Hormones and Childhood Trauma: Links Between the Physical and Psychological

Abstract

Researchers have uncovered connections between the experience of childhood traumas and later symptoms, both psychological and physiological. This article highlights, specifically for family counselors, the need for increased attention to physical expressions of childhood trauma in adulthood. This discussion enriches our systemic understanding of the way trauma alters both psychological and physiological processes. Preliminary analyses from a pilot study (N = 24) are presented from a small sample of individuals having an endocrine disorder whose symptoms correlated significantly with various childhood traumatic experiences. Our preliminary results highlight the importance of counselors having some basic knowledge of not only how trauma may influence cognitive and emotional processes but physical ones as well. Clinical practice implications are discussed.