Trauma is a Relational Wound | Dr. Frank Anderson

Trauma is a violation of a relationship. Is it a relationship with others or with self? Both. Both. We disconnect from ourself to survive and other people we disconnect from to protect ourselves. So this corrective experience is a relational repair. Even if the person's not there. Even if the person's not there, it can happen with somebody else. That's what therapy. Ideally it's supposed to be a therapist saying, you know, or ideally it's the self, like I'm here now, I'm an adult. I heard what happened. You shared it. I love you. I care about you. And the part receives that. When that part that's traumatized shares its experience, then it has a corrective experience. And it's like, I don't need to carry this anymore. I got what I needed, and somebody else knows it. So that's where release is possible.