Healing Childhood Trauma: Reclaiming Your Life and Nurturing Your Inner Child

Ali Iverson (Schilling), Psy.D.
Jul 27, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Jun 8

Childhood trauma can cast a long shadow—one that silently influences how we see ourselves, how we connect with others, and how we cope with life’s challenges. Whether you’re a parent striving to break generational cycles or an adult beginning to unpack your own pain, healing from childhood trauma is not only possible—it’s powerful.

At BrainBody Wellness Counseling in Arizona, we believe your past does not define your future. In this post, we’ll walk you through the journey of healing childhood trauma, share key steps you can take, and offer hope that recovery is within reach.

What Is Childhood Trauma?

Childhood trauma refers to deeply distressing experiences during early development—such as abuse, neglect, bullying, witnessing violence, or the loss of a caregiver. These moments don’t just fade with time. Instead, they can live on in the nervous system, affecting our relationships, emotional regulation, and sense of safety—even decades later.

For many adults and parents, the effects of childhood trauma can show up as:

Persistent anxiety or depression
Difficulty trusting others or setting boundaries
Low self-esteem or a harsh inner critic
Parenting struggles, including emotional reactivity or fear of repeating cycles

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and you’re not broken. You’re carrying pain that deserves to be understood and healed.

The Journey to Healing Childhood Trauma

Healing doesn’t mean forgetting the past. It means reclaiming your voice, your peace, and your power. Here are key steps that support deep, lasting healing:

1. Acknowledge and Validate Your Experience

Many adults minimize or dismiss their childhood trauma. Maybe no one ever validated your pain. Maybe you were told to "move on" or "get over it." But healing starts with the opposite: acknowledging that what happened to you matters.

By validating your pain and understanding its impact, you begin to move from self-blame to self-compassion—a critical step toward healing.

2. Seek Support from a Trauma-Informed Therapist

Healing childhood trauma isn’t something you have to do alone. In fact, you shouldn’t.

A trauma-informed therapist can provide the safety, tools, and insight needed to begin your healing journey. At BrainBody Wellness AZ, we offer trauma therapy in Arizona using evidence-based approaches like:

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
Brainspotting
Inner child healing work

These therapies are designed to help process painful memories, reduce emotional triggers, and restore a sense of safety in your body and mind.

3. Practice Self-Compassion and Self-Care

It’s easy to be hard on yourself, especially when old wounds surface. But healing childhood trauma requires tenderness. Small daily practices—like breathing exercises, walking outdoors, journaling, or saying “no” when you need rest—build emotional resilience over time.

Treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer your own child. This is how reparenting begins.

4. Reconnect with Your Inner Child

Within every adult lives a younger version of themselves—often scared, hurt, or unseen. Reconnecting with your inner child can bring profound healing. Try drawing, writing letters to your younger self, or engaging in creative activities you loved as a child.

As you nurture this part of you, you begin to reclaim the joy, playfulness, and authenticity that trauma may have dimmed.

5. Build Healthy, Supportive Relationships

Healing also happens in community. Whether it’s with a partner, a trusted friend, or a support group, safe relationships can help rewire the parts of your brain that learned to expect pain or abandonment.

Therapy can also help you:

Set healthy boundaries
Improve communication
Trust others without fear of being hurt

When we feel safe in connection, we thrive.

You Deserve to Heal

Healing from childhood trauma takes time, but every step forward is a win. Whether you’re a parent working to raise emotionally healthy kids or an adult ready to reclaim your life, therapy can help you create the future you deserve.

At BrainBody Wellness Counseling, we specialize in trauma therapy for children, teens, and adults across Arizona. Our compassionate team is here to walk with you—whether you're navigating childhood trauma, parenting challenges, or simply seeking peace.