Childhood trauma can have a profound and lasting impact on how we view ourselves, others, and the world around us. It may leave us with deep emotional scars that manifest as anxiety, depression, trust issues, and difficulties in relationships. However, it's essential to understand that healing from childhood trauma is not only possible—it's a journey that empowers you to reclaim your life, nurture your well-being, and foster resilience.
A highly effective, evidence-based therapy for those who have experienced childhood trauma is Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). As a certified CPT therapist, I use this powerful tool to help clients address the long-term effects of trauma without requiring them to revisit or retell their traumatic experiences. CPT offers a safe, structured approach that allows you to challenge the maladaptive beliefs that were formed as a result of trauma. These beliefs often contribute to emotional distress and difficulty moving forward. By understanding and reshaping these beliefs, you can start to heal in a way that feels manageable and non-retraumatizing.
One of the key strengths of CPT is its focus on challenging negative thought patterns and beliefs that often arise from traumatic experiences. Trauma can distort the way we see ourselves and the world. We might develop beliefs like, "I am unworthy," "The world is unsafe," or "I cannot trust anyone." These beliefs can shape our behavior, emotional responses, and interactions with others, making it difficult to break free from the past.
CPT helps identify these automatic, ingrained thoughts and offers a framework for replacing them with more realistic, balanced beliefs. It doesn’t require you to retell your trauma story in detail, which is often a barrier for those who find it too painful or overwhelming. Instead, the therapy focuses on how you think about the trauma, allowing you to process it indirectly in a safe way. This is particularly valuable for people who struggle with the re-traumatizing effects of recounting painful memories.
The efficacy of CPT is well-documented, with studies showing significant reductions in trauma symptoms, including those related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. It’s a proven, first-line treatment for trauma survivors and has been shown to help people move forward with their lives, develop healthier beliefs, and experience improved emotional well-being. As a therapist, I have seen firsthand how this approach can help individuals shift their perspective, feel empowered, and find a new sense of safety and trust.
While CPT focuses primarily on challenging the unhelpful thoughts and beliefs resulting from trauma, it does not specifically address regulating the nervous system or managing intense emotions. For this reason, I also incorporate Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in my practice. These therapies offer tools for emotional regulation, stress management, and grounding—helping you feel more at ease in your body and more present in your emotions. Through DBT, you can learn effective skills to manage overwhelming feelings, while ACT helps you accept and embrace difficult emotions rather than avoid or suppress them, enabling you to make choices based on your values rather than emotional impulses.
Both DBT and ACT also provide invaluable tools to help you regulate your nervous system. Trauma often keeps the body in a heightened state of arousal, leading to feelings of constant anxiety, difficulty with relaxation, or even physical symptoms like muscle tension or digestive issues. Through practices such as mindfulness, grounding techniques, and self-compassion, DBT and ACT can help you return to a state of balance and calm, allowing you to live in the present moment and experience emotions without being overwhelmed by them.
While healing from childhood trauma is a unique and deeply personal journey, CPT offers a structured and effective path to recovery. It allows you to move forward without feeling the need to revisit painful memories in a way that might overwhelm you. By helping you identify, challenge, and reshape your beliefs, along with the emotional regulation tools provided by DBT and ACT, you can regain a sense of safety and control over your emotional experience.
If you’ve experienced childhood trauma and are struggling with its impact, I invite you to consider Cognitive Processing Therapy as part of your healing journey. I’m here to guide you through this transformative process, helping you reclaim your emotional well-being and build a life that aligns with your true values. Together, we can work through the difficult emotions, restore your sense of safety, and help you move forward with confidence and strength.
About Me:
I’m Christina Babich, a certified English-speaking trauma therapist with a Master’s degree in Clinical and Health Psychology. I specialize in trauma recovery, emotional regulation, and anxiety management, and work with expatriates across Europe, including in Paris, Lyon, and other cities. Having lived in Europe since 2017, I understand the unique challenges of living as a foreigner in Europe. My approach combines evidence-based therapies like Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to support your emotional well-being and help you heal from trauma. I have also personally experienced these therapies as a patient, and that insight informs my compassionate, client-centered approach. If you're ready to start your healing journey, I’m here to offer the guidance and support you need. Click the "Book a Free Consultation" button above to get started today.
