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Popular science articles about my research:

🇸🇪 Därför intresserar sig barn för kroppen (av Sara Djurberg), Förskolan 03/2018

🇸🇪 Motorik viktig för inlärni ngen (av Linda Kling), Förskolan 03/2017

🇬🇧 Prospective motor control in infancy is related to inhibition and working memory (by Janna Gottwald), Society for Personality and Social Psychology Blog, 12/2016

🇸🇪 Motorik kopplas till exekutiva funktioner hos spädbarn (av Thomas Gustafsson), Special Nest, 11/2016

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About me

I am a psychologist, educator and psychotherapist in training. My expertise is in clinical psychology, mental health, developmental psychology, embodiment, early childhood and trauma in adults.

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Dr. Janna Gottwald Follow

Psychologist, psychotherapist trainee and educator specialising in embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years affect us as adults. PhD @UU_university

Dr. Janna Gottwald @jannagottwald ·

27 Jun

Von Liebe allein kann man nicht leben. Zum Stand der Wissenschaft in Deutschland. Sehr empfehlenswerte Situationsbeschreibung von @DoktorWhatson
#IchBinHanna #WissZeitVG

Doktor Whatson @DoktorWhatson

Wir lieben die Wissenschaft. Aber nicht alles läuft so, wie es sollte! Prekäre Arbeitsbedingungen, großer Druck und Abhängigkeit plagen viele Wissenschaftler*innen.

Was hat das mit #IchBinHanna zu tun? Darum geht's im neuen Video: https://youtu.be/EA3LiXvjdTE

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Dr. Dennis Eckmeier @denniseckmeier ·

26 Jun

Die prekären Arbeitsbedingungen vor allem junger Forscherinnen und Forscher gehen uns alle etwas an. Deshalb beschäftigen wir uns bei @DoktorWhatson diesmal mit der dunklen Seite der Wissenschaft.

#IchBinHanna #WissZeitVG

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Victim blaming is the paradox reaction to a person or a group of people who’ve experienced violence or other negative, potentially traumatic and life-altering events. Instead of providing empathy, compassion and care, we put the responsibility on the person and might even tell them what they did to draw this misfortune, the trauma, the abuse etc. on themselves. We blame the victim.

Why? There is one prominent mechanism at work.

Many people can’t take the feelings of (own) helplessness, terror and loss of control an abuse victim or trauma survivor inevitably confronts them with.

“Victims of misfortune and violence mercilessly intrude themselves upon us, because they bring us in contact with our own helplessness - a state that apparently is barely bearable”, writes ego state therapist and psychoanalyst Jochen Peichl (my translation).

In order to not feel these disturbing and disruptive emotions, we might cling to the idea of a “just” - that is a controllable and predictable - world. If the world is just, nothing bad can suddenly happen to us. This (often unconscious) belief helps us to feel safe.

A person who’ve experienced extreme things questions this belief by just existing and talking about what happened.

A way to stick to the “just world hypothesis” is to make the victim responsible for their misfortune. They must have done something wrong! They could have prevented what happens to them! It was their fault!

This helps us to hold onto the illusion of control and to avoid the pain that comes with living in an unjust world. Victim blaming is connected to the illusion that bad things only happen to bad people and that we can avoid pain and suffering by just being good people. We deny our own vulnerability.

📖 Furnham, A. (2003). Belief in a just world: Research progress over the past decade. Personality and Individual Differences, 34(5): 795-817.

📖 Jochen Peichl (2020). Innere Kinder, Täter, Helfer & Co: Ego-State-Therapie des traumatisierten Selbst.

❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed.

❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

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•

Victim blaming is the paradox reaction to a person or a group of people who’ve experienced violence or other negative, potentially traumatic and life-altering events. Instead of providing empathy, compassion and care, we put the responsibility on the person and might even tell them what they did to draw this misfortune, the trauma, the abuse etc. on themselves. We blame the victim. Why? There is one prominent mechanism at work. Many people can’t take the feelings of (own) helplessness, terror and loss of control an abuse victim or trauma survivor inevitably confronts them with. “Victims of misfortune and violence mercilessly intrude themselves upon us, because they bring us in contact with our own helplessness - a state that apparently is barely bearable”, writes ego state therapist and psychoanalyst Jochen Peichl (my translation). In order to not feel these disturbing and disruptive emotions, we might cling to the idea of a “just” - that is a controllable and predictable - world. If the world is just, nothing bad can suddenly happen to us. This (often unconscious) belief helps us to feel safe. A person who’ve experienced extreme things questions this belief by just existing and talking about what happened. A way to stick to the “just world hypothesis” is to make the victim responsible for their misfortune. They must have done something wrong! They could have prevented what happens to them! It was their fault! This helps us to hold onto the illusion of control and to avoid the pain that comes with living in an unjust world. Victim blaming is connected to the illusion that bad things only happen to bad people and that we can avoid pain and suffering by just being good people. We deny our own vulnerability. 📖 Furnham, A. (2003). Belief in a just world: Research progress over the past decade. Personality and Individual Differences, 34(5): 795-817. 📖 Jochen Peichl (2020). Innere Kinder, Täter, Helfer & Co: Ego-State-Therapie des traumatisierten Selbst. ❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed. ❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

