Childhood Trauma

One way it may show up is the ability to form and sustain healthy relationships with friends and partners. 

Many people find their way to therapy realising that they experience repeated patterns in their relationships.

You may find it difficult to trust in others being fearful of rejection and abandonment. This can lead to an avoidance of committed relationships and longer term friendships. 

Sometimes we mask our authentic selves to protect them from the disappointment of not feeling seen, heard or held; which can stem from unmet physical and emotional needs in childhood. You might notice that you minimise your own emotions, focusing your efforts on pleasing other people at the cost of your feelings and desires.

Lacking confidence and self belief is another consequence of childhood trauma. In our earliest years our parents’ and caregivers’ ability to appropriately mirror us and attune to our needs and feelings reinforces our sense of self and our belief that how we experience the world around us is valid. This validation is formative in building self-esteem.  

In therapy we seek to acknowledge and affirm your thoughts and feelings fostering new found confidence and a stronger sense of self. 

The word trauma is derived from the Greek word τραῦμα meaning wound or injury. Sometimes people find the word trauma off-putting as they feel that their own experiences are not traumatic enough to be described in this way. However I use the word trauma re-framing it in light of the broader concept of impact (as well as that of  wounds, injuries and scars).  In therapy we will explore how the impact of childhood informs your expectations of others and the world in general, healing these injuries, that have come to inhibit you from realising your potential both in a loving relationship with yourself and those around you.