trauma is not addressed promptly and thoroughly it may have profound detrimental effect on our life. As a result of trauma we may develop anxiety, depression and experience changes in our personality. Trauma affects our relationships with family and friends, our self-confidence and ability to achieve what we want to achieve in life.
Trauma resulting from suffering a long-term emotional distress is particularly insidious and very often goes unrecognised and untreated for years. And among the most common traumas of this kind is childhood trauma.
Childhood trauma
To ensure that a child grows and develops successfully as a healthy and happy individual a number of basic conditions need to be met.
They include:
- Safety (emotional and physical)
- Unconditional affection and consistent engaged interest of parents and caretakers;
- The right to make mistakes;
- The right to express feelings and have them acknowledged;
- Positive encouragement and validation.
Most of us didn’t have all these needs met equally well at all periods of our childhood. Some people, however, grow up with the exact reverse of these conditions. There are children who experience or witness violence in their family. There are children who are being constantly blamed and criticized and doubt whether their parents are happy that they have been born.
Sometimes young children are made to carry a burden that is too big for their age (for example, caring for a sick parent or younger siblings). As adults these people may struggle to recognise and express their own needs and enjoy a carefree time.
Therapy for childhood trauma
Are you constantly feeling guilty about various things? Do you believe it is your fault if something goes wrong at work or at home? Are you struggling with chronic anxiety, overthinking and insecurity? Are you feeling constantly bitter and resentful? Do you experience difficulty in creating and sustaining healthy satisfying relationships? These may be the symptoms of childhood trauma.
Therapy for childhood trauma may help to remedy some of the effects of the adverse childhood conditions and help you develop new ways of relating to yourself and the world around you. It may also help to break the chain of trauma transmitted through generations and heal the lives of your children and grandchildren.
If you want to explore whether you may benefit from the therapy for childhood trauma please do get in touch.
Further reading
Recognising childhood trauma
Healing our inner child
Redeeming the sparks or children frozen in time
Freeing the inner child
I don’t want to blame my parents
Can therapy really help to change your life?
