You might be wondering how is Developmental Trauma different from C-PTSD (Complex PTSD), or are Developmental Trauma and Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) the same thing. While they are closely related, they are not identical. Developmental Trauma refers specifically to the damage caused by early, repeated disruptions in caregiving, such as neglect or abuse, while C-PTSD often develops in response to prolonged trauma in adulthood, such as abusive relationships or chronic stress.
One way to understand the difference is to think of developmental trauma as the foundation for C-PTSD. If you’ve experienced trauma in childhood — whether through emotional neglect, abuse, or attachment issues — it can affect how you respond to later stress or trauma in your life. This is why people with developmental trauma may also develop C-PTSD as adults.
So, what are the symptoms of C-PTSD? While it shares some symptoms with PTSD, such as flashbacks and anxiety, C-PTSD often includes:
- Difficulty regulating emotions, such as feeling overwhelmed by sadness, anger, or fear.
- Persistent feelings of shame, guilt, or worthlessness.
- Trouble forming and maintaining relationships due to fear of abandonment or trust issues.
- A chronic sense of emptiness or feeling “disconnected” from yourself and others.
In terms of severity, is C-PTSD more severe than PTSD? It can feel more complex and enduring, especially because it often includes the relational wounds of developmental trauma. However, both can be deeply challenging, and neither is “worse” than the other — they just manifest differently depending on your experiences.
For many people, C-PTSD symptoms are deeply rooted in childhood experiences, which is why therapies focused on attachment and relational healing can be so effective. What does a C-PTSD episode look like? It often involves emotional flashbacks, where you might suddenly feel as if you’re in the emotional state of a past trauma, even though nothing immediately dangerous is happening in the present. These episodes can feel overwhelming, but with the right support, they can be managed and healed.
Therapies for Developmental and Complex Trauma
When it comes to healing from developmental trauma and C-PTSD, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. However, certain therapies have been shown to be especially effective in helping people recover from childhood trauma.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy focuses on understanding how your early experiences, particularly in childhood, shape your current emotions and behaviour. This approach dives deep into unconscious patterns, helping you uncover how past trauma still impacts your present life. By bringing these unconscious processes to light, psychodynamic therapy can help you make sense of painful emotions and develop healthier ways of relating to yourself and others.
This kind of therapy is particularly effective for those with developmental trauma because it addresses the root causes of your emotional struggles. It’s not just about managing symptoms; it’s about understanding where they come from, which can lead to lasting change. This is my
core training as a Bromley Psychotherapist.
Attachment-Based Therapy
Since developmental trauma often stems from disruptions in early relationships, attachment-based therapy focuses on healing those relational wounds. If you’ve experienced inconsistent caregiving or a lack of secure attachment as a child, this can show up in your adult relationships, making it hard to trust others or feel safe with people close to you.
In attachment-based therapy, your therapist helps you work through these patterns by creating a safe, trusting relationship. Over time, this therapeutic relationship can help you heal old attachment wounds and develop healthier, more secure ways of relating to others.
Somatic informed Therapy
Trauma is not only stored in the mind but also in the body. Somatic informed therapy works by helping you reconnect with your body and release the physical tension and trauma that might be held there. Many people with developmental trauma experience physical symptoms like chronic pain, tightness, or anxiety without realising that these feelings are connected to their past.
Somatic therapy involves paying attention to bodily sensations and using techniques like breathwork, movement, and grounding exercises to release trauma that’s been stored physically. It’s particularly helpful if you’ve struggled with feeling “stuck” in talk therapy or if you have physical symptoms alongside emotional distress. I have taken a range of CPD training in this area with Janina Fisher and others.
Therapeutic Writing
Writing can be a powerful tool for working through trauma, especially when guided by therapeutic techniques. For those who may find it hard to express their feelings verbally, writing offers a way to reflect on their experiences in a safe and controlled way. There are several forms of therapeutic writing that can support your healing process:
- Personal Reflective Journaling: Regularly writing about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences can help you process your trauma over time. Journaling allows you to express difficult emotions, gain clarity on how past events are affecting your present, and track your healing progress.
- Creating Timelines: Constructing a timeline of significant life events, particularly focusing on childhood experiences, can help you see patterns of trauma and how they influence your adult life. Timelines can offer a clearer picture of how certain developmental trauma has shaped your emotional and relational struggles.
- Letter Writing: Writing unsent letters to people from your past — whether it’s a caregiver, an abuser, or even your younger self — can be a powerful way to express emotions that may have been suppressed for years. These letters provide an opportunity to say things that couldn’t be said at the time and help you release unresolved feelings.
- Personal Narrative Writing: Crafting your personal narrative by writing out your life story can help you understand your journey more clearly. By putting your experiences into words, you begin to see yourself as the protagonist of your own story, reclaiming control over your past and present.
Therapeutic writing can complement other therapies, offering a way to process emotions between therapy sessions and reflect on personal growth. Many trauma survivors find it empowering to see their story laid out on paper, providing insight and a sense of progress on their healing journey. This is a special interest of mine and one I am basing current doctorate study on.
