Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse

See the link at the bottom to hear Dr. Post discussing Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse

The experience of developing a trusting, safe, therapeutic relationship for many people who have been abused as children is often a very new experience and can be quite transformative and offer them a new way to think of themselves and develop healthy choices in their relationships in the future. Some of the issues confronting people who were abused as children range the gamut from depression, anxiety, difficulty in relationships, poor self-esteem and self-concept, to confusion or discomfort with oneself as well as other issues including drug and alcohol abuse to name a few. Helping clients recognize some of the symptoms they might experience as the result of childhood abuse can be quite helpful in them learning how to identify and manage these symptoms when they occur. Two of the areas that are frequently addressed with people who have had this experience are post-traumatic stress disorder and complex trauma. Having a safe, supportive environment to process these feelings from the past and put a new adult frame around the picture so as to develop a new narrative for understanding what happened is a critical part of successful treatment.