One of my passions is understanding trauma and the impact it has on the lives of the people I treat in my practice. My interest in this field comes from my own experience with trauma. This should not come as a surprise as it is likely most of us have experienced some level of trauma in our lives.
There are many factors and layers associated with trauma, but in this writing, I will touch on one specifically. Developmental trauma.
Developmental trauma, or childhood trauma, is not something we only experience after we are born, its roots can be established at conception. Prenatal factors include but are not limited to: the circumstances through which we are conceived, whether domestic violence was involved; the presence of substance abuse during pregnancy; a mother’s mental health; poverty; and/or nutritional neglect; among others. All of these experiences and circumstances can, and will, impact the unborn child as the brain and nervous systems develop. In addition, the child’s experience after birth, such as abuse, neglect, can continue to impact their development and emotional wellbeing.
It is likely we will not see the impact of this trauma until we are adults creating a life of our own through intimate relationships, parenting, and professional interactions. When we struggle through moments of personal conflict, we often tell ourselves and others, “I have always been this way” or “This is just how I am.” But it is important to ask ourselves one very important question. Why am I like this, and where did this all begin?
If someone is struggling with interpersonal relationships, addictions, anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, lack of confidence, I encourage them to consider the very real possibility of the existence of deep and long standing emotional wounds that have yet to be understood and meaningfully attended to.
One of the many reasons I am passionate about working with trauma survivors is because I hope to help them understand and heal these emotional wounds. Because many people conveniently slide their issues into the, “This is just who I have always been” category, they are not consciously aware that the wounds even exist. Often people navigate through daily life in a functional survival mode having not been able to experience the sense of inner peace that comes with a deeper understanding of themselves.
My goal as a psychologist is for people to heal and reach a level of wellbeing where they experience joy and fulfillment by practicing self-compassion, kindness, and developing self-love. My hope is that their healing will not just improve the quality of their lives, but positively impact future generations of their families and loved ones.
Healing from trauma is not something that happens overnight, any more than emotional wounds were created overnight. In trauma, we often lose touch with our bodies as we slip into survival mode. The experience is so overwhelming for our brains that we either fight, flee or freeze in order to stay alive.
We might think that our physical ailments and medical problems are hereditary; however, chronic stress related to developmental trauma can put considerable demands on our brain and nervous systems which will reveal itself in the form of significant physiological issues. If we do not attend to our emotional wounds, our body will not simply let them go because we either choose not to address them, or subconsciously wish them away. And our body will remember. These wounds will eventually manifest themselves in any number of painful ways, including migraine headaches, sleep disruption, digestive problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, fibromyalgia and even cancer.
In the healing process we learn to connect with and befriend our bodies. We learn to practice kindness and compassion towards ourselves, allowing us to know ourselves at the core of who we are. This process gives way to embracing every part of our being with love, compassion, nurturing, encouragement and support. Things we all need and deserve.
Although some issues may be initially uncomfortable to address and talk about, the result of healing from developmental trauma will enhance the quality of your life, and the lives of your loved ones. In my work healing trauma, my goal is to help individuals learn to trust that they are the most important person they will spend the rest of their life with.
Healing is a process, and it is possible for those willing to explore and fully understand themselves. If you want to learn more about this, talk to a professional who can help guide you to a happier existence.
