Therapy for Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse / Neglect in NY and California

CBT is a structured, goal-oriented therapy that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns, emotions, and behaviors.  For survivors of childhood abuse and neglect, CBT provides tools to challenge deeply ingrained beliefs shaped by early experiences.

How CBT Can Help:

• Reframing Negative Beliefs: Survivors often internalize harmful messages from their past, such as “I am unworthy” or “Everything is my fault.” CBT helps identify these distortions and replace them with healthier, more accurate thoughts like, “My worth is not determined by others’ actions.”

• Addressing Guilt and Shame: Childhood abuse and neglect often lead to pervasive feelings of guilt or shame. CBT helps survivors recognize these emotions as a result of their experiences rather than a reflection of their character, fostering greater self-compassion.

• Developing Emotional Regulation Skills: Survivors may struggle with overwhelming emotions, such as anxiety, anger, or sadness. CBT teaches practical coping strategies, including mindfulness and relaxation techniques, to manage emotional intensity.

• Improving Relationships: CBT can help survivors identify and modify patterns of behavior, such as people-pleasing or avoidance, that may hinder healthy relationships.

Techniques in CBT for Survivors:

• Thought Records: Tracking and challenging self-critical or fear-based thoughts.

• Exposure Therapy: Gradual and supportive exposure to triggers to reduce their emotional impact.

• Behavioral Experiments: Testing new ways of interacting with the world to build confidence and trust.

Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a body-focused therapy that addresses the physiological impacts of trauma. Childhood abuse and neglect often leave imprints on the nervous system that manifest as chronic tension, hypervigilance, or emotional numbing. SE helps survivors reconnect with their bodies and release stored trauma.

How SE Can Help:

• Releasing Trauma Stored in the Body: Abuse and neglect can lead to physical manifestations of trauma, such as chronic pain or tension. SE gently guides survivors through processing these sensations to release the trauma without becoming overwhelmed.

• Regulating the Nervous System: Survivors often experience a dysregulated nervous system, alternating between hyperarousal (e.g., anxiety, irritability) and hypoarousal (e.g., numbness, dissociation). SE teaches techniques to restore balance and foster a sense of calm.

• Reconnecting with the Body: Survivors may feel disconnected from their bodies as a result of trauma. SE encourages safe reconnection, building a sense of safety and awareness in the present moment.

• Building Resilience: Through SE, survivors develop greater capacity to manage stress and process difficult emotions, enhancing their overall resilience.

Techniques in SE for Survivors:

• Grounding Exercises: Techniques to anchor oneself in the present and reduce overwhelm.

• Tracking Sensations: Paying attention to physical sensations to identify and process stored emotions.

• Pendulation: Moving between discomfort and comfort to process trauma in manageable steps.

Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) views the mind as composed of different parts, each with its own role and perspective. For survivors of childhood abuse and neglect, IFS provides a framework for understanding and healing the wounded parts of themselves.

How IFS Can Help:

• Healing Wounded Parts: Survivors often carry inner parts that hold pain, fear, or shame from past experiences. IFS helps individuals connect with these parts, offer them compassion, and facilitate healing.

• Understanding Protective Mechanisms: Survivors may have developed protective parts, such as the inner critic or avoidant part, to shield themselves from further harm. IFS helps transform these parts into supportive allies.

• Reconnecting with the Self: IFS emphasizes the Self—a compassionate, confident core—as the leader of the internal system. Reconnecting with the Self empowers survivors to navigate life with greater clarity and strength.

• Balancing Internal Conflicts: Survivors often experience inner conflicts, such as a desire for connection alongside a fear of vulnerability. IFS fosters communication and harmony between parts, reducing internal tension.

Techniques in IFS for Survivors:

• Parts Mapping: Identifying and understanding the roles of different internal parts.

• Self-to-Part Dialogue: Building trust and compassion between the Self and wounded parts.

• Unburdening: Releasing emotional pain or beliefs that no longer serve the individual.