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Writer's pictureEmily Smith

What Can Cause Developmental Trauma?



What is developmental trauma, and what causes it?

Developmental trauma is made up of emotional, psychological, and/or physical scars caused by repeated or prolonged adverse experiences during formative years. To put it bluntly, it's repetitive traumatic experiences that take place over a person's childhood. These experiences disrupt the development of trust, safety, and self-regulation, leading to problems in adulthood. But what exactly causes developmental trauma?


Physical Abuse

Physical abuse involves deliberate harm to a child’s body, including hitting, slapping, kicking, hair pulling or any other form of physical violence. The scars from physical abuse are not just visible on the skin but also deeply embedded in the psyche, often leading to fear, hypervigilance, and difficulty trusting others. If you lived a childhood where when mistakes were made, even minor ones, led to you being slapped/kicked/hit, you might learn to walk on eggshells all the time. You might be constantly anticipating danger - maybe you have high anxiety, struggle with perfectionism, or just never feel safe in your relationships.


Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is less visible but equally damaging. It involves behaviors like belittling, shaming, name-calling, or consistent criticism. This form of abuse erodes a child’s self-esteem and creates a persistent sense of unworthiness that can last well into adulthood. If you are constantly told you "aren't good enough," you will internalize this message and likely deal with self-doubt, maybe depression, and perhaps difficulty setting boundaries in your adult life.


Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse involves any form of sexual activity imposed on a person, whether through coercion, manipulation, or force. The betrayal and confusion caused by sexual abuse can lead to profound shame, guilt, and difficulties with intimacy later in life. These experiences in childhood, especially when they take place across time, can make it really difficult to distinguish the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships. Shame and mistrust might become key parts of those relationships and forming secure attachments may seem absolutely foreign.


Medical Neglect

Medical neglect occurs when caregivers fail to provide necessary medical care, including vaccinations, check-ups, or treatment for illnesses. This form of neglect can lead to physical health issues and a deep-seated belief that one’s needs are unimportant. When your needs are consistently unmet and unprioritized in childhood, it's likely that you'll struggle to appropriately meet your own needs in adulthood. You might move through the world believing that your needs are unimportant - or perhaps it doesn't even register that you have them.


Emotional Neglect

Emotional neglect happens when caregivers fail to provide emotional support, validation, or affection. Unlike emotional abuse, which involves harmful actions, emotional neglect is about the absence of nurturing behaviors. It may not be deliberate harm, but emotional neglect is all about what should have happened but didn't. If your accomplishments were met with distraction and indifference, your sadness was met with aloofness and lack of interest, you might learn to suppress your emotions over time. You might struggle to express yourself emotionally, therefore connections with others might be hard.


Physical Neglect

Physical neglect involves failing to provide basic necessities like food, shelter, clothing, or hygiene. Children experiencing physical neglect often feel invisible or unworthy of care. If you experienced routine physical neglect as a child, you might regularly feel a sense of insecurity. You might even experience an overwhelming need to compensate, whether it be through personal successes like your income, your job title, or other accomplishments.


The Lasting Impact of Developmental Trauma

Each of these types of childhood trauma contributes to developmental trauma by disrupting a child’s ability to feel safe, loved, and valued. This disruption often manifests in adulthood as:

  • Emotional Dysregulation: Difficulty managing emotions, leading to mood swings, anxiety, or depression.

  • Relationship Challenges: Struggles with trust, intimacy, or setting boundaries.

  • Chronic Health Issues: Physical symptoms like headaches, digestive problems, or autoimmune conditions linked to prolonged stress.

  • Self-Worth Issues: Persistent feelings of inadequacy or unworthiness.

  • Hypervigilance: A constant state of alertness, as if danger is always imminent.


Healing from Developmental Trauma

The good news is that healing is possible. Understanding the roots of developmental trauma is the first step toward living the life you want to. Therapeutic approaches like Brainspotting, EMDR, and somatic therapy can help individuals process and release the deep-seated pain associated with early trauma. Here’s how:

  • Creating Safety: Therapy provides a safe, non-judgmental space to explore painful experiences.

  • Reconnecting with the Body: Somatic approaches help individuals identify and release trauma stored in the body.

  • Challenging Negative Beliefs: Cognitive and emotional processing allows clients to replace harmful beliefs with healthier ones.

  • Building Resilience: Developing tools for emotional regulation and self-care fosters a sense of empowerment and hope.


If any of these examples resonate with you, know that you are not alone. Many adults carry the invisible weight of developmental trauma, often unaware of its origins. By seeking support, you can begin to unravel the layers of pain and reclaim a sense of wholeness.


Therapy is not about fixing what is “wrong” with you but about nurturing the parts of you that have been hurt, unseen, or neglected. Whether your trauma stems from physical abuse, emotional neglect, or a combination of experiences, healing is possible with the right support and tools.


Healing from Developmental Trauma at Woven Wholeness Services

While there are many ways to address the impacts of developmental trauma/childhood trauma, Woven Wholeness specializes in this type of therapeutic support, working diretly and indirectly with the internal wounds that impact your life today. Emily is extensively trained in Brainspotting - particularly for those struggling with the impacts of prolonged childhoodhood trauma/developmental trauma.




A child in a white shirt stands in front of a large blue static screen, creating a contemplative and mysterious mood.


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