Early youth trauma deeply affects the development of the self. Oftentimes it involves attachment
trauma caused by the caregivers, or at least because those were unable to provide
the child with sufficient protection. Attachment relationships play an important part in the
development of the self. Attachment trauma hurts the self-perception. In this article, aspects
of trauma treatment that may contribute to healing the hurt self-perception are discussed.
Those are, consecutively: empathy addressing the fragile self-perception, transformation of
anxiety and aggression by providing room for experiences curdled in the body, development
of the ability to comfort oneself, and looking for constructive ways to give meaning. The
procedure is illustrated by means of clinical vignettes.
attachment trauma, fragile core self-process, embodiment, aggression transformation, self-comfort, meaning
The tPeP (Journal Person-centered experiential Psychotherapy) is the scientific journal for Dutch and Flemish psychotherapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists, that work from, or are interested in a client-centered perspective.
