For many people, trauma didn’t begin with a single event – it was the environment
they grew up in. This is Brian’s primary focus, and the foundation of his own story.
Survival is the act of continuing to exist through difficult or threatening circumstances – enduring the mental and sometimes physical pain that comes with trauma. For children, this is an even greater challenge. Young people aren’t fully equipped, mentally or physically, to confront abuse or neglect, especially when it comes from a parent or relative.
When the source of struggle is a parent’s absence, addiction, or inability to be a dependable presence, children are left exposed and unsupported. Many become isolated, left alone with fear and confusion, wondering “Why me?” or “What did I do to make life so hard?”
Recovery is a journey, not a destination – and it takes courage regardless of age. Progress may be slow, but healing takes time, patience, and the support of people who understand.
Growing up without consistent affection makes it harder to build self-esteem and trust others later in life.
Children often carry the weight alone, blaming themselves for circumstances entirely outside their control.
Anger, anxiety, and difficulty trusting others can all trace back to what was - or wasn't - given in those early years.
With understanding caregivers, professional support, and time, healing from childhood trauma is genuinely possible.
My PTSD started at age five. I was living in a deeply dysfunctional family, where alcohol abuse, emotional trauma, neglect, and on occasion physical violence were a constant problem.
At age seven, an unknown male teen sexually assaulted me. My mother entered the room while this was happening and did not intervene. She said nothing, but put a blanket on us and walked away.
Her failure to come to my aid affected me more than any other traumatic event I suffered. That moment changed the trajectory of my life, leaving me feeling bitterly betrayed, damaged, and ashamed – feelings I carried for decades before finding real help.
Read Brian’s Full Story
Healing is a journey, not a destination
Do you ever feel that you didn't receive love and affection as a child? Without affection and support during formative years, children often struggle to build self-esteem, form healthy relationships, and manage their emotions. These effects can persist well into adulthood - but insight and information are powerful tools for change.
Many adults who experienced abuse, neglect, or unaddressed loss as children carry heightened anger as a result. Feelings of powerlessness during childhood can evolve into persistent anger that disrupts emotional regulation - recognizing the root is the first step toward managing it constructively.
Detaching from overwhelming emotion as a child often produces real skills - sharp intuition, hyper-empathy, and strong problem-solving under pressure. These are adaptations, not flaws - tools a child's mind built out of necessity to stay safe.
Resentment that some women feel toward men often has roots in traumatic childhood experiences. Witnessing aggression, absence, or substance abuse by a father – or experiencing abuse or betrayal at the hands of men more broadly – can leave deep mistrust and the feeling that home was never truly a safe place.
Not every woman who experiences this kind of trauma develops resentment – each person’s path is shaped by their own circumstances, support systems, and opportunities for healing. For those who do feel it, a skilled clinician can help create a safe space to explore where it comes from and what to do next.
Above all, personal safety – and the safety of any children involved – must always come first. Change can be difficult. Trust in yourself and your resolve.
Many of the negative thoughts that surface here – “I’m not safe,” “I can’t trust this” – live in what Brian calls the Red Brain. Learning to recognize and shift them toward the calmer Green Brain is one tool in the recovery process.
