If you’ve experienced trauma, abuse, or neglect, you may see the world as a cruel and unforgiving place. Feeling unsafe or unprotected, you may have withdrawn or distanced yourself from others, experiencing anger, fear, and isolation, along with a deep sense of ‘just not fitting in.’

 

You may have become wary and suspicious of others, feeling undeserving of love or compassion, navigating the world with caution and self-protection. In response to deep emotional pain, you might have turned to addictive or destructive behaviours.

 

—–You may now have reached a point where the survival strategies you once relied on no longer reflect who you are or who you want to be. Turning to alcohol or drugs to numb the pain, disconnecting from yourself or distancing yourself from others, may have been natural responses to trauma  —but now, they may feel like they’re only deepening your sense of isolation, depression and anxiety.

 

—- Therapy offers a chance to reconnect with your emotional self, recognising that you did what you needed to survive, while also providing an opportunity to ask yourself honestly and courageously if those strategies are still serving you.