Your brain and your nervous system are wired for your survival and for you to continue forward with your life. So everything it does is for your protection.
Unfortunately, we sometimes go through adverse or traumatic experiences in childhood. And when it’s people close who mistreat us, it makes matter worse.
Relatives are supposed to be responsible to care and raise children. So it is very confusing for a child who is dependent on their parents to be crushed by their actions.
To keep the needed connexion necessary for survival, the brain will create protective dissociative barriers to occult the times they have been violent (physically, emotionally or sexually).
When a person expresses having memory lapses or a big fog over parts of their childhood, therapists need to be mindful and careful not to prompt too quickly or too much.
Dissociation has advantages, and has been useful for its main purpose for many years (even if it leads to problematic ramifications). There needs to be preparatory steps and exercices done before digging into possible adverse childhood experiences so that the person feels well-equipped, grounded and safe to discuss what may have happened to them.
All in due time and at your own pace, you will be able to shed light on your past, build a sense of continuity and draw the bright future you want for yourself.
With all my wellness wishes,
Geneviève Lepage, PhD
Doctor in psychology
EMDR Europe Certified Therapist
Comments