Parents/caregivers are responsible for creating a safe and loving environment for a child to grow and develop their personality. If this environment becomes threatening or scary, the child is forced to focus on surviving and avoiding danger rather than developing a sense of self. As a result, many survivors of childhood abuse struggle with low self-esteem and lack a sense of identity.

Types of Childhood Abuse:

Childhood abuse is any action by a caregiver that has a significant impact on the child’s emotional, physical, or psychological wellbeing. Abuse can be a single incident or chronic and can include physical abuse – sexual abuse – verbal abuse – emotional abuse – psychological abuse – neglect

How Psychotherapy Helps Survivors of Abuse

Participating in psychotherapy is an effective way to increase self-worth and heal from childhood abuse. A trauma informed therapist can use a variety of approaches and techniques to help each client process and heal from their trauma. Below are some therapeutic techniques you may experience in psychotherapy to help build self-worth:

-Develop sense of self:  Many survivors of childhood abuse report self-confusion and a lack of identity. Psychotherapy will help you explore your interests and teach you to recognize the difference between doing for yourself vs. doing for others’ approval.

-Strengthen healthy thinking: Many survivors have distorted thoughts about childhood abuse. An example is a survivor may blame themself instead of the perpetrator for the abuse. Psychotherapy teaches you to recognize distorted thoughts and to reframe those thoughts into healthier ways of understanding the abuse.

-Psycho-education: Low self-worth is largely caused by a lack of understanding of childhood abuse and its impact. Many survivors feel irrational guilt about the abuse or tend to minimize the abuse.  Psycho-education about childhood abuse will increase your awareness and understanding of the trauma you experienced.

-Therapeutic Relationship: In psychotherapy, the therapist demonstrates unconditional positive regard towards the client. This creates a safe space for you to increase self-worth and begin to heal from past trauma.

Getting Started with Psychotherapy

I specialize in working with survivors of childhood abuse. I use techniques from EMDR therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Attachment theory to help clients challenge their core negative beliefs and develop healthier ways of viewing themselves. Contact me to learn more about therapy for childhood abuse and trauma.

Online Locations: Nashville, Tennessee – Brentwood, Tennessee – Atlanta, Georgia – Sandy Springs, Georgia – Greater Tennessee and Georgia Area