adverse childhood experiences
Therapy for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) integrates Somatic EMDR and psychodynamic psychotherapy to support healing from the lasting emotional and physiological impact of early life trauma. Experiences such as neglect, emotional invalidation, abuse, loss, family conflict, or chronic instability can shape the nervous system, relationships, self-esteem, and sense of safety well into adulthood.
Why Psychodynamic Therapy Can Help Heal Childhood Trauma
Childhood trauma often doesn’t just create painful memories—it can shape how a person experiences relationships, emotions, safety, identity, and self-worth for years afterward. Many survivors learn to cope by disconnecting from feelings, minimizing what happened, staying hyper-alert to danger, or repeating unhealthy relationship patterns without fully understanding why. Psychodynamic therapy is designed to help people gently uncover and heal these deeper emotional and relational wounds.
Psychodynamic Therapy Is Evidence-Based
Psychodynamic therapy has sometimes been misunderstood as “less scientific” than other approaches, but research strongly supports its effectiveness. Psychologist Jonathan Shedler summarizes this clearly:
Empirical evidence supports the efficacy of psychodynamic therapy. Effect sizes for psychodynamic therapy are as large as those reported for other therapies that have been actively promoted as “empirically supported” and “evidence based.” In addition, patients who receive psychodynamic therapy maintain therapeutic gains and appear to continue to improve after treatment ends. Finally, non-psychodynamic therapies may be effective in part because the more skilled practitioners utilize techniques that have long been central to psychodynamic theory and practice.
This is important for childhood trauma recovery because trauma healing often involves deep changes that take time—especially changes in emotional regulation, attachment patterns, and self-beliefs.
Childhood trauma can shape the nervous system, self-image, and relationships—but healing is possible. Psychodynamic therapy helps survivors make sense of what happened, reconnect with emotions safely, and build a stronger, more compassionate relationship with themselves.
If you are unsure what adverse childhood experiences are, or unsure if you've experienced ACES, please use the questionnaire here.
