Have you ever reacted to something in a way that surprised you: anger, fear, shutting down, and later thought, “Where did that come from?” You’re not alone. These moments are often emotional triggers, especially for those with unprocessed childhood trauma.

What Are Triggers?

A trigger is anything - big or small - that reminds your nervous system of a past threat. It could be a tone of voice, a facial expression, a certain smell, or even a particular phrase. Triggers can cause an intense emotional or physical response that feels disproportionate to the present situation.

For those who experienced trauma in childhood, triggers often stem from unmet needs, fear, or emotional neglect. Because the brain and body learn to survive by being alert to threat, these patterns can follow us well into adulthood.

How Triggers Affect Adult Life

Unresolved childhood trauma can echo in:

• Relationships (difficulty trusting, people-pleasing, conflict avoidance)

• Work (fear of failure, perfectionism, burnout)

• Parenting (feeling overwhelmed, repeating patterns)

• Self-worth (deep-seated shame or not feeling “good enough”)

These responses aren’t your fault. They’re adaptations to pain. But you don’t have to keep living in survival mode.

Recognising and Working With Triggers

In therapy, we explore your triggers gently and safely. We might look at:

• Where the reaction comes from (often a younger, hurt part of you)

• What story or belief you hold (“I’m not safe,” “I’m too much,” “I’ll be abandoned”)

• How to respond with compassion rather than judgement

Over time, therapy helps you learn to pause, reflect, and choose a new response—one rooted in your adult self, not your past pain.

Healing the Inner Child

Sometimes, the triggered part of us is our younger self calling for attention. Inner child work offers a way to acknowledge that pain, soothe it, and create a new internal sense of safety.

When we listen to those younger parts of ourselves with kindness, we start to break free from patterns that no longer serve us.

You Can Create New Patterns

Healing from childhood trauma isn’t about blaming or reliving the past. It’s about understanding yourself more deeply, grieving what you needed but didn’t get, and creating new, healthier ways of being.

Triggers don’t have to control your life. With support, you can learn to recognise them, care for yourself through them, and build a life based on choice—not reaction.