What Anger Management?
Children who experience violence, abuse, or neglect from their parents/caregivers can suffer long-term impacts on their lives and relationships.
Many survivors of childhood trauma can find it difficult to identify or remember specific events, even though they are aware that they have experienced violence or abuse. They may struggle with feeling guilty and ashamed about their experience or they may try to cope by ignoring their trauma, wanting to keep it a secret and trying to move on with their lives.
Growing up with childhood trauma, feeling unsafe, hurt, and helpless can continue into adult life, leading to any of the following challenges:
- Anxiety – difficulty socialising and avoidance of social settings
- Trust issues
- Anger and violence
- Depression
- Self-harming
- Low self-esteem
- Ongoing hypervigilance
- Guilt and shame
- Sleeping difficulties
- Nightmares and flashbacks
- A pattern of over-achievement
Adult survivors of childhood trauma often experience increases in symptoms when they become parents. Worrying about not wanting to repeat their childhood experiences, they might struggle or feel overwhelmed by feelings and memories of the past.
Treatments for Survivors of Childhood Trauma
The therapeutic alliance between the therapist and the individual who has experienced childhood trauma is important for a successful intervention. As mentioned above, trust is often difficult. Also, it can be challenging to reflect on childhood trauma. As an experienced therapist, I always reassure my clients that they do not have to disclose any information that makes them uncomfortable. It’s important working at the client’s pace so they don’t feel overwhelmed.
Evidence-based treatment interventions with Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy (CBT) help us understand how our thinking creates feelings and drives our behaviours. Furthermore, identifying the impact of childhood trauma and its impact on cognition and behaviour will help with learning how to cope with triggers and reduce or overcome the impact of childhood trauma.
Grounding techniques, like relaxation or control breathing techniques, are also effective for finding calm and dealing with trauma-related agitation and stress. Practicing mindfulness helps with being in the present moment and being more in control of thoughts, emotions, and responses, thus learning to adjust to present life circumstances, reducing/overcoming the impact of trauma, and making the future more peaceful and happy.
If you have experienced trauma as a child and feels it’s still has an impact on your life, book an appointment with Jayani Jayatilake, Peaceful Mind Counselling.
A highly experienced Counsellor, Jayani Jayatilake has a Masters Degree in Social Work. Jayani believes that the client is an expert in his/her own situation and encourages clients to take an active role in their recovery by helping them to recognise and acknowledge their own strengths, resilience and resourcefulness in overcoming barriers to improve their quality of life
