The wounds may be invisible, but their impact is real.

Abuse isn’t always what you think

Abuse can take many forms. Yes, it can look like physical violence, sexual abuse or yelling—but it can also look like a “normal” childhood on the surface. Sometimes, the damage comes not from what happened, but from what didn’t. I often hear clients say, “I had a roof over my head, food on the table, my parents never talked about feelings openly, but my childhood was pretty normal.” But normal doesn’t always mean healthy.

Many adult survivors grew up with emotional neglect—homes where feelings were ignored, minimized, or met with silence. Maybe your parents worked constantly, struggled with their own trauma, or simply didn’t know how to connect. Maybe they were kind, but distant. Present, but unavailable. When no one mirrors your emotions or makes space for your inner world, you learn to shut it down. And that’s a form of trauma too.

If you’re an adult survivor of childhood abuse

You may carry invisible wounds that continue to shape your life—long after childhood ended. You might feel like you're constantly in survival mode. Maybe you’ve worked hard to “move on,” but still carry a deep sense of shame, anxiety, emotional numbness, or disconnection in your relationships.

These symptoms aren’t signs that you’re broken. They’re your body’s way of adapting—your nervous system doing exactly what it needed to do to keep you safe. But you don’t have to stay stuck in those old patterns forever.

The long shadow of childhood trauma

Trauma isn’t just stored in memory. It’s stored in the body—especially when it happens during critical stages of emotional and neurological development. This can show up as:

• Chronic self-doubt or feeling “not enough”

• Difficulty setting boundaries or trusting others

• Emotional shutdowns or heightened reactivity

• People-pleasing, caretaking, or perfectionism

• Physical symptoms like jaw tension, gut pain, or chest tightness

Even when you understand your past intellectually, your body may still be living as if danger is just around the corner.

Why traditional talk therapy may not be enough

While talk therapy can bring helpful insight, it often doesn’t reach the parts of the brain most affected by early trauma—like the brainstem and limbic system, which govern survival and emotional regulation.

That’s why so many survivors find themselves saying, “I understand it, but I still feel stuck.” Insight alone can’t rewire a nervous system trained to survive emotional abandonment or chronic stress.

A body-based approach to deep healing

In my work with adult survivors of childhood abuse, I use trauma-informed, body-based therapies to help you reconnect with your body, release stored pain, and build emotional safety from the inside out.

Therapies I offer include:

Brainspotting – A powerful modality that uses eye position to access the subcortical brain where trauma is stored. It allows the body—not just the mind—to process and release what’s been held for years.

EMDR therapy – An evidence-based method that helps reprocess traumatic memories, reduce emotional charge, and promote integration across both brain and body.

These approaches aren’t about reliving your past. They’re about helping you reclaim your present.

You’re not alone—and you’re not too far gone

No matter how long you’ve carried it, healing is still possible. You don’t have to prove your pain to deserve help. If any of this resonates, know that what happened to you matters—and how you feel now makes sense.

At Being Real, PLLC, I offer a compassionate, non-pathologizing space for adult survivors ready to break free from shame, survival patterns, and emotional loneliness. If you're ready to start or deepen your healing, I invite you to reach out.