5 days ago

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Our psyche has different parts. This thinking is central for psychodynamic theory and also for IFS and Ego-State therapy.

We internalise our earliest relationship experiences. Those relationships are reflected in how different parts of our psyche relate to each other. Psychoanalysis speaks in this context of objects and introjects, IFS of parts, Ego-State therapy of states. They mean similar things.

During and after trauma, some of these parts in us get more extreme and polarised. There are parts that represent critics and persecutors (protector parts) and parts that represent the inner wounded child or helpless victim (exiles).

It sounds a bit spooky to think of these criticising and punishing parts as coming from the original traumatising person. However, these are *impressions* of them and not parts from the originally abusing or neglecting person. These inner parts carry impressions from the actual traumatising person and from emotions both, the trauma survivor and the traumatising person had during the traumatic experience. These parts develop and can change with time. So they aren’t merely a direct mirror image of the traumatising person.

These persecutor parts developed from the traumatic experience, however, they developed to allow the person to survive their trauma. They were originally part of a coping attempt. They try to protect the person from further traumatisation in the outer world.

It becomes problematic however for the survivor, who now has the traumatic experience within them and often struggles with safe connection (within and with other people).

Jochen Peichl, a German psychoanalyst and ego-state therapist, emphasises the importance of distinguishing between *intention* and *content* of these extreme critical, punishing and persecuting parts.

It is important to acknowledge their attempt to help and their efforts to make survival possible. It is however crucial to explicitly distance ourselves from the content of their negative messages.

📖 Jochen Peichl (2020). Innere Kinder, Täter, Helfer & Co.

📖 Jochen Peichl (2019). Innere Kritiker, Verfolger und Zerstörer.

❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on childhood trauma.

janna.gottwald

•

Our psyche has different parts. This thinking is central for psychodynamic theory and also for IFS and Ego-State therapy. We internalise our earliest relationship experiences. Those relationships are reflected in how different parts of our psyche relate to each other. Psychoanalysis speaks in this context of objects and introjects, IFS of parts, Ego-State therapy of states. They mean similar things. During and after trauma, some of these parts in us get more extreme and polarised. There are parts that represent critics and persecutors (protector parts) and parts that represent the inner wounded child or helpless victim (exiles). It sounds a bit spooky to think of these criticising and punishing parts as coming from the original traumatising person. However, these are *impressions* of them and not parts from the originally abusing or neglecting person. These inner parts carry impressions from the actual traumatising person and from emotions both, the trauma survivor and the traumatising person had during the traumatic experience. These parts develop and can change with time. So they aren’t merely a direct mirror image of the traumatising person. These persecutor parts developed from the traumatic experience, however, they developed to allow the person to survive their trauma. They were originally part of a coping attempt. They try to protect the person from further traumatisation in the outer world. It becomes problematic however for the survivor, who now has the traumatic experience within them and often struggles with safe connection (within and with other people). Jochen Peichl, a German psychoanalyst and ego-state therapist, emphasises the importance of distinguishing between *intention* and *content* of these extreme critical, punishing and persecuting parts. It is important to acknowledge their attempt to help and their efforts to make survival possible. It is however crucial to explicitly distance ourselves from the content of their negative messages. 📖 Jochen Peichl (2020). Innere Kinder, Täter, Helfer & Co. 📖 Jochen Peichl (2019). Innere Kritiker, Verfolger und Zerstörer. ❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on childhood trauma.

3 weeks ago

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2/9

„It is our sense, that many of the problematic transference reactions that analysts and psychotherapists describe may be needlessly difficult, or even terrifying, because the therapist has not taken into account that the foundation of nervous system organization and regulation is not yet in place.“

Psychoanalytic thinking is invaluable for understanding interpersonal relationship dynamics and the specifics of the inner world of trauma survivors. However, classical psychoanalysis and working *in* the transference can be retraumatising and counterproductive for people who’ve experienced developmental trauma.

