Brainspotting treats both PTSD and developmental trauma
Developmental trauma refers to a series of chronic traumatic events, habits, and associations causing overwhelming stress during childhood. A primary component of developmental trauma includes the absence or ineffectiveness of a caregiver to help reduce the stress. This results in a disruption in basic attachment that is necessary for feeling a sense of safety and security. Safe and secure attachments are critical to childhood development. Developmental Trauma may include but is not limited to chronic abuse, neglect, unsafe home, bullying, drug or alcohol abuse by caregivers or other serious hardships during childhood. It is often used interchangeably with Complex PTSD however trauma experts are working to clarify it as distinct in many ways.
Developmental trauma is not rooted in a traumatic event like PTSD or stacked specific events like Complex PTSD and does not always lead to meeting all of the criteria for PTSD.
In fact, research shows over 50% of people do not show signs of trauma until they are adults. This can make identifying a specific traumatic event challenging and because of this, individuals with developmental trauma often feel shame, confusion, and frustration at understanding why they feel the way they do.
Along with many of the symptoms of PTSD individuals with developmental trauma may also experience a chronic history of more serious dysregulation in their relationships, attention, self-esteem, attachments, self-image, body image, self-regulation and affect regulation.
Health issues are also a common complaint of individuals with developmental trauma.
Brainspotting’s fluid and dual attunement approach makes it highly effective at treating both developmental trauma and PTSD.
PTSD is related to a triggering event or variable that is perceived to be life threatening or highly stressful. PTSD results in a host of symptoms that fall in the categories of nervous system arousal, avoidance, re-experiencing the trauma, and negative emotions/mood. The specific event or variables that trigger PTSD is what differentiates it from developmental trauma that does not result from an identifying event.