Does Childhood Trauma Ever Go Away?

Whether explicitly or implicitly asked, many people with childhood trauma wonder if their childhood trauma will ever go away.

This is such a nuanced question and depends on so many pieces, like how you define “goes away”.

The short answer? Not exactly. The long complicated answer? That’s what we’ll explore in this blog. 

Let’s look at what’s actually happening in the brain when we experience trauma in childhood, and what happens to that same brain when we start to heal.

The Developing Brain and Childhood Trauma

We can see on brain scans how the traumatized brain responds differently than the non-traumatized brain.

Our brains are shaped by experience, especially in childhood. When we’re little, our brains are meaning making machines, rapidly wiring pathways that tell us what to expect from the world and how to respond to it.

Everything from recognizing that “cows go moo” to what safety feels like has to be learnt. 

So when someones early experiences involve safety, connection, and predictability, the brain learns: “The world is mostly safe, and I am mostly okay.” The brain build itself around this basic understanding of the world and every choice is based on this foundation. 

But trauma… well trauma interrupts that.

Childhood trauma, whether it's emotional neglect, abuse, witnessing violence, or chronic instability, can cause the developing brain to adapt for survival rather than growth. 

Rather than a foundation of safety, the brain has a foundation that says something like “the world is dangerous and so I must protect myself”.

This becomes the foundation of how the brain develops. 

Some key shifts in how the brain develops:

• The amygdala (the brain’s alarm system) becomes more active and sensitive. If you think the world is dangerous, it makes sense to have an alarm system that will pick up all the potential danger and alert you to it. 

• The prefrontal cortex (involved in emotional regulation and decision-making) may become underdeveloped or underused. If you’re always trying to survive, you need a brain focused on survival based decisions, not complex decision making. 

• The hippocampus (involved in memory and learning) can be impacted, especially when trauma is chronic or prolonged. Your brain is focused on staying alive, not learning new things or remembering memories. 

What Healing Looks Like in the Brain

So does that mean the trauma is “in there forever”? Both yes and no. The memories will be there forever, but the impacts of the trauma on the brain don’t have to be. 

The brain isn't fixed and continues to evolve as we age.

Research on trauma and neuroplasticity, which is basically a fancy concept to say that the brain can re-wire itself, have found that even after significant early adversity, the brain is capable of forming new neural connections that support regulation, resilience, and healing, particularly when individuals are engaged in safe, supportive relationships and therapeutic environments.

Through therapy, healthy relationships, mindfulness, and other healing practices, we can actually:

• Reduce amygdala reactivity, making the alarm system less jumpy.

• Strengthen the prefrontal cortex, improving emotional regulation and impulse control.

• Build new neural pathways that support safety, trust, and self-compassion.

Healing doesn’t erase what happened. You’ll never not have those memories. But, we can reduce the impact of what happened. 

So What Helps the Brain Heal? 

Research highlights several key factors that support the brain’s ability to rewire and recover after trauma:

1. Healthy  Relationships

One of the most powerful tools for healing the traumatized brain is relationship. Studies show that consistent, attuned, and emotionally safe relationships, whether in therapy or personal life, can help regulate the nervous system and help build new wiring in the brain.

Yoga, breath work and mindfulness have been shown to re-wire the traumatized brain.

2. Mindfulness and Body-Based Practices

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been shown to decrease amygdala activation and strengthen the prefrontal cortex, improving emotion regulation and reducing the “alarm” that the traumatized brain has.

Practices like yoga, breath-work, and body scanning help reconnect individuals to their bodily sensations and interrupt trauma-related dissociation. Somatic therapies are built around this understanding.

3. Trauma Therapy

There are many different modalities and approaches to trauma therapy that have been found to literally change how the brain works.

Common ones include EMDR, somatic based practice and Parts Work. 

4. Repetition and Safety Over Time

We hate it as much as you do, but sadly, neuroplasticity doesn’t happen in a single breakthrough. It comes from repeated experiences of safety, regulation, and connection. Allowing yourself to have many experiences, over time, that teach your brain something new is one of the keys to healing.

So... Will It Ever Go Away?

Not in the way people sometimes hope. Childhood trauma isn’t a bad memory that fades. It’s a formative experience that often shapes how we see ourselves and the world.

But over time, with the right support, care, and safety, beliefs about the world can change and we can build new foundations to live from. 

If you need support on your trauma healing journey, join us in-person in Kamloops, BC or online across BC for trauma therapy.  

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