Is Trauma for Real?
Many people are skeptical about the effects of traumatic experiences and early childhood adversity, believing that the past is the past and that the best thing to do is simply to move on. For example, one person shared how they thought ignoring their painful past would make it disappear. Yet, research tells a profoundly different story—one backed by compelling data and lives forever changed. This post explores the science behind trauma, stories of healing, and the hope found in faith.
The Impact of Trauma in Childhood Experiences
The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that trauma and neglect in childhood lead to dramatically higher risks for serious health problems. Those with an ACE score of 4 or more (who experienced multiple traumas growing up) were:
Twelve times more likely to attempt suicide
Ten times more likely to struggle with alcoholism
Nine times more likely to suffer depression
Nearly four times more likely to have heart disease, cancer, or respiratory illnesses
More than 60% of adults report at least one traumatic experience, highlighting trauma as a widespread public health concern [CDC ACE Study].
How Trauma Alters the Developing Brain
Young brains are especially sensitive during development. As our brains form, they create the framework through which we interpret later experiences. For instance, growing up with safe, loving parents leads us to believe others are generally safe and trustworthy. In contrast, a chaotic environment may teach us that life is unpredictable and that we are helpless. These core beliefs often follow us into adulthood unless challenged.
Trauma causes physical changes in the brain, such as shrinking the hippocampus by up to 6% and affecting the prefrontal cortex, which controls reasoning and self-regulation, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) [NIMH Trauma Effects]. When triggered, the brain signals that the present moment is the same as the past trauma. Stress hormones flood the body, lowering our functional IQ, disrupting learning, and impairing our ability to connect with others.
Imagine a kitten whose eye is covered during a key early stage, preventing the brain from wiring the ability to see from that eye, causing permanent blindness. Trauma works similarly by reshaping brain areas critical for learning, emotional regulation, and connection. Simply put, trauma is too much or too unpredictable; neglect is too little of what was needed.
Trauma Stays With Us—A Time Machine Stored in Our Memories
Consider Stan, a man who survived a severe car accident. Decades later, reminders of his accident caused his heart rate to spike and his brain to react as if the trauma was current. Trauma lives not just in memories but as a physical imprint on the brain and body.
Trauma acts like a "time machine," pulling us back to painful moments and triggering core beliefs such as “I am not good enough,” “I am not safe,” or “It’s all my fault.” Unlike fleeting emotions, these wounds are deeply wired into our neural pathways and resurface over time, influencing daily life.
Healing requires courage: you must engage with these painful memories to rewire your brain. Facing our wounds activates neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to form new, healthier connections [Journal of Neuroplasticity in Trauma]. This process rewrites old narratives and opens the door to safety, worth, and peace.
Does Trauma Have to Last Forever?
Christ-centered and clinically informed healing offers profound hope. A 2015 study by Pargament et al. analyzing over 10,000 adult trauma survivors found that a deep faith commitment and positive use of spiritual practices—including forgiveness—were significantly linked to fewer symptoms of depression and PTSD [Pargament et al. 2015].
Counseling methods like EMDR and the Flash Technique help us cope with trauma and reprocess original memories, breaking the "time machine" and helping the body recognize past memories as belonging to the past. When combined with prayer and inner healing focused on God’s truth about our core identity, healing becomes even more powerful.
Trauma’s core lies—fear, shame, false identity—can be transformed through therapy and prayer. As treatment rewires neural pathways, a miraculous gift from God, we increasingly experience freedom to trust God’s truths about ourselves and others. Faith anchors healing in God’s unchanging love, safety, and forgiveness, freeing us from old lies and grounding our identity in His present reality.
A Call to Hope
These stories and data reveal trauma as real, lasting biological injuries—not just sad memories. Recognizing this calls us to compassionate, trauma-informed care, early intervention, and safe spaces for healing. It invites us beyond skepticism toward empathy and action grounded in science and faith, fostering true inner healing.
If you or someone you love carry unseen wounds, know healing is possible. As you reflect on this post:
Have trauma’s hidden marks shaped you or a loved one? You are not alone. Trauma reaches far beyond memories, touching every part of life.
What small step toward healing might you take today?
If you’re ready to learn more about how you can embrace your identity Christ to help you overcome anxiety, depression or other mental health issues, you’ve come to the right place.
Book an appointment or free 15 minute consult today at Growth Counseling. https://growth-counseling.clientsecure.me/
Sources for citation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Effects of Trauma on Brain Development
Journal of Neuroplasticity and Trauma Recovery
Pargament, K., et al. (2015), Study on Faith Commitment and Trauma Recovery
Does God Still Love Me if I’m Failing? Why Performance-Based Identity Matters to Our Faith
Sometimes, you feel like you’ve finally succeeded—a small victory, a moment of praise or progress—and for those few fleeting moments, it feels like enough. But then the satisfaction fades, and the bar moves again, and you are left weary, wondering if you’ll ever be truly enough. This cycle of striving and temporary relief can wear down even the strongest spirit.
You know the truth in your mind: God’s love is unconditional. You’ve read the verses, heard the sermons, recited the promises. You are God’s beloved child, accepted and redeemed. But then you fail. Again. And suddenly those truths feel distant—like faint echoes you want to believe but just can’t reach.
In those raw, quiet moments, the voice inside feels louder than Scripture. It tells you that you’re not enough. That you’ve disappointed God. Your heart races with shame. You feel condemned, as if God is silently judging you—not just for what you’ve done, but for who you are. You feel exhausted, unworthy, and alone—even though, intellectually, you know you're not.
