by Andrew Kravig, AMFT
What was your childhood like? Do you remember?
No matter how hard parents work to offer the “perfect” childhood, traumatic events are all-too-skilled at finding their way into our life experience, like speed bumps in our path. And maybe they aren’t just bumps… maybe they feel like giant, icy mountains that we will never be able to scale or summit.
Trauma from our childhood can linger and have damaging effects on our adult lives, whether that effect is great or small. Addressing and healing from that trauma is often an essential step towards living a full, functional life as an adult.
How do you know if you have childhood trauma?
So, what is childhood trauma, exactly? Generally speaking, it describes any adverse experiences that occur during our developmental years that are overwhelmingly stressful and have lasting negative effects on our physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. These experiences can range from acute events, such as accidents or natural disasters, to chronic situations, like ongoing abuse or neglect. Here are some common types of childhood trauma:
- Physical Abuse: Infliction of physical harm or injury by a caregiver or another person.
- Emotional Abuse: Persistent criticism, rejection, or verbal assaults that harm a child's self-esteem and emotional health.
- Sexual Abuse: Inappropriate sexual behavior or contact between a child and an older individual. Can also include inappropriate (or a lack of) sexual education.
- Neglect: Failure to provide for a child's basic needs, including food, shelter, medical care, and emotional support.
- Witnessing Domestic Violence: Observing violence between caregivers or within the household.
- Bullying: Repeated aggressive behavior by peers that causes harm or distress.
- Separation from Parents: Separation due to death, divorce, incarceration, or foster care placement.
- Community Violence: Exposure to violence in the community, such as shootings or gang-related activities.
- Natural Disasters: Experiencing events like earthquakes, hurricanes, or floods.
PTSD and C-PTSD in adults
Is anything on that list familiar? Have you wondered how events from your childhood might be influencing your life as an adult? The impact of childhood trauma can be profound and long-lasting, affecting various aspects of an individual's life. Studies have revealed a number of effects, including:
- Emotional and Psychological: Increased risk of developing mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse disorders.
- Behavioral: Increased likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors, difficulty forming healthy relationships, and challenges in school or work settings.
- Physical Health: Greater susceptibility to chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders, due to the stress and changes in brain and body development caused by trauma.
- Cognitive Development: Impaired learning and memory, difficulty concentrating, and lower academic achievement.
How to heal from childhood trauma
Healing from past trauma is a complex and individualized process, but there are various evidence-based approaches and interventions with demonstrated efficacy in supporting you on this journey. These interventions often focus on reducing trauma symptoms, improving coping mechanisms, and fostering resilience. Let’s look at a few key evidence-based approaches that might be able to help you unravel the traumatic ghosts of your past:
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) and “parts work” is literally what it sounds like. IFS and related approaches treat our psyche as made up of different parts. These include our true Self, as well as exiles and protectors which may get stuck in the past due to trauma and act out. Think of the Self as the grown up, balanced, secure part of us, and the other parts as inner children. Exiles are the parts of us that respond to fear and shame in ways that we would prefer to ignore, or exile. Protectors are the parts of us that respond to these exiles, often through criticism, control, or caretaking. Parts work helps us understand the motives for these parts (and the behaviors that show up in our lives), and reparent them so we become more integrated as opposed to fragmented.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely researched and validated approaches for treating trauma-related disorders, particularly Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). CBT focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to the individual's distress. CBT has many offshoots and forms, so you can find the approach that works best for you.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages the patient to briefly focus on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories. Numerous studies have shown EMDR to be effective in reducing the symptoms of PTSD and other trauma-related conditions.
- Somatic Experiencing (SE): Developed by Peter Levine, Somatic Experiencing is based on the premise that trauma resides in the body as well as the mind. SE focuses on bodily sensations (somatic experiences) rather than the narrative of the traumatic event. By helping individuals develop awareness of their bodily sensations and release pent-up "survival energy," SE aims to restore the body's natural equilibrium and promote healing.
Mindfulness-based interventions have gained significant traction in trauma therapy due to their emphasis on present-moment awareness and acceptance. If that sounds like a good option for you, it might be worth looking into Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), which teaches mindfulness meditation to help individuals become more aware of their thoughts and feelings and to develop a non-judgmental attitude towards them. This can be particularly helpful for trauma survivors who often experience intrusive thoughts and heightened emotional responses. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is another option, which combines traditional cognitive therapy with mindfulness strategies. It is particularly effective for preventing relapse in individuals with depression, which is often comorbid with PTSD.
And let’s not forget pharmacotherapy! Finding the right medication can be an important component of a comprehensive treatment plan for trauma, especially for individuals with severe symptoms. If you feel like medication might be a good option for you, ask your doctor or mental healthcare provider for a list of options to look into.
Or, maybe you want to take a different route, one that feels less clinical. Several complementary approaches can support healing from trauma, such as trauma-sensitive yoga which can reduce symptoms of PTSD by promoting relaxation and bodily awareness.
If you don’t have a fear of needles, you could try acupuncture! Emerging evidence suggests that acupuncture can help alleviate some of the symptoms of trauma, including anxiety and depression, by promoting the flow of energy and restoring balance within the body.
Would you prefer, instead, to spend time with furry friends? Maybe animal-assisted therapy is for you! Interacting with therapeutically trained animals can provide emotional support, reduce anxiety, and improve mood for trauma survivors.
Truth is, sometimes it just “takes a village” to heal our inner child. Social support and community involvement are critical for trauma recovery. Support groups and peer support can provide a sense of belonging and understanding.
Have you ever considered group therapy? It offers a supportive environment where individuals can share their experiences and learn from others who have faced similar challenges. This can reduce feelings of isolation and promote healing through shared understanding and mutual support.
Healing from trauma is a multifaceted process that often requires a combination of approaches tailored to the individual's needs. Evidence-based interventions such as CBT, EMDR, somatic experiencing, mindfulness-based therapies, and pharmacotherapy form the cornerstone of trauma treatment. Complementary therapies like yoga, acupuncture, and animal-assisted therapy, along with social and community-based interventions, can further support the healing process. By addressing the complex interplay between mind, body, and social environment, these interventions collectively contribute to a comprehensive and effective approach to trauma recovery.
Whatever you decide to do, and whichever approach you take to your healing, investing in your health and wellness is always a good decision. The ghosts of your past don’t have to follow you into the future. You can scale that mountain! You can live the life you want, on your own terms, as your most authentic self!
You deserve that opportunity.
I promise.
Read more about trauma therapy here.
Read more about therapy with Andrew here.