The Effects of Trauma on the Self

Psychological trauma affects the capacity to form trusting relationships and to find ways of making meaning out of a chaotic world. Early traumatizing relationships affect issues of self-esteem, and the capacity to identify and negotiate personal needs. Since alternative ways of relating to others are often simply not known, life may consist of a frequent repetition of re-traumatizing relationships. This talk will explore the effects of childhood trauma on development of the self, and in relationships to others, and discuss how individual and group psychotherapies can be helpful in dealing with the interpersonal effects of traumatization.