We are Childhood Trauma Specialists
When most people think of childhood trauma, they think of the big T traumas, like physical and sexual abuse. Those instances would certainly cause a person trauma and we absolutely could help any client who has experienced either of those things heal from their trauma.
But, the type of childhood trauma that we deal with the most is the kind you don't hear so much about in the mainstream, and that is childhood emotional neglect and/or emotional abuse.
We work with clients who grew up feeling invalidated, like their emotions needs didn't matter or were unimportant. We also work with clients who were made to feel like it wasn't ok to show emotions and/or that they were too sensitive or too dramatic.
We work with adults and couples who have experienced childhood trauma. Some of these clients grew up in addicted and/or alcoholic homes, had an overly critical parent, had a narcissistic parent, had a unpredictable/volatile/angry and/or emotionally dysregulated parent, had a parent with an untreated mental illness, had a parent who abandoned them, had parents with ridiculously high expectation of children, adult children whose parents fought a lot or maybe went through a difficult divorce when they were young, etc. To write out all the factors that might cause childhood trauma would be impossible, but if you think you have experienced childhood trauma, you probably have.
Symptoms of Childhood Trauma
Symptoms of childhood trauma include but are not limited to the following:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Anger issues
- Substance use
- Negative beliefs about ones self. For Ex. I have to be perfect. I am not good enough. I cannot show emotions. There is something wrong with me. I have to be in control. Etc.
- Perfectionism
- Body Image Issues
- Control issues
- Emotional regulation difficulties
- Low self esteem/self worth
- ADHD
- Relationship turmoil
- Insecure attachment styles
- Fear of abandonment
- Rejection sensitivity
- Love addiction
- Toxic relationships
- Constant need for validation and reassurance
- Codependency
Childhood trauma triggers can last a lifetime if never treated, but with treatment, most people can live happier, healthier lives and learn to have happier, healthier relationships.
Treatment
We use a mindfulness-based approach to teach clients self soothing techniques, self care strategies, and self compassion. We use CBT to help our clients change their unhelpful thinking styles because when we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change (Wayne Dyer). We teach clients how to reframe, fact check, and reduce automatic thoughts, which seems to benefit them greatly.
Lastly, we use EMDR therapy as a way to help the client desensitize and reprocess trauma memories. In doing so, we are able to change the negative beliefs they have about them self and clear the trauma stored in the body. As a result, clients are less triggered by things that use to trigger them.
More info on Childhood Trauma.
More info on EMDR.