Childhood issues and counselling the adult

My private practice puts me in contact with many people who are hurting emotionally from childhood experiences, although, as adults the hurt may be masked by alcohol/and/or drug use, eating disorders, depression, anxiety. The list goes on.

Clients will talk at the initial appointment of being 'depressed' or 'lacking in confidence' or having 'relationship problems'. As adults, we 'have to get on with life' because often there are other people around who rely on us.

Often, the negative feelings and thoughts we have about ourselves are rooted in our childhood (ie 'I'm not good enough', 'I'm stupid', 'I'm unloveable') and can be traced back to what we learnt and heard from our parents and caregivers.

If you have children, take a moment to think about how you treat them and encourage positive relationships. Understand that, generally, they will grow into happy and confident adults.

Imagine the flip side of that and you can appreciate how much of an impact negative childhood experiences have. Sometimes, as an adult, that can be hard to acknowledge so we 'mask', carry on and ultimately suffer.

Counselling can really help, if you are ready to face some painful thoughts and feelings. And, with the right counsellor, you can heal the child in you and become the adult you really want to be. One that has learnt to 'positively parent' itself and can enjoy life again.