What is developmental and attachment trauma?

In our early years, we’re wired to seek safety and comfort in our primary caregivers. This instinct is rooted in our survival, since we can’t care for and protect ourselves when we’re little. If we receive predictable and consistent care we develop healthy self esteem, learn to regulate our emotions and nervous system, and trust that we can depend on others when we need to. 

When care is inconsistent, neglectful, or harmful, it’s another story. Because our relationships with our caregivers are central to our survival as children, inconsistency, neglect, and harm in these connections register as a profound threat, one we have little power to neutralize. And whenever an event is coloured by this combination of threat and powerlessness, our survival instincts get overwhelmed and the brain experiences the event as traumatic. 

While the extent ranges widely, most of us have at least some degree of developmental and attachment trauma. That doesn’t necessarily mean we had bad caregivers. It’s just that when we’re little we don’t have much capacity to effectively respond to threats, so it’s pretty easy for our nervous systems to get overwhelmed.

This means that most of us carry wounds from our past, which become triggered in our relationships and day-to-day life. Once we’re triggered, it’s not our most authentic self showing up, it’s parts of us we developed during past distress to keep safe and keep going. 

How does therapy help developmental and attachment trauma?

Therapy can help you understand where the remnants of past wounds are influencing the way you show up in your life today. It can then support you in tending to those wounds so you can show up as you, not your defences. 

In session, we’ll promote this by working to shift your automatic, unconscious responses to triggering events, which are often oriented toward protection rather than connection, joy, or growth.

How is developmental and attachment trauma different from Complex PTSD?

Both Complex PTSD and developmental and attachment trauma are typically caused by traumatic events that are relational in nature. The difference is that complex trauma can happen at any point in life, whereas developmental and attachment trauma happens specifically during childhood. Those who have encountered significant developmental and attachment trauma are likely to experience symptoms of Complex PTSD.