Why is understanding childhood trauma so important?

Why is understanding childhood trauma so important? Well, because it affects more people than you think and it can have a long-lasting impact on an individual’s brain development, relationships and mental health.

HOWEVER! I really want to highlight that while the impact of childhood trauma/abuse on the individual can be profound, this doesn’t need to define a person’s future. With the right relationships, positive experiences, and support, people who have experienced childhood trauma can absolutely move forward and go onto lead happy and fulfilling lives.

ABOUT ME
Hello! My name is Miranda and I am a second year Trainee Clinical Psychologist. Every Sunday at 2pm I share videos on clinical psychology and mental health. These are sometimes serious, sometimes less serious, but always have the intention of making you smile!

SOCIALS:
Twitter: @theworrypeople

TIME STAMPS:
0:00 Introduction
1:03 Defining childhood trauma
2:37 Introduction to the brain
5:19 Impact on the brain
8:18 Impact on relationships
10:39 Impact on mental health
13:01 Closing comments

REFERENCES & RESOURCES
@DanSiegel – Hand model of the brain

Dan Siegel – “Flipping your lid”

Dan Siegel – childhood trauma on the brain

Mindfulness and the window of tolerance

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) – Felitti et al. (1998)

Childhood abuse as a risk factor for psychosis (Janssen et al. 2004)
Childhood deprivation associations with altered brain structure (Mackes, 2020)