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Writer's pictureLauren Blackwood

Understanding and Healing Childhood Trauma: A Somatic Approach to Recovery



Hey there! Let's talk about something that's tough but important: childhood trauma. If you're an adult who's been through it, you might know firsthand how deeply it can affect your life. Maybe you struggle with trust, or you find it hard to handle stress. Perhaps you battle with self-esteem issues or grapple with health problems that seem to have no clear cause. These pain points are all too common for survivors of childhood trauma, and they can make navigating adulthood feel like an uphill battle.


Childhood trauma can be broadly defined as a wide range of experiences that can overwhelm a child's capacity to cope effectively. If an event or a sequence of events exceeds a child's coping mechanisms, we can conclude that childhood trauma may have occurred. However, it's crucial to acknowledge that the impact of trauma varies from one child to another, as it is highly subjective and unique to each individual.  What is traumatic for one person may not be traumatic for another.  Even seemingly less intense experiences, such as observing frequent parental conflicts, sensing emotional detachment in relationships, or witnessing siblings cope with ongoing health problems, can be profoundly distressing for certain children. These situations may evoke trauma comparable to more overtly violent events.


Now, let's delve into five common types of childhood trauma:


1.Emotional Neglect: Many people mistakenly believe that trauma is solely about something happening to you. However, emotional neglect, where a child doesn't receive the love, support, validation, and attention they need, can also be a form of childhood trauma. This emotional misattunement, characterized by caregivers consistently neglecting to acknowledge their children's emotions, desires, or dislikes, can lead to significant challenges later in life. Individuals raised by alcoholic or narcissistic parents commonly encounter difficulties related to emotional neglect.


2. Environmental Instability: Trauma can also stem from the environment outside the family. Natural disasters, war, community violence, and exposure to systemic racism and other forms of discrimination are examples of how external factors can cause childhood trauma.


3. Emotional Abuse: Verbal abuse, including insults, belittlement, or behaviors intended to intimidate or shame a child, can be profoundly damaging. Children who experience bullying outside of their home environment often grapple with similar challenges related to verbal mistreatment.


4. Physical Abuse: This encompasses any action resulting in harm or injury to a child due to a caregiver's aggressive behavior. This could include hitting, slapping, kicking, or even more subtle forms like shaking the child. Data from the US Department of Health and Human Services suggests that approximately 18% of children have experienced physical abuse.


5. Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse involves any form of sexual interaction involving a child and an adult or another child, wherein the child is exploited for the sexual gratification of the perpetrator or a bystander. This can range from physical contact to non-touching actions like voyeurism or exposing the child to pornography. The statistics are alarming, with approximately one in four adult women and one in thirteen men being abused sexually as children.


How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifespan


Understanding the ongoing impact of childhood trauma on lifelong health is key in finding effective trauma treatment. Research consistently demonstrates that early traumatic experiences can significantly shape an individual's physical and mental well-being throughout their lifespan. These experiences often manifest in various health issues, ranging from chronic illnesses to mental health disorders. Childhood trauma can disrupt neurodevelopmental processes, leading to adults struggling with difficulties in making decisions, emotional regulation, and stress management. In adulthood, survivors of childhood trauma may exhibit higher rates of substance abuse, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases due to maladaptive coping mechanisms developed in response to early adversity.


How to Heal Childhood Trauma


Healing from childhood trauma is possible. Adults struggling with the impacts of childhood trauma can find healing through a trauma-informed holistic approach to therapy that prioritizes the integration of mind and body. Somatic healing, which focuses on the connection between physical sensations and emotional experiences, plays a central role in this process. Therapists provide a safe and supportive environment for clients to explore and process their traumatic experiences, often incorporating techniques from modalities such as EMDR or sensorimotor psychotherapy. By embracing somatic healing techniques within therapy, clients are empowered to embark on a journey of self-discovery and transformation, reclaiming agency over their lives and fostering lasting healing.


Despite the challenges posed by childhood trauma, it's important for clients to understand that healing is possible and within reach. With the guidance and support of a skilled trauma  therapist, individuals can cultivate a renewed sense of hope and empowerment, laying the foundation for a brighter and more fulfilling future. Remember, you are not alone, and there is hope for healing.

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