Laurence Heller and Aline LaPierre describe what can go wrong in psychodynamic therapies focusing on transference in their work with trauma survivors.

In line with Judith Herman’s and other trauma therapists’ suggestions, Heller and LaPierre state, that safety needs to be established first. Trauma survivors need to learn how to self-regulate and how to handle their strong, sometimes overwhelming emotions first, before explicitly focusing on transference dynamics in session can be helpful.

“The underlying deficits in nervous system organization must first be addressed.”

Psychodynamic therapies that follow trauma- and arrested development-oriented thinking as compared to traditional Freudian conflict-oriented thinking *only* are better equipped to help people who’ve experienced developmental trauma.

This is a complex topic, since psychodynamic therapists use their own countertransference to learn about the patient’s development and relational experiences. It’s an important matter of therapeutic technique however how to work with this knowledge in session.

Note, that only a few analysts today work old-school in a Freudian way. There are many different schools and developments in modern psychoanalysis.

📖 Laurence Heller & Aline LaPierre Healing (2012). Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image, and the Capacity for Relationship.

❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed.

❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

janna.gottwald

•

„It is our sense, that many of the problematic transference reactions that analysts and psychotherapists describe may be needlessly difficult, or even terrifying, because the therapist has not taken into account that the foundation of nervous system organization and regulation is not yet in place.“ Psychoanalytic thinking is invaluable for understanding interpersonal relationship dynamics and the specifics of the inner world of trauma survivors. However, classical psychoanalysis and working *in* the transference can be retraumatising and counterproductive for people who’ve experienced developmental trauma. Laurence Heller and Aline LaPierre describe what can go wrong in psychodynamic therapies focusing on transference in their work with trauma survivors. In line with Judith Herman’s and other trauma therapists’ suggestions, Heller and LaPierre state, that safety needs to be established first. Trauma survivors need to learn how to self-regulate and how to handle their strong, sometimes overwhelming emotions first, before explicitly focusing on transference dynamics in session can be helpful. “The underlying deficits in nervous system organization must first be addressed.” Psychodynamic therapies that follow trauma- and arrested development-oriented thinking as compared to traditional Freudian conflict-oriented thinking *only* are better equipped to help people who’ve experienced developmental trauma. This is a complex topic, since psychodynamic therapists use their own countertransference to learn about the patient’s development and relational experiences. It’s an important matter of therapeutic technique however how to work with this knowledge in session. Note, that only a few analysts today work old-school in a Freudian way. There are many different schools and developments in modern psychoanalysis. 📖 Laurence Heller & Aline LaPierre Healing (2012). Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image, and the Capacity for Relationship. ❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed. ❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

1 month ago

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3/9

How do trauma, shame and negative beliefs about oneself interact? And what difference does it make whether we talk about developmental trauma or a single shock trauma in adulthood?

Laurence Heller and Aline LaPierre write “trauma creates nervous system dysregulation. When people experience trauma, they feel bad; children, in particular think they are bad when they feel bad."

When children feel bad, they believe they themselves are bad. This perceived badness is not only connected to their actions or behaviour, but to their whole person. Feeling bad as a person often is connected to a deep sense of shame. The shame about being the person one is.

When children (like adults) get traumatised, they experience dysregulation of their nervous system.

Heller and LaPierre go on and explain how dysregulation and shame can contribute to distress cycles that keep on reinforcing themselves:

"Chronic bottom-up dysregulation and distress lead to negative identifications, beliefs, and judgments about ourselves. These negative identifications, beliefs, and judgments in turn trigger more nervous system dysregulation, and a distress cycle is created."

This means, people often interpret their bodily and emotional reactions to trauma. They judge themselves and all of this adds to negative self beliefs that then in turn create even more dysregulation.

If there is no “before trauma”, as it is the case for people who’ve experienced developmental trauma, these cycles can run deeper than for people who haven’t experienced early childhood trauma. The trauma is deeper woven in one’s history. Young children in particular believe that the things that happen to them and the negative relationship experiences are about them. So, it’s very likely that trauma makes them feel bad and deeply ashamed about themselves.

📖 Laurence Heller & Aline LaPierre (2012). Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image, and the Capacity for Relationship.

❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed.

❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

janna.gottwald

•

How do trauma, shame and negative beliefs about oneself interact? And what difference does it make whether we talk about developmental trauma or a single shock trauma in adulthood? Laurence Heller and Aline LaPierre write “trauma creates nervous system dysregulation. When people experience trauma, they feel bad; children, in particular think they are bad when they feel bad." When children feel bad, they believe they themselves are bad. This perceived badness is not only connected to their actions or behaviour, but to their whole person. Feeling bad as a person often is connected to a deep sense of shame. The shame about being the person one is. When children (like adults) get traumatised, they experience dysregulation of their nervous system. Heller and LaPierre go on and explain how dysregulation and shame can contribute to distress cycles that keep on reinforcing themselves: "Chronic bottom-up dysregulation and distress lead to negative identifications, beliefs, and judgments about ourselves. These negative identifications, beliefs, and judgments in turn trigger more nervous system dysregulation, and a distress cycle is created." This means, people often interpret their bodily and emotional reactions to trauma. They judge themselves and all of this adds to negative self beliefs that then in turn create even more dysregulation. If there is no “before trauma”, as it is the case for people who’ve experienced developmental trauma, these cycles can run deeper than for people who haven’t experienced early childhood trauma. The trauma is deeper woven in one’s history. Young children in particular believe that the things that happen to them and the negative relationship experiences are about them. So, it’s very likely that trauma makes them feel bad and deeply ashamed about themselves. 📖 Laurence Heller & Aline LaPierre (2012). Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image, and the Capacity for Relationship. ❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed. ❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

1 month ago

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4/9

In her groundbreaking book “Trauma and Recovery”, Judith Herman emphasises that recovery has to begin with establishing safety.

Her three stage model of trauma recovery includes

1️⃣ Safety,
2️⃣ Remembrance and mourning, and
3️⃣ Reconnection.

“Safety always begins with the body. If a person does not feel safe in her body, she does not feel safe anywhere.” Here, co-regulation of the dysregulated autonomic nervous system in a safe and trusting relationship is key.

These experiences of safety in a trusting relationships however are a challenge for trauma survivors: “The paradox and challenge of psychotherapy with trauma survivors is that it requires a trusting relationship as its foundation, yet with people whose trust has been profoundly violated, building trust must be a goal rather than a precondition of treatment.”

This paradox process takes time, entails a lot of back and forth, and the necessarily encountered ruptures need repair within the therapeutic relationship. Trauma therapy means long-term treatment. “Obviously, everyone would like to have a brief, simple, inexpensive treatment that is also effective”, remarks Herman, “but wishing, alas does not make it so.”

It takes time, but it is possible to overcome toxic shame, intolerable feelings and to finally develop deep and fulfilling connections with others. “Witnessing the lives transformed in this process of recovery is what enables us old-timers, the practitioners of ‘plain old therapy’, to keep on going on”, concludes Herman.

📖 Judith Herman: Trauma and Recovery.

❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed.

❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

janna.gottwald

•

In her groundbreaking book “Trauma and Recovery”, Judith Herman emphasises that recovery has to begin with establishing safety. Her three stage model of trauma recovery includes 1️⃣ Safety, 2️⃣ Remembrance and mourning, and 3️⃣ Reconnection. “Safety always begins with the body. If a person does not feel safe in her body, she does not feel safe anywhere.” Here, co-regulation of the dysregulated autonomic nervous system in a safe and trusting relationship is key. These experiences of safety in a trusting relationships however are a challenge for trauma survivors: “The paradox and challenge of psychotherapy with trauma survivors is that it requires a trusting relationship as its foundation, yet with people whose trust has been profoundly violated, building trust must be a goal rather than a precondition of treatment.” This paradox process takes time, entails a lot of back and forth, and the necessarily encountered ruptures need repair within the therapeutic relationship. Trauma therapy means long-term treatment. “Obviously, everyone would like to have a brief, simple, inexpensive treatment that is also effective”, remarks Herman, “but wishing, alas does not make it so.” It takes time, but it is possible to overcome toxic shame, intolerable feelings and to finally develop deep and fulfilling connections with others. “Witnessing the lives transformed in this process of recovery is what enables us old-timers, the practitioners of ‘plain old therapy’, to keep on going on”, concludes Herman. 📖 Judith Herman: Trauma and Recovery. ❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed. ❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

2 months ago

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5/9

Bessel van der Kolk @bessel_van writes in “The body keeps the score” @thebodykeepsthescore about the essence of the therapeutic relationship that comes with self-discovery of the childhood trauma survivor: “Finding words where words were absent before and, as a result, being able to share your deepest pain and deepest feelings with another human being. This is one of the most profound experiences we can have, and such resonance, in which hitherto unspoken words can be discovered, uttered, and received, is fundamental to healing the isolation of trauma - especially if other people in our lives have ignored or silenced us. Communicating fully is the opposite of being traumatized.”

