How to Heal from Childhood Abuse as an Adult

How do you heal from childhood abuse as an adult—especially when the effects have shaped your relationships, self-worth, and sense of safety? In this episode, I break down the different forms of childhood abuse and neglect, explore their lasting impacts, and share practical steps and healing approaches that can help you reclaim your life.

What You'll Learn

• The difference between childhood abuse and neglect—and why both can profoundly shape your development
• How emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect show up in childhood—with real examples from my own story
• The wide-ranging effects of childhood abuse in adulthood: from shame and boundary struggles to anxiety, depression, and dissociation
• Why acknowledging what happened to you is often a gradual process—and how to approach it with curiosity instead of self-blame
• Practical steps toward healing: breaking your silence, creating healthy boundaries, and exploring your symptoms with gentleness
• Effective healing approaches, including parts work therapy, EMDR, and somatic approaches, and why bottom-up approaches are often most effective
• Self-help practices like journaling, mindfulness, nervous system regulation, and inner child work that support your healing journey
• Common challenges that can hinder recovery (scared parts, avoidant parts, shame and self-blame)—and how to work with them

Who This Is For
This episode is for adults who experienced childhood abuse or neglect and are ready to acknowledge what happened, understand its impact, and take steps toward healing. It's for anyone struggling with boundary-setting, self-blame, difficulty trusting others, or symptoms of anxiety and depression rooted in childhood experiences—and who wants a roadmap for recovery that honours both the pain and the possibility of transformation.

Additional Resources:
For further support, check out the resources linked below:

• Adults with Childhood Trauma: How to Heal and Reclaim Your Life: https://brighthorizontherapies.com/blog/adults-with-childhood-trauma/
• EMDR for Childhood Trauma: Safe and Effective Healing in Adulthood: https://brighthorizontherapies.com/blog/emdr-for-childhood-trauma/
• Parts Work Therapy to Heal Trauma (Episode): https://brighthorizontherapies.com/blog/parts-work-therapy-benefits-healing-trauma/

If you’d like to explore more, here are some ways to connect:

• Discover more about my work: https://brighthorizontherapies.com/
• Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brighthorizontherapies/
• Send me a message: nat@brighthorizontherapies.com

Trauma Demystified is not intended to replace professional guidance, support, medical treatment, or therapy. Please feel free to consult your physician or a mental health professional for any questions about mental health symptoms.

Bright Horizon Therapies is located in the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda. This land is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. I acknowledge the traditional caregivers of the land and the importance of a commitment to the continued decolonization of my work.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Healing from Childhood Abuse
• 2:11 Understanding Childhood Abuse and Neglect
• 11:27 Invitation to Reflect
• 13:09 Effects of Childhood Abuse
• 15:40 Steps to Begin Healing from Childhood Abuse
• 22:15 Therapeutic Approaches to Healing
• 26:30 Self-help Practices to Heal from Childhood Abuse
• 31:46 Common Challenges
• 34:35 Closing Thoughts