We often underestimate the effect childhood experiences can have on us when we become adults. Childhood acts as the foundation for our personalities, it is how we interpret our surroundings, relationships and feelings. Because of this, it is important to recognise when help is needed after experiencing a traumatic event. This blog is going to offer 5 tools to support you with childhood trauma and help get you back on track.
1. Acceptance
Acceptance is commonly the hardest step to overcome. Nobody wants to acknowledge that someone close to them may have failed to care or protect them from danger. However, it is essential since it is the first step towards accepting the experience and how it has affected you. It can be helpful to write it on paper if you’re not yet ready to say it aloud.
2. Seek Support
Seeking for help when experiencing a childhood trauma is very important as it can help you receive emotional support and heal sooner. There are two types of support you can rely on: personal and professional. If you are reaching out to someone personal, make sure you trust them and feel comfortable discussing it with them. However, if you don’t feel easy speaking to someone you know, you can always reach out to professional support. NAPAC is an anonymous free online service that offers confidential support and advice to anyone struggling with a childhood trauma. There are also support groups you can join; you may find comfort discussing your experiences with others who have also experienced similar events.
3. Mindfulness
Trauma can often cause dissociation, when people separate themselves from their emotions and sensations as a coping mechanism. However, to help you heal from a trauma and create a sense of safety it is important to be present in the moment. Mindfulness exercises such as deep breathing can help this, as it reconnects you with your body and emotions. A body scan is also a good technique, where you move your attention slowly through different parts of your body. There are a range of different exercises you can experiment with and this will help find what works for best for you.
4. Practice Journaling
Writing in a journal allows you to express yourself openly, encouraging a free flow of feelings and experiences related to the trauma. Writing down the specific emotions you’re facing and accepting them can help reduce their power on you. They will begin to feel less overwhelming and easier to manage. Amy Hoyt, founder of Mending Trauma, says journaling can be a great pressure releasing valve when we feel overwhelmed or simply have a lot going on internally. When you visual your worries and emotions in black and white it can sometimes give you a clearer image of your needs and help you figure out your next steps. A psychologist, Sabrina Romanoff, says jotting down your thoughts can create space and distance to consider them in a more objective way. This detachment is called cognitive diffusion, a useful concept from acceptance and commitment therapy.
5. Explore your interests
Experiencing a trauma can easily divert you away from your interests and hobbies.
Reminding yourself of your abilities and the enjoyment you once had from it can aid you regain your confidence to start it again. They can also provide you with a routine and this can foster a sense of normality back into your life. Finding a new hobby will provide you with a new purpose and this will distract you from your present feelings.
Learn more about our charity campaign, ‘Someone To Talk To.’ We offer free one-on-one therapy sessions to support children who have experienced childhood trauma.
References
https://www.choosingtherapy.com/healing-from-childhood-trauma/
https://www.betterup.com/blog/childhood-trauma
https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-journaling
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/mindfulness/mindfulness-exercises-tips/
https://returntowellness.co.uk/2017/10/11/hobby-to-improve-your-mental-health/
https://returntowellness.co.uk/2017/09/13/how-hobbies-improve-your-mental-health-when-living-with-serious-illness-or-injury/