Connection is the antidote to the isolation of trauma. Sharing our experience and be witnessed by an accepting and empathic other is crucial in the healing of trauma. Connecting with a present other helps also with acknowledging ourselves what happened to us and how it impacted us.

Having a compassionate witness, being witnessed and truly seen makes resilience and therewith post traumatic growth possible. In this context, I’d like to point out Alice Miller’s work. She highlights how important compassionate witnesses are for children, who are not sufficiently seen by their caregivers and/or experienced abused. These can be empathic teachers, librarians or other safe adults in the child’s life. Later in adulthood, a therapist can be this witness too. And from an IFS-perspective, we ourselves become the witness to our story: The Self witnesses the exiled part, the inner wounded child.

This is the way out of the isolation of trauma.

📖 Bessel van der Kolk (2014). The body keeps the score: Mind, brain and body in the transformation of trauma.

📖 Alice Miller (1997). The drama of the gifted child.

📖 Alice Miller (2005). The Body Never Lies: The Lingering Effects of Hurtful Parenting.

❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed.

❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

janna.gottwald

•

Bessel van der Kolk @bessel_van writes in “The body keeps the score” @thebodykeepsthescore about the essence of the therapeutic relationship that comes with self-discovery of the childhood trauma survivor: “Finding words where words were absent before and, as a result, being able to share your deepest pain and deepest feelings with another human being. This is one of the most profound experiences we can have, and such resonance, in which hitherto unspoken words can be discovered, uttered, and received, is fundamental to healing the isolation of trauma - especially if other people in our lives have ignored or silenced us. Communicating fully is the opposite of being traumatized.” Connection is the antidote to the isolation of trauma. Sharing our experience and be witnessed by an accepting and empathic other is crucial in the healing of trauma. Connecting with a present other helps also with acknowledging ourselves what happened to us and how it impacted us. Having a compassionate witness, being witnessed and truly seen makes resilience and therewith post traumatic growth possible. In this context, I’d like to point out Alice Miller’s work. She highlights how important compassionate witnesses are for children, who are not sufficiently seen by their caregivers and/or experienced abused. These can be empathic teachers, librarians or other safe adults in the child’s life. Later in adulthood, a therapist can be this witness too. And from an IFS-perspective, we ourselves become the witness to our story: The Self witnesses the exiled part, the inner wounded child. This is the way out of the isolation of trauma. 📖 Bessel van der Kolk (2014). The body keeps the score: Mind, brain and body in the transformation of trauma. 📖 Alice Miller (1997). The drama of the gifted child. 📖 Alice Miller (2005). The Body Never Lies: The Lingering Effects of Hurtful Parenting. ❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed. ❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

2 months ago

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6/9

“The narrative of developmental trauma is primarily a somatic narrative”, write Kathy Kain and Stephen Terrell.

Developmental trauma origins from the first 3 to 5 years of life, where memory works differently than in later years. The brain is developing rapidly during these early years and episodic memory starts earliest around year 3.

This high plasticity and adaptability of our nervous system also comes with downsides - trauma during the early years has a profound impact on the developing child and therewith the later adult.

It is not surprising, that many people have no clear verbal narrative to their developmental trauma. The memories show up in their behaviour, relationships and emotional flashbacks instead. The memories show up somatically, as motor or procedural memory. Developmental trauma can be somatically linked to pain or autoimmune diseases.

📖 Kathy Kain & Stephen Terrell (2012). Nurturing Resilence: Helping clients move forward from developmental trauma. An integrity somatic approach.

❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed.

❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

janna.gottwald

•

“The narrative of developmental trauma is primarily a somatic narrative”, write Kathy Kain and Stephen Terrell. Developmental trauma origins from the first 3 to 5 years of life, where memory works differently than in later years. The brain is developing rapidly during these early years and episodic memory starts earliest around year 3. This high plasticity and adaptability of our nervous system also comes with downsides - trauma during the early years has a profound impact on the developing child and therewith the later adult. It is not surprising, that many people have no clear verbal narrative to their developmental trauma. The memories show up in their behaviour, relationships and emotional flashbacks instead. The memories show up somatically, as motor or procedural memory. Developmental trauma can be somatically linked to pain or autoimmune diseases. 📖 Kathy Kain & Stephen Terrell (2012). Nurturing Resilence: Helping clients move forward from developmental trauma. An integrity somatic approach. ❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed. ❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

2 months ago

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„The most basic definition of developmental trauma: when we were young, bad things happened, and those who should have been there to help and care for us could not, or did not, help us navigate the situation“, write Kathy Kain and Stephen Terrell about trauma narratives in their book on developmental trauma.

It is not only the frightening experience of helplessness that makes up the traumatic experience, but also the experience that an important person did not help or protect the young child.

There are different reasons, why caregivers don’t help, continue Kain and Terrell, and why they “couldn’t, wouldn’t, or didn’t comfort us, protect us, love us.” It could be that they “tried to help but did not succeed; [there are] different ways our care providers were instead the source of fear and pain.”

📖 Kathy Kain & Stephen Terrell (2012). Nurturing Resilence: Helping clients move forward from developmental trauma. An integrity somatic approach.

❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed.

❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

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•

„The most basic definition of developmental trauma: when we were young, bad things happened, and those who should have been there to help and care for us could not, or did not, help us navigate the situation“, write Kathy Kain and Stephen Terrell about trauma narratives in their book on developmental trauma. It is not only the frightening experience of helplessness that makes up the traumatic experience, but also the experience that an important person did not help or protect the young child. There are different reasons, why caregivers don’t help, continue Kain and Terrell, and why they “couldn’t, wouldn’t, or didn’t comfort us, protect us, love us.” It could be that they “tried to help but did not succeed; [there are] different ways our care providers were instead the source of fear and pain.” 📖 Kathy Kain & Stephen Terrell (2012). Nurturing Resilence: Helping clients move forward from developmental trauma. An integrity somatic approach. ❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed. ❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

2 months ago

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„For children who have experienced early trauma, we know that one of their greatest needs is to be seen, heard, and believed“, write Kathy Kain and Stephen Terrell in their book on developmental trauma.

This book written for clinicians covers modern attachment theory, knowledge on autonomic nervous system regulation, epigenetics and traumatic stress and the role of somatic work in therapeutic work with clients who’ve experienced developmental trauma.

Developmental trauma is trauma that occurred in the first 3 to 5 years of life, when the brain is rapidly developing and the child is especially dependent on adults for regulation, attunement and mirroring. Young children need safe relationships to their caregiver(s).

For adult clients with developmental trauma then, the “potential denial of the validity of their narratives can be an reenactment of earlier trauma experiences.”

That’s why validating the experience and the story of a developmental trauma survivor is especially important. The experience of being seen, heard, and believed can be a game-changer. These experiences are part of the attachment repair work in therapy.

📖 Kathy L. Kain & Stephen J. Terrell (2018). Nurturing Resilience: Helping clients move forward from developmental trauma. An integrative somatic approach.

❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed.

❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

janna.gottwald

•

„For children who have experienced early trauma, we know that one of their greatest needs is to be seen, heard, and believed“, write Kathy Kain and Stephen Terrell in their book on developmental trauma. This book written for clinicians covers modern attachment theory, knowledge on autonomic nervous system regulation, epigenetics and traumatic stress and the role of somatic work in therapeutic work with clients who’ve experienced developmental trauma. Developmental trauma is trauma that occurred in the first 3 to 5 years of life, when the brain is rapidly developing and the child is especially dependent on adults for regulation, attunement and mirroring. Young children need safe relationships to their caregiver(s). For adult clients with developmental trauma then, the “potential denial of the validity of their narratives can be an reenactment of earlier trauma experiences.” That’s why validating the experience and the story of a developmental trauma survivor is especially important. The experience of being seen, heard, and believed can be a game-changer. These experiences are part of the attachment repair work in therapy. 📖 Kathy L. Kain & Stephen J. Terrell (2018). Nurturing Resilience: Helping clients move forward from developmental trauma. An integrative somatic approach. ❤️ Save this post to come back to it whenever needed. ❤️ Follow @janna.gottwald for more content on embodiment, childhood trauma and how our early years relate to mental health as adults.

3 months ago

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Dr. Janna Gottwald-Stridbeck, Dipl.-Psych.

Psychologist | Psychotherapist in training | Educator 🇬🇧🇸🇪🇩🇪

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