Childhood Trauma in Adults Treatment in Spokane, Washington

By We Level Up WA | Author Alex Evans, PharmD, MBA | Editorial Policy | Research Policy

Childhood trauma doesn’t simply fade with time. For many adults, the emotional wounds of early life experiences continue to influence their thoughts, behaviors, and relationships decades later. 

Whether you’re experiencing anxiety, relationship difficulties, or struggling with substance use as a coping mechanism, evidence-based care is needed to process these experiences and develop new patterns for living.

Understanding Childhood Trauma in adults

Childhood trauma encompasses a range of adverse experiences that occur before age 18, including physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, witnessing domestic violence, or growing up with family members affected by mental illness or substance use disorders. These experiences don’t just create difficult memories—they can fundamentally alter how the developing brain processes stress and emotions.

According to the CDC, about 61% of adults have experienced at least one type of adverse childhood experience, with nearly 1 in 6 reporting four or more types. These statistics represent real people whose early experiences continue to shape their adult lives.

When childhood trauma goes unaddressed, it can manifest in numerous ways throughout adulthood. The developing brain, when exposed to chronic stress or fear, adapts in ways that may have helped survive difficult circumstances as a child but create challenges in adult life. This neurobiological impact explains why childhood trauma isn’t something people simply “get over” with time.

The effects often ripple through every aspect of life, from physical health problems (trauma survivors have higher rates of chronic conditions like heart disease and autoimmune disorders) to difficulties maintaining healthy relationships. 

Many trauma survivors develop coping mechanisms that, while protective in the short term, ultimately create additional problems, such as substance use disorders, eating disorders, or self-destructive behaviors.

Common Signs of Childhood Trauma in Adults

Recognizing the lingering effects of childhood trauma is the first step toward healing. While everyone’s experience is unique, these common signs may indicate unresolved childhood trauma:

Relationship Difficulties: Do you struggle with trust or find yourself repeating unhealthy relationship patterns? Adults with childhood trauma often experience difficulty forming secure attachments, leading to either avoiding close relationships or becoming anxiously attached to partners.

Emotional Regulation Challenges: Sudden mood swings, overwhelming emotional responses, or difficulty identifying your feelings might stem from trauma. When children don’t learn healthy emotional regulation from caregivers (or when emotions were punished), these difficulties often persist into adulthood.

Hypervigilance and Anxiety: Constantly scanning for danger, struggling to relax, or experiencing panic attacks can be your nervous system’s response to early trauma. This state of high alert, helpful during actual danger, becomes exhausting when it never turns off.

Low Self-Esteem: Deep-seated beliefs about being unworthy, defective, or deserving of mistreatment often originate in childhood experiences. These core beliefs can influence everything from career choices to accepting mistreatment from others.

Self-Destructive Behaviors: Using substances, food, gambling, or other behaviors to numb emotional pain is common among trauma survivors. These coping mechanisms provide temporary relief but ultimately compound suffering.

If these patterns sound familiar, you’re not alone—and there’s nothing wrong with you. These are normal responses to abnormal situations that occurred during your formative years.

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The Importance of Addressing Childhood Trauma Early

While it’s never too late to heal from childhood trauma, seeking help sooner rather than later can prevent years of unnecessary suffering and the development of additional complications. Untreated trauma often follows a progressive course, with symptoms potentially worsening over time or emerging in new forms.

Research shows that childhood trauma increases the risk for numerous health conditions, including heart disease, liver disease, depression, and substance use disorders. Each additional type of adverse childhood experience increases these risks further. By addressing trauma, you’re not just improving your mental health—you’re potentially protecting your physical health as well.

Trauma also tends to create ripple effects across generations. Adults with unresolved trauma may struggle with parenting, unintentionally passing down patterns of interaction that affect their children. Breaking this cycle through healing work benefits not only you but potentially future generations of your family.

Treatment

There are a number of evidence-based therapies available for childhood trauma.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): This therapy helps process traumatic memories by using bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements) while briefly focusing on traumatic memories. EMDR helps the brain reprocess these memories so they become less emotionally charged and intrusive.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT): This structured approach helps identify and challenge negative thought patterns stemming from traumatic experiences. By examining how childhood events shaped your beliefs about yourself, others, and the world, TF-CBT creates opportunities to develop more accurate and helpful perspectives.

