“When we deny our stories they define our lives. When we run from struggle we are never free. So, we turn toward the truth and look it in the eye.”
-Brene Brown
You struggle with:
- Fear
- Shame
- Feeling insignificant
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Communicating
- Relationship problems
- Constant sadness or depression
- Sexually acting out
- Obsessive thoughts or behaviors
- Substance use/Addiction
Did you have a painful of traumatic childhood?
None of us had a perfect childhood. But for some, being a kid came with physical and emotional pain that left you suffering without understanding why.
The terms abuse and neglect have become so normalized that those who are unfamiliar fail to understand the weight of the experience, and those who know struggle to find a voice for their experience.
Therapy isn’t about forcing you to relive the details of your trauma – how much of the story you tell is up to you.
Helping you heal requires understanding the root of the pain in order to help you accept it; acknowledge that it was not your fault; and take action so that your past no longer controls your present, or predicts your future.
And no, you are not crazy. You are a survivor living with the effects of trauma: a harmful event or circumstance that resulted in lasting adverse effects on your social, emotional, physical, or spiritual well-being.
May be your family was ashamed and told you to forget what happened. Or, you were too afraid or ashamed to tell. As you grew older, you wanted to make a better life for yourself, so you remained quiet; not wanting to be different. You’ve been trying to fit in or feel worthy your whole life.
It’s time to stop denying your story.
You may be thinking, “but it happened so long ago.”
It’s never too late to get help. You can work on understanding your trauma; learn to journal; recognize the people, places, or things that trigger your hurts; and learn relaxation techniques.
Therapy Goals We Can Work On:
- Recognizing safe and unsafe situations or people
- Learning, setting, and reinforcing boundaries
- Reducing shame
- Accepting reality
- Recognizing and reducing stress
- Building self-confidence
- Feeling comfortable in your body
- Managing anger
- Improving communication
Don’t let your past keep you from a better future.
“I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.” – Carl Jung
Recommended Reading
The Fatherless Daughter Project: Understanding Our Losses and Reclaiming Our Lives – Denna Babul and Karin Luise
The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, 20th Anniversary Edition – Ellen Bass and Laura Davis
Boundaries (Updated and Expanded Edition): When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life – Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend
Mothers Who Can’t Love: A Healing Guide for Daughters – Susan Forward, Ph.D.
Toxic Parents: Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming Your Life – Susan Forward, Ph.D.
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents – Lindsay C. Gibson
How to Survive Your Childhood Now That You’re an Adult: A Path to Authenticity and Awakening – Ira Israel
Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy – Francine Shapiro
After the Tears: Helping Adult Children of Alcoholics Heal Their Childhood Trauma – Jane Middleton-Moz and Lorie L. Dwinell