Healing Past Childhood Trauma:
Reclaiming the Self You Lost

Some wounds don’t leave visible scars.

But you still feel their weight every single day. If you grew up with emotional neglect, abuse, or bullying, you might carry an invisible burden into adulthood. It can feel like a heavy cloak draped over your shoulders that no one else sees.

On the outside, you might appear fine – holding down a job, taking care of responsibilities, being a reliable friend, but inside, a younger part of you is still hurting, longing for the warmth and safety you never fully received. You might not even label what happened to you as “trauma” because perhaps it was just the normal you knew growing up. Yet the effects linger in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

Do any of these experiences sound familiar?

To keep others happy, you find yourself agreeing to things you don’t want to do. Your chest tightens with anxiety at the slightest sign of someone’s disapproval or rejection. No matter how much praise you earn, a voice inside insists you’re not good enough. You might have trouble trusting people who treat you well, waiting for the other shoe to drop because, deep down, you expect disappointment.

These are the echoes of a hurt that wasn’t healed. Decades later, that early pain still whispers that you are unworthy or unsafe. It can lead to persistent self-doubt, difficulty trusting others, and an ongoing sense of emptiness – as if something essential is missing inside you.

If you recognize yourself here, I want you to know that you are not alone and “broken” for feeling this way. It is possible to heal those old wounds.

Therapy offers gentle, compassionate healing.

Healing childhood trauma can feel daunting, especially if you’ve spent a lifetime burying the pain or telling yourself, “It wasn’t that bad; other people had it worse.” That’s why our work together will be gentle and at your pace.

From the very first session, I prioritize creating a sense of safety. You won’t be pressured to talk about anything before you’re ready. Simply having a space where you can share your feelings – or even sit quietly – while someone truly listens may be a new and healing experience.

I approach our sessions with warmth, patience, and deep empathy. There is no judgment here, only acceptance of everything you bring, including the parts of you that feel hurt, angry, or lost. Because trauma isn’t just something that happened to you but also something that happened inside you, I incorporate the body into our therapy (this is called somatic therapy). This might be as simple as noticing what sensations come up as you talk.

If you get a lump in your throat or your heart pounds when you recall a particular memory, we’ll gently acknowledge that and explore the memories it brings up. Your body holds pieces of your story that words might not fully capture. By including those unconscious signals, we can help that younger part of you feel seen and start to release some of the fear or grief it has been holding.

Therapy with me is collaborative.

For the first time, you may experience someone witnessing your pain compassionately rather than turning away.

We’ll get to know the brave survivor and the hurt child inside you and find a way to integrate them into a new story of your life.

I’m trained in trauma-informed modalities, which I’ll introduce if and when you feel comfortable.

Therapy offers the possibility of lasting change.

Go from surviving to thriving.

After years of carrying this invisible weight, you might wonder if lasting change is possible. I want to assure you – yes, it is. I have witnessed people who thought their past defined them forever gradually open up to a new life. It’s not overnight and not a straightforward process, but it’s genuine. With each session, you are giving your brain and heart a new, healing experience.

Over time, those new experiences replace the old, painful narrative. The frightened child within you begins to feel safer. The critical inner voice (perhaps an echo of someone from your past) grows quieter as you learn to speak to yourself with the kindness you always deserved.

As you process and release the pain you’ve carried, you’ll likely begin to notice changes in your everyday life. At first, they might be subtle. Maybe you sleep through the night without that familiar dread looming, find it a bit easier to say, “I need some help,” or ask for what you want and discover that the world doesn’t end when you do. You might catch yourself in the old people-pleasing pattern and, for once, decide to put your own needs first – and nothing bad happens; in fact, things get better.

Gradually, your relationships shift, and you will begin to attract and accept people who treat you with respect and care because you’re learning that you deserve those things. You might feel more present and connected rather than always bracing for the worst. Importantly, you start to feel comfortable in your own skin, possibly for the first time. Many clients describe it as a homecoming – a feeling of finally coming home to yourself after years of being estranged. The invisible weight isn’t gone all at once but gets lighter and lighter.

Healing from childhood trauma is a profound transformation.

It’s like tending to a small, neglected garden inside you. At first, you see barren soil and scraggly weeds resulting from years without proper care. But green shoots begin to emerge as we gently water and nurture them – with patience, compassion, and new filters with which to look at your life.

Over time, that inner garden can bloom. You cultivate self-compassion where there was once self-blame. You grow confidence in place of fear, set healthier boundaries, and feel worthy of doing so.

The changes you experience aren’t just temporary; they’re rooted deep within, creating a lasting shift in how you feel about yourself and what you expect from life. You move from merely surviving to truly thriving, cultivating the kind of life and inner peace that once seemed out of reach.

You deserve to heal!

You have carried these wounds long enough and deserve to set that burden down and experience what it’s like to live entirely and not just survive. Healing is possible, and you don’t have to do it alone. If what you’ve read here resonates with you, even just a little, I gently encourage you to reach out. I know it’s not easy to take that first step – especially if you’re used to handling everything alone or are fearful about revisiting the past. We’ll move at whatever pace feels right for you.

Send me a text, and we can set up a free consultation. This is simply a chance to talk about what you’re looking for and ask any questions you have about therapy. My practice is entirely virtual so that you can join from the comfort and safety of your space. There’s no obligation and no pressure; it’s an opportunity for you to sense whether this approach and my style are a good fit for you.

Remember, it’s never too late to heal or nurture the child within you and reclaim the life you want to lead. You are worthy of love, safety, and peace – feelings that trauma may have stolen from you but which can be regained with time and support.

When you’re ready, I’m here to walk beside you on this journey toward wholeness. You don’t have to carry that invisible weight any longer.

Your path to healing can start with a single, brave step: reaching out.

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