Somatic Experiencing: Recognizing that trauma is stored in the body, this approach focuses on physical sensations to help release trapped trauma energy. Through gentle guidance, you’ll learn to track bodily sensations and complete self-protective responses that may have been interrupted during traumatic experiences.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Particularly helpful for emotional regulation difficulties, DBT provides concrete skills for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, and developing mindfulness. These skills are especially valuable for those whose childhood experiences didn’t allow them to learn healthy emotional management.

Group Therapy: Sharing experiences with others who understand can be profoundly healing. Our trauma-specific groups provide validation, reduce isolation, and offer opportunities to practice new relationship skills in a supportive environment.

Holistic Approaches: Complementary therapies such as mindfulness meditation, yoga, art therapy, and nutritional support address the whole person, not just the trauma symptoms. These approaches help rebuild connection with your body and develop self-care practices that support ongoing healing.

Childhood Trauma in Adults Statistics

About 61% of adults in the United States say they had at least one bad childhood experience. Different kinds of childhood trauma can affect both men and women differently. Researchers have found that people who experienced trauma as children are more likely to develop mental health disorders, have trouble making and keeping relationships, and have worse physical health outcomes.

Trauma can be passed down from generation to generation, which is a worry because people who went through trauma as children may be more likely to raise their own children similarly. But it’s important to remember that people can be strong and get better with the right help and care. Childhood trauma can happen at different rates and have different effects, so it’s important to talk to a professional to better understand how it affects you.

How We Level Up Washington Approaches Childhood Trauma

At our Spokane facility, we recognize that healing from childhood trauma requires more than just addressing symptoms—it demands a comprehensive approach that helps you process past experiences while developing new skills for the present. 

Our approach is built on these core principles:

Safety First: Before meaningful therapeutic work can begin, establishing physical and emotional safety is essential. Our serene, supportive environment in Spokane provides the secure foundation needed for healing. Our team works to create predictable routines and clear expectations, helping your nervous system begin to relax, often for the first time in years.

Personalized Treatment Planning: No two trauma experiences are identical, which is why cookie-cutter approaches fall short. Our clinical team conducts thorough assessments to understand your unique history, symptoms, strengths, and goals. This information shapes a treatment plan tailored specifically to your needs, drawing from various evidence-based modalities.

Integrated Mind-Body Healing: Trauma affects both psychological and physiological systems, requiring treatment that addresses both. Our programs incorporate therapies that help you process traumatic memories and beliefs while also addressing how trauma is stored in the body. This dual approach leads to more complete healing than either approach alone.

What makes our approach particularly effective is our understanding of the connection between trauma and co-occurring disorders. Many adults with childhood trauma develop substance use disorders, depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions as ways of coping with their pain. Rather than treating these as separate issues, we address how they interconnect, providing truly integrated care.

Our team includes specialists in trauma-informed care who understand the nuances of working with childhood trauma survivors. They bring not only professional expertise but also the compassion and patience needed to support you through this journey.

Why Choose We Level Up Washington for Trauma Recovery

Choosing the right treatment provider for childhood trauma recovery is a significant decision. We Level Up Washington stands apart through our:

Specialized Trauma Expertise: Our clinical team has advanced training in trauma treatment modalities and stays current with the latest research and approaches. This specialized knowledge allows us to provide nuanced care that addresses the complexities of childhood trauma.

Dual Diagnosis Capability: Unlike facilities that treat either mental health OR substance use disorders, we’re equipped to address both. This integrated approach to dual diagnosis is crucial for many trauma survivors who have developed substance use as a coping mechanism.

Serene, Supportive Environment: Our Spokane facility offers a peaceful setting conducive to healing, with comfortable accommodations and spaces designed to promote both reflection and connection.

Community Connection: We understand the importance of building support networks for lasting recovery. Our programs include family involvement when appropriate and connections to community resources to support your continued healing after formal treatment ends.

Our approach is both compassionate and practical. We recognize the courage it takes to address childhood trauma, and we honor that courage by providing treatment that truly works, not just temporarily managing symptoms but creating lasting transformation.

Take the First Step Toward Healing

Reaching out for help with childhood trauma can feel overwhelming, but it’s also the beginning of reclaiming your life and writing a new story—one where the past informs but doesn’t control your future.

At We Level Up Washington, we make this first step as straightforward as possible. Our admissions team is available at (509) 348-4077 to answer your questions, address concerns, and guide you through the assessment process. All calls are confidential, and there’s no obligation to commit to treatment.

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