Paul Vereshack M.D. T his is an excellent question which has not been asked before in quite this specific a way. I will try to tell you what I believe but know full well that does not make it absolute truth. Where a single major trauma has occurred it is probably true to say that the more complete the re-experiencing, the more complete the healing. Most childhood pain however is not from a single huge trauma, if we exclude for the moment the trauma of birth.
Most childhood trauma comes from the long slow years of repetitive hurt and loss.
I'm Tired of Feeling Bad. Most hurt is due to not having one's selfhood honored through lack of empathy, love, and touch and bad parenting practices carried forward across one's whole growing period. I do not believe that every trauma must be experienced. That is why primal therapy can take years. It is also true that the brain is quite capable of containing a great deal of unprimalled pain without destabilizing.