Every child deserves to grow up feeling safe, loved, and deeply seen. But many people didn’t grow up with this kind of care. You may have learned to silence your needs, hide your feelings, or work endlessly for love that never felt secure. These early experiences create developmental trauma—and it’s effects ripples forward into adulthood.
Developmental trauma shapes how you relate to others, how we see ourselves, and how safe we feel in the world. It is also the root that governs how we co-create romantic relationships in adulthood.
Often, the deepest pain isn’t from what happened—but from what was missing and did not happen.
If you could describe your childhood hurts in one sentence, what would it be?
“I wasn’t seen.”
“My needs didn’t matter.”
“I felt invisible.”
You matter and are important And I would like to hear your story and support you through your pain and suffering.
My name is Bri. I’m a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, and I support adults who are ready to gently reconnect with themselves and begin healing from developmental trauma with compassion and care. I offer developmental trauma therapy online and in person in orange county.
What Developmental Trauma Looks Like in Adults
Children move through many emotional, physical, and psychological stages as they grow. When something disrupts this natural progression, developmental trauma can form. Some people experienced this inside the home. Others experienced it through medical procedures, bullying, injuries, or ongoing stress.
Developmental trauma in adults may show up as:
Chronic anxiety, depression, or shame
Emotional numbness or disconnection
Difficulty trusting or sustaining relationships
Persistent self-blame or inner criticism
Feeling like you are too much or never enough
These symptoms developed as adaptations to unmet needs—they’re evidence of your nervous system’s intelligence working to protect you. Healing developmental trauma online or in person is completely possible, you just need to incorporate the right methods.
Why Traditional Talk Therapy Can Feel Limited
Many people try talk therapy, read books, or work on changing their thoughts—yet still feel stuck. This often happens because developmental trauma and attachment trauma are deeply embedded in the nervous system and show up most painfully in relationships with others. When the body isn’t included in healing, your mind and body continue reacting to old trauma patterns from childhood—especially in relational dynamics—causing you to unconsciously co-create the same unhealthy relationships over and over.
When the body carries unresolved developmental trauma, you may experience:
Fear of abandonment or rejection
Anxiety or panic that seems to come out of nowhere
Emotional shutdown or numbness
Overwhelm that feels impossible to manage
Chronic tension, fatigue, or physical symptoms
Unhealthy relationship patterns
These experiences aren’t signs of weakness or failure. They’re signals from your body asking for support and relief—the kind that comes through deeper, body-based childhood developmental trauma therapy that works directly with your nervous system.
A Somatic Approach to Healing from Childhood Developmental Trauma
As a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, I help you explore what your body has been holding—without needing to relive every painful memory. Instead, we work with the sensations, emotional patterns, and protective responses showing up in your life right now.
This process often includes:
Addressing unresolved attachment trauma
Restoring a felt sense of safety in your body
Reconnecting with emotions that were once suppressed or shut down
Repairing boundaries that were crossed or never formed
Releasing stored tension and activation
Allowing protective responses to finally complete
These experiences support developmental trauma healing by helping your nervous system reorganize around safety and connection, healing attachment trauma—so you can show up differently in your relationships and in your life.
Therapy That Moves at Your Pace
Healing developmental trauma is deeply personal. Each person’s history and nervous system respond differently to stress, safety, and connection. We’ll move slowly and intentionally so your system can integrate each step with stability and ease.
Our work together may include:
Healing from childhood developmental trauma
Bringing healing to attachment trauma
Rebuilding trust in your body and relationships
Increasing emotional and sensory awareness
Learning somatic tools to become more emotionally regulated
Strengthening boundaries and self-expression
Reconnecting with joy, self-compassion, and inner safety
In-person sessions are available in Orange County. You can also heal developmental trauma online through virtual sessions that are grounded, supportive, and accessible from wherever you feel most comfortable.
You’re Not Alone
Many adults carry the effects of childhood developmental trauma quietly for years—feeling stuck, misunderstood, isolated, and unsure how to move forward. Healing becomes possible when someone truly sees you, believes in you, and stays alongside you through the process.
Whether you’re in Orange County or ready to heal childhood developmental trauma online, there is a path forward. I’m here to listen and support you as you reconnect with the parts of yourself that needed care long ago.
Begin Your Healing Journey
If you feel ready to explore developmental trauma therapy and begin to heal developmental trauma online or in person in a compassionate, attuned environment, I would be honored to support you.
Reach out today to schedule a free consultation. Your healing matters, and you do not have to face this alone.
FAQs
What is developmental trauma?
Developmental trauma happens when your emotional or physical needs weren’t consistently met during childhood. It often stems from neglect, chronic stress, unsafe environments, or unpredictable caregiving—shaping how you relate to yourself and others.
How is developmental trauma different from PTSD?
PTSD typically develops from a single traumatic event, while developmental trauma results from ongoing relational wounds during critical growth periods. It affects your core sense of safety, attachment patterns, and emotional regulation in ways that shape your entire nervous system.
Can adults heal from developmental trauma?
Absolutely. Adults with developmental trauma can heal through specialized developmental trauma therapy that helps your nervous system learn to feel safe, form secure connections, and build new patters of resilience. Healing is possible at any age—your brain remains capable of change and growth.
Do you offer online sessions?
Yes, You can heal developmental trauma online through secure virtual sessions that are just as effective as in person therapy. Healing from developmental trauma online offers flexibility, privacy, and the comfort of working from your own safe space.
Is in-person therapy available?
Yes, I offer in-person sessions in Orange County for clients who prefer the grounding presence of face-to-face work. My office provides a safe, calming space specifically designed for healing childhood developmental trauma.