Early life traumas can shape both mental and physical health in powerful ways. Two out of three (66%) adults in the United States report at least one traumatic event before age eighteen, and as many as one in five (20%) report four or more. These experiences matter because they influence how the nervous system develops, how the body handles stress, and how symptoms show up much later in life.

Landmark research from 1998 looked at the impact of Adverse Childhood Events (defined as abuse, neglect or household dysfunction prior to age 18) among 17,000 adults from a Kaiser database. The research found that there was a strong link between the number of identified early traumas an individual had and their risk for developing a chronic illness later in life, such as:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• COPD and asthma
• CancerLiver disease
• Fractures
• Anxiety, depression

These findings support the notion that the mind and body are not separate, and that trauma responses that began years earlier can contribute to chronic illness later in life.

[See "Resource" tab: Research for more on the ACE study]
[See “Resources” tabs for the video "How Trauma Affects the Body".]

TREATMENT

The Internal Family Systems approach to therapy teaches you how to identify and communicate with parts of your personality related to a particular concern. Just as parts can communicate to you via thoughts, emotions and images, they can also use the body get your attention through symptoms like pain, fatigue, or digestive discomfort. By paying attention to physical symptoms, we can use the IFS approach to learn what that part wants you to know. When a part feels heard and understood, it may no longer need to use the body to signal its needs.  Instead, you can respond directly to the message rather than just focusing on the symptoms. 

[See "Treatment Approach: IFS" tab to learn more]

As both a medical doctor and trauma psychotherapist, I bring an integrated approach to therapy. If you have a trauma history and live with a chronic illness, unexplained symptoms, or a sense that something is just not right in your body, I can help you explore possible connections between past experiences and current health status. Doing this can pave the way for healing of those parts that still bear the emotional burden from those early events and, as a result, offer the possibility of improving your health and quality of life.

[See "Resource" tab to learn how IFS was used to reduce symptoms
for women suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.] 

NOTE: Before using psychological approaches for new or unexplained symptoms, a medical evaluation by your doctor should always come first to identify any conditions that require medical treatment.

For a free introductory meeting, CALL 415-785-4202 or leave a secure message using the button below.

 [Please note my practice is limited to residents of California.]