Childhood Emotional Neglect happens when your parents fail to adequately recognize or respond to your emotional needs as they arise in you. If you grew up in this way, you are inevitably suppressing or compartmentalizing your emotions as an adult because you were taught that your emotions aren’t important. Childhood Emotional Neglect is largely invisible, and therein lies its power. It is a type of trauma but, unlike abuse, it is characterized not by an event or a presence but by a non-event or an absence.
Symptoms of Childhood Emotional Neglect:
- Inner emptiness
- Guilt, shame, anger, blame
- Fear of depending on and trusting others
- Lack of self-compassion
- The sense that there is something wrong with you
- Difficulty identifying and expressing emotions
What we can do
Healing happens by accessing and valuing your emotions. When you know and value yourself on the inside, you can start to change your life on the outside. Shame management is an important aspect of recovery. Call or email me to get started on this process.