10 Steps to Begin Healing from Childhood Trauma: A Practical Guide

You know what they say: your past makes you into the person you are today. The good, the bad, and the ugly. All of it shapes and molds you into who you are today.

This means that adverse childhood experiences or childhood trauma can impact you even into your adult years. While it may seem impossible to fully process and heal from a trauma that occurred years ago, it is possible.

While there isn’t a replacement for seeking support through a licensed and trained mental health professional, there are steps that you can start to start the healing process. Here is a practical guide with 10 steps to begin healing from childhood trauma.

1. Acknowledge What Happened

Trauma is difficult to manage the first time around. Most of the time, people affected by trauma tend to bury it deep, down inside of themselves, never fully processing what actually happened. While this may seem like a good short-term solution to feel better in the moment, it’s not a long-term solution, and this action can actually lead to worsening signs and symptoms. Acceptance and healing come a lot faster once you actually come to terms with what happened in your past.

2. Recognize Your Triggers

You may be exposed to certain people, places, sounds, tastes, or smells that bring back negative memories related to the traumatic event that you endured. Try to keep track of what people, places, or events bring on added stress or anxiety. Learning more about your triggers can help you work to either avoid them or work through them.

3. Stay Grounded

When it comes to childhood trauma, there is often a disconnect between the body and mind. Practicing mindfulness can help you stay grounded, in the present moment, and reconnect with your body, mind, and emotions. Mindfulness activities include activities like completing a body scan, deep breathing, or engaging in meditation or yoga. Try out a few of the different techniques to see what works best for you.

4. Start Journaling

Journaling is a great practice to get all of those thoughts and emotions from inside your head out to the pages of a notebook. It’s a form of a release. It’s not only beneficial at the time you’re actually journaling, but it can also be a great tool to look back on later and help you figure out any triggers or coping mechanisms that worked or didn’t work for you.

5. Participate in Activities that Bring You Joy

Engaging in activities that make you happy can help counteract some of the negative feelings and thoughts associated with your past trauma. Try to sign up for a recreational sport, creative class, or activity that you’re interested in to improve your overall mental health and wellness.

6. Move Your Body

Exercise is a great way to improve your physical health, but it’s also a great way to improve your mental well-being. Moving your body can help reduce your stress and anxiety levels while boosting your mood. You can move your body by going to the gym, walking outside, stretching in your home, or dancing. Find what works best for you and try to aim for at least thirty minutes each day.

7. Eat a Well Balanced Diet

You can feel good from the inside out by taking care of your body and mind through eating healthy and well-balanced meals. Try to eat between three to five meals that are filled with protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

8. Get Enough Sleep

You should also be aiming for at least eight hours of sleep each night so you have time to rest and recover. You can work towards this by getting on a good sleep schedule and routine. Sleep is essential so that your body and brain can perform to the best of their ability each day.

9. Give Yourself Grace

Try not to be so hard on yourself. Your past may shape you into the person you are today, but it doesn’t define you. Treat yourself like you’d treat a friend. Show yourself the same respect and kindness in a nonjudgmental way.

10. Seek Additional Support

Overcoming something like a childhood trauma can be challenging. You may not even know where to start. The good news is that you don’t have to go through this all on your own. Don’t be afraid to reach out for additional support. You could lean on your loved ones during this time or reach out to a therapist to help you dig deeper into the root cause of your trauma. A therapist will also be able to work with you to provide you with a safe and secure environment to explore those traumatic memories. Healing is possible. Reach out today to get started.