Trauma Therapy

I highly recommend Bessel van der Kolk's book, The Body Keeps the Score. It focuses on the affects of trauma in our lives, the psychological adaptations that result, and therapies to address the associated problems, and make improvements. It has changed my life. Perhaps it affirms what I have suspected all along, that a few Adverse Childhood Experiences (physical abuse, divorce of my parents, bullying) had profound and lasting impacts on who I am, and how I have lived my life. It has given me significant relief and understanding of myself. As he says, when it comes to the brain and body, most research is ME-search.

Julie

A few adverse adult experiences can have a profound and lasting impact too.

Julie,
Many of us carry the mental scars from childhood , we don't always know what damage they've done till later in life , at some point I do believe we need to confront them , so good you've found that help .

I recently listened to the audiobook. I second the recommendation. I also second Stephanie47's thought that many times it's trauma that happens during adulthood can be just as damaging long term. Any time that a person is faced with an overwhelming sense of powerlessness in face of threat, that threat can be internalized to cause a more permanent sense of powerlessness and guardedness, no matter how benign the later circumstances might be. No matter what your intellect tells you, your emotions and your body will not let that guard down.

The trauma that has effected me the most lasted half a decade in my late forties and early fifties. As the threat subsided, my desire and need to dress in women's clothes presented itself, uninvited. There is a strong sense of soothing that comes from wearing the things I wear. There is a sense of owning who I am rather than having my character prescribed for me. It gives a sense of strength, when others may think that it's a sign of weakness. I have no idea whether that will resonate with others, but it's a fact for me.