Can A Mother Heal From Childhood Trauma(s)?
Can A Mother Heal From Childhood Trauma(s)?
Motherhood does not come with a manual, it is very much a blessing however it can be very challenging for some as they juggle the day-to-day responsibilities and hope and pray that they are raising their children well.
If you are one of the people who have suffered from any childhood trauma then your motherhood journey can be even more complicated and possibly difficult. So, what can you do? can a mother heal from her childhood trauma(s)?
The good news is that every mother can heal from a childhood trauma(s) provided she is committed to her healing and believes that she can. You will require a lot of patience and compassion towards yourself.
Spend some quiet time reflecting on your childhood, identify your trauma(s), discover and learn different ways to heal yourself or be open to asking for help if needed, and take the time to identify and seek the right therapy for you.
So, you may be wondering how does childhood trauma affect motherhood if left unaddressed? Let’s find out the answer to that question next.
How Does Childhood Trauma Affect Motherhood?
The three biggest childhood wounds by far that most people have reported to have experienced are betrayal, abandonment, and shame. The trauma that you experience as a child feels like a lack of control in a situation that is scary and unsafe.
Trauma and wounds if left unaddressed can affect the mother’s attachment to her children as she could be emotionally unavailable to her children.
Trauma can also affect the parenting style and lead to more authoritative over-controlling parenting which leads to children who lack independence or have rebelling behavior towards the mother.
An unhealed trauma in the mother can unconsciously lead to a repeated pattern of traumatic behavior towards the children which can then cause a similar trauma to the children.
Children who experience trauma are less able to identify, express, describe their feelings, and manage their emotions.
They are more likely to use drugs, have other addictions, suicidal tendencies, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and anger and exhibit aggressive behavior.
Next, let’s discuss the importance and some further reasons why every mother must heal from childhood trauma.
Why Every Mother Must Heal From Trauma
I believe it is very important that every mother works on their healing so that you do not repeat patterns that do not serve her and her family one generation after another. So, here are 8 reasons why every mother needs to work on their healing
Makes You A Positive Role Model
When you work on your healing you will serve as a positive role model to your children. They will know without a doubt that healing and mental health does matter. They will know it is okay for them to prioritize their healing because it does matter.
Your mental health and well-being have a rippling impact on every area of your life. They will also know it is okay for them to admit that they need help because everybody needs help sometimes and it is never okay to keep quiet and have things bottled up inside.
It’s not a weakness to ask for help. It is brave to recognize and self-advocate that you need help and to ask for it.
Reduces Your Stress And Anxiety
Your healing will help you reduce your stress and anxiety. When you are stressed and when anxious you could project your anger onto the people who are around like your family.
When you work on your anxiety and stress your relationships will improve and get better. The energy in your household will also improve and be calmer, and more peaceful.
Improves Your Relationships
Your relationships will also improve as you heal. You will have more fulfilling relationships with other people in your household because you will be more compassionate towards them and be able to respond to their needs with a very calm and composed demeanor.
You will also be able to handle other life challenges better. You will have the capacity to be able to understand, hear, see, and accept your children. Everyone will feel closer and happier.
Increases Your Resilience
You will be able to increase your resilience and be better able to handle the stresses that come into your life. There is no such thing as a life without any challenges since we are all here on this earth to grow and learn from our life challenges.
You will be able to handle these challenges in a calm, and peaceful way. You be able to teach your children to do the same.
Gives You Emotional Freedom
Once you address your past trauma you will feel emotionally free and you will have a positive outlook on life. You will be able to let go, overcome, and address your past trauma and make sure it does not affect your and your family.
When you don’t address your childhood trauma it will continue to be part of your programming, identity, perspective, beliefs, thoughts, behavior, words, habits, and eventually your destiny.
Your programming will act as a filter and affect all the decisions that you make in life. You will be able to raise your kids in a much better way.
Improves Your Physical Health
You will also be able to improve your physical health. Your healing and mental health impacts your own life and body, and then your relationships. Your mental and physical health is never separate it is very connected.
So, when you’re not okay mentally it does manifest and have an impact on your physical body. When you address your mental health issues you will be able to have more energy, get sick less often, and be more available for your family.
Increases Your Self-Awareness
Your healing and all your self-reflection work will increase your self-awareness and you will be able to understand better and better communicate your own needs. You will be able to have healthier boundaries for your self-care before it is too late and you get sick.
You will teach your children to take the time for their self-care. I am sure none of us want our children to suffer and not be okay mentally now and in the future when they have their own families.
Always remember that self-care is not selfish because you getting sick and not being around is a more enormous void for your family.
So, take some time for your self-care it’s important and help others from an overflow of your energy that you have and not from an empty depleted place.
Makes You Better At Emotional Regulation
When you heal you will have better emotional regulation and respond to a situation. You will be less likely to scream, shout, and have outbursts.
You will be very aware that you are getting get triggered, pause, ask why and take that moment between a situation that happens, stay calm, and respond and not react despite the circumstances and what other people are doing.
In conclusion, you now know that every mother can heal from childhood trauma(s) provided she is committed to her healing and believes that she can. You will require a lot of patience and compassion towards yourself.
Spend some quiet time reflecting on your childhood, identify your trauma(s), discover and learn different ways to heal yourself or be open to asking for help if needed, and take the time to identify and seek the right therapy for you.
Childhood trauma and wounds if left unaddressed can affect the mother’s attachment to her children as she could be emotionally unavailable to her children.
Trauma can also affect the parenting style and lead to more authoritative over-controlling parenting which leads to children who lack independence or have rebelling behavior towards the mother.
You also learned 8 reasons why every mother needs to work on their healing which are it makes you a positive role model, reduces your stress and anxiety, improves your relationships, increases your resilience, gives you emotional freedom, improves your physical health, increases your self-awareness, and makes you better at emotional regulation.
I hope you found these eight things reasons enough for you to start your healing journey and work on your mental health so you can raise children with stronger mental health and well-being. You can change the trajectory of your family’s generations to come for the better.
Next, can childhood affect your adulthood read for further helpful tips and insights