There are many ways that childhood trauma can show up in our lives. We may not be aware of it when we’re young, but childhood experiences shape our core beliefs and values growing up. Much of being a better adult is recognizing that there are certain beliefs that we are still holding on to that may not be helping us anymore.
Healing childhood trauma is one of the most discussed topics on social media. So what are some ways you may heal childhood trauma as an adult?
Five Ways You Can Heal Childhood Trauma as an Adult by Matthew Teeple
1. Acknowledge the Trauma and Talk About it
The way to sit with your childhood trauma is to acknowledge that it exists. Many of us often deny that anything affected us, which can cause us to react differently. However, the first step to healing childhood trauma is talking about it openly instead of minimizing it or pretending it never happened.
2. Ground Yourself in the Now
People who acknowledge their pain often feel like they’ve been thrown for a loop since healing childhood trauma can be extremely overwhelming.It’s essential for all of these people to ground themselves in the now and how they feel in their bodies before they can work on recalling and acknowledging what has happened in the past.
3. Practice Acceptance, says Matt Teeple.
When healing from childhood trauma, it’s necessary to accept that some people you wanted to show up for you didn’t show up for you. For most people, acceptance is quite a task since it comes with acknowledging that their parents were also people who could have other things to tend to and were not perfect. Acceptance can come with a lot of guilt as it comes with realizing that you’re disappointed with your primary caregivers, even if it’s in your head.
4. Seek Support from Professionals and Family
Healing childhood wounds cannot happen in isolation; you can not do it alone. Many people feel they cannot reach out to their loved ones because they won’t understand. However, when you say these sentences to yourself, you’re the one who’s isolating yourself. It’s necessary to seek support in whatever way you can. If you can afford to, you should seek professional therapy. Therapists are qualified to help you understand all the areas in which you may not have felt validated in your childhood and heal all those wounds.
5. Focus on Your Growth
Acknowledging our childhood trauma will often make us feel like we’re not in control anymore. But a narrative shift occurs when we realize we have more control over what we allow as adults. You can focus on your growth as it can help with the inevitable grief that comes with understanding your childhood trauma. You can grow in several ways, i.e., by seeking outside help or establishing a better routine for yourself.
Final Thoughts by Matt Teeple
If you still need help figuring out ways to heal childhood trauma, you can always talk to your friends or trained psychologists for more insight. Matthew Teeple suggests that you acknowledge the full scale of your hurt to healing from the childhood trauma as an adult.