513: Tanner Wallace on Childhood Trauma, Attachment Wounds, and How to Heal

This episode is about the tough but very important topic of childhood trauma. I’m here with Dr. Tanner Wallace, a former university professor of health and human development turned full-time trauma recovery guide. She hosts her own podcast called “The Relational Healing Podcast” and helps adult survivors of childhood trauma heal their attachment wounds. We discuss how childhood wounds can express in our lives, even if we don’t have a really specific extreme trauma, and the way these wounds show up in our relationships. We also go into the differences between traumatic events, how what happens after an event is often more important than the event itself, and the reason emotional neglect can be more harmful than physical abuse for children. There will definitely be follow-ups to this episode. But as a starting point, I can’t wait to share today’s episode with you. Let’s join Dr. Tanner.Episode Highlights With Tanner WallaceHow childhood wounds can express in our lives, even if we don’t know we have specific traumaThe way childhood wounds show up in adult relationshipsDifferences between traumatic events and if they are traumatizing or notHow what happens after an event is often more important than the event itself Why trauma isn’t just assault and physical abuseThe reason emotional neglect can be more harmful than physical abuseHow trauma and wounding are a continuumThe way our brains and bodies cope with trauma and how our personalities develop protective responses First steps to recognizing and starting to unpattern childhood woundsHow to deactivate default survival codes The somatic connection to working through childhood wounds and how to develop the body awarenessWitness, befriend, validate, and eventually release What attachment wounds are and how to recognize themWhy many of these wounds often bubble up when we enter primary relationships and start creating familiesHow to find a trauma-informed therapist to help work through thisWhat the Internal Family Systems Model is and how this method worksHer Relational Healing Lab approachWhat emotions are and tools for helping our kids have a better emotional vocabulary from a young ageAnd more!Resources We MentionThe Relational Healing Podcast with Dr. Tanner WallaceDr. Tanner Wallce on InstagramComplex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving by Pete WalkerNo Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model by Richard C. SchwartzEmotion