Childhood Trauma Therapy
If you have suffered abuse or neglect during childhood, the mental and emotional impact can leave life-long scars. Thankfully, there is hope for healing with the help of professional counselling and psychotherapy.
Counselling for Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse and Trauma
Whatever the form, sexual, physical or psychological, the experience of childhood abuse is a trauma. Childhood trauma can have a huge impact on how your life unfolds, effecting both your mental health and body. If you have been traumatised through childhood abuse, you might feel that you can’t trust anyone, that you’re damaged and unlovable, and that nothing can ever change.
Types of Childhood Trauma
Children can experience various forms of trauma throughout their lives. These traumatic experiences can have a lasting impact on mental health, with some types of trauma having a more severe effect than others.
Below are the most common types of childhood trauma:
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Neglect
- Bullying
- Witnessing domestic violence
- Natural disaster
- Witnessing a death, suicide, or murder
- War
- Kidnapping
- Incest
The Long Reaching Effect of Childhood Abuse
If, as a child, you were exposed to abuse, then you will have learned to protect yourself with coping mechanisms such as denial, withdrawal, approval-seeking, by distancing yourself emotionally, switching off your feelings, acting out, or blaming yourself. Learning to use these coping mechanisms during childhood, goes on to have long-term consequences in your adult life, which can include:
- Low self-esteem or self-hatred
- Feelings that you are somehow contaminated or unworthy
- Suffering bouts of depression
- Thoughts of guilt, shame and blame
- Sleep disturbances / disorders
- Lack of trust for anyone
- Becoming an adult victim of abuse
- Flashbacks
- Dissociation
- Sexuality / Intimacy issues
Donna Marie Thomas
Hello, my name is Donna, I am a qualified counsellor, psychotherapist, hypnotherapist and Registered Member of BACP based in Pontefract, West Yorkshire.
I have a passion for helping people to enjoy a happier, more fulfilling life via a person centred approach to therapy tailored to meet each individuals specific needs.
Get in touch to find out more or book an appointment with me today.
How You Cope as an Adult Survivor of Childhood Abuse and Trauma
As an adult survivor of childhood abuse you may have adopted a variety of specific coping mechanisms (or survival strategies) to guard you against feelings of terror and helplessness that you may have felt as a child. These past feelings can still have influence over your life and your present behaviour.
You may use some of these coping mechanisms:
- Grieving / mourning
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Self-harm
- Eating disorders
- Obsessive behaviours
Therapy and Counselling for Childhood Abuse and Trauma
Childhood abuse counselling offers victims the opportunity to talk face-to-face in a safe, secure, and non-judgemental environment. Therapists aim to help survivors come to terms with their emotional issues and realise their ability to take control of their lives. Strong emphasis is placed on personal empowerment.
Below are the most common forms of counselling and therapy used in the treatment of childhood trauma:
- Trauma-informed therapy
- Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT)
- Attachment-based therapy
Benefits of Childhood Trauma Counselling
Counselling for childhood abuse and trauma can offer victims help with the following areas:
- Being able to talk about the abuse
- Validating the survivor’s experience
- Managing the abuse from an adult perspective
- Overcoming self-blame and shame
- Feelings of anger towards the abuser
- Fear of violence and coercion
- Anxiety and depression
- Dissociative identity disorder
- Fear of abandonment
- Lack of self-worth
- Reconnecting to bodily sensations
- Living authentically
- Building resilience and trust
- Restoring hope
How Innerworth Counselling Can Help
Childhood trauma can influence influence every area of your life. The emotional scars, disruptive memories, or distorted perception of your self-worth can make it difficult to form meaningful relationships.
Counselling for childhood abuse aims to help you learn to trust again, create healthier relationships, and establish emotional stability. During child abuse counselling, you’ll be offered emotional and practical support as you’re guided through the healing process. Recovering from childhood trauma is certainly possible, and starts with reaching out to a therapist who you feel you could trust and have confidence in.
Take the First Step Now
I offer private therapy, and take a person-centred approach, meaning that I’m non-judgemental, see clients as equals, and collaborate on your healing journey together.
If you feel you could benefit from therapy, please book an initial consultation. You don’t have to prepare for this, just come as you are and we can look into how I might be able to help.
Additional Information
Some helpful information and support for adult victims of childhood abuse and trauma:
HAVOCA
Help for adult victims of childhood abuse is run by survivors for adult survivors of child abuse. They provide support, friendship and advice for any adult whose life has been affected by childhood abuse.
www.havoca.org
The Lantern Project
Supporting victims of childhood abuse. A helpful site for adults who were victims of childhood abuse.
www.lanternproject.org.uk
Contact me today to book a confidential consulation
What My Clients Say
Jason Osborne
I shall be forever bewildered by the effectiveness of hypnotherapy. I had always remained sceptical until my very last session, then the “weight” that suddenly lifted was both physical and emotional and continues to benefit both myself and those around me three years on – thank you Donna.
Jason Osborne
Abigail Johnson
I’ve finally found a solution to my dependency on food. Your weight-loss therapy sessions have seriously transformed my life. Honestly, I could cry, I am so happy and feel like a totally new person, inside and out! Truly amazing Donna.
Abigail Johnson
Charlotte Dickinson
I went to see Donna because my anxiety and depression had spiralled out of control. I now have skills and techniques that I can use for the rest of my life to help me cope with any challenges. Thoroughly recommend psychotherapy from Innerworth Counselling. Donna is warm, professional and clearly passionate about what she does.