This is the painful tension at the heart of performance-based identity—the trap of believing your value rises and falls with what you do or don’t do for God. It’s a pressure that rattles your foundation and obscures grace. And it’s why failure feels like an earthquake shaking the very ground beneath your feet.
Just as building on sand makes a house vulnerable to collapse when storms hit, basing your identity on performance unsettles the ground beneath you, but building on Christ’s solid rock gives you unshakable stability (Matthew 7:24-27).
When Our Identity Feels Like a Scorecard
It’s exhausting to chase after approval or self-worth that depends on achievement and perfection. When one “good” moment fades and is followed by a “bad” one, it’s easy to get trapped in a cycle of swinging between feeling valuable and feeling condemned. That internal battle can wear down your spirit and cloud your sense of worth and belonging.
But your identity is not a scorecard. It doesn’t rise and fall with your wins or your stumbles. You are not your mistakes, shortcomings, or even your moments of triumph. You are something far more stable and precious: a loved child of God with a value rooted in grace and not performance.
I Am, I Can, I Do — Defining Identity, Capacity, and Action
These three simple phrases help clarify what lies beneath the confusion of performance-based identity by defining distinct but related dimensions of who we are and how we live.
I Am — This is our identity, the core of our being, and the heart’s deepest truth. It is who we are in God’s eyes—beloved, accepted, and cherished—independent of our achievements or failures. The Bible reminds us, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us” (1 John 3:1). Our worth is not something to earn or maintain; it is gifted because we are God’s children. Paul makes this clear in “If righteousness could be gained through the law/performance, Christ died for nothing” (Galatians 2:21). Our identity is securely rooted in Christ’s finished work, not in a tally of successes or shortcomings.
I Can — This speaks to our capacity—the gifts, talents, skills, and even untapped potential God has placed within us. It’s not static; it can grow, develop, and be refined over time. Just because you stumble or miss doesn’t mean you’ve lost your ability to grow, learn, or serve. Think of Stephen Curry, one of basketball’s greatest shooters. He makes only about 42% of his three-point shots, meaning he misses more than half the time. Yet his greatness comes from his resilience—his willingness to step back and shoot again, practice harder, and trust he still has his God given capabilities.
I Do — This is how your identity (“I am”) and capacity (“I can”) come alive in everyday choices and actions. Living from this place means embracing a mindset of learning and growth—knowing that every step, every effort, even the stumbles, are part of a journey shaped by God’s grace. Instead of acting out of fear, shame, or the need to prove yourself, you begin with the security and inner resources needed to face the storms. Freed from the pressure of performance-based worth, your actions become authentic expressions of grace and faith, making your efforts more genuine and resilient. It is a response to grace that fuels perseverance. It’s the willingness to keep showing up, to listen and adjust, to persist through setbacks, trusting that God is using your process to build strength and character.
The Solid Ground That Never Shifts
When the shifting sands of success and failure try to tell you who you are, remember the rock beneath your feet—God’s unchanging love. Storms will come. You will face setbacks. Yet your worth as God’s beloved child remains the same. It cannot be taken away by a mistake, a hard season, or a moment of doubt.
When feelings of condemnation or self-doubt rise, whisper this truth to your heart:
I am loved because God says I am.
I am more than my most recent performance
I do what I do in response to grace, not to earn it.
This is more than a mindset—it’s the gospel lived out in real life. It’s the source of resilience, hope, and peace that doesn’t depend on circumstances or performance.
So, in every moment—whether you feel strong or weak, seen or overlooked—hold tightly to your God-given identity. Because anchored in Christ, your true self is an unshakable foundation—steady, sure, and unwavering—holding firm through every twist and turn life brings.
If you’re ready to learn more about how you can embrace your identity Christ to help you overcome anxiety, depression or other mental health issues, you’ve come to the right place. Book an appointment or free 15 minute consult today at Growth Counseling. https://growth-counseling.clientsecure.me/
Can Faith and Science Truly Work Together in Counseling?
For many Christian counselors and clients alike, one of the most common questions is this: Can faith and science truly work together in counseling? If you’re unsure whether therapy can truly honor both your faith and your real struggles, you’re not alone—and your questions are valid.
Many people wrestle with feelings of anxiety, depression, loneliness, past hurts, trauma, or a nagging sense of emptiness—as if life is hollow or insufficient. You might put in all the effort, show up and perform well, but deep down feel like an internal battle you can’t seem to win. Maybe your confidence falters when you need it most, or you feel stuck in cycles of failure, obsessive thoughts, or overwhelming shame and fear.
It’s common to wonder why we feel this way despite outward appearances or achievements. Why does peace seem elusive? Why do moments of joy feel fleeting? These are not just isolated emotions, but signs pointing to deeper roots within us—beliefs, fears, and wounds that shape every part of our lives.
The Hidden Roots of Anxiety, Depression, and Emptiness
Jesus challenges us to go deeper, saying in Matthew 23:26, “First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” He also reminds us in Matthew 7:16-17 (The Message), “You can identify people by the way they act—does a thorn bush produce grapes, or a bramble produce figs? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”
Living from fear, inadequacy, or false beliefs about our worth shapes everything we do—often in unseen ways. We may try to cover these roots with performance or comparison, gaining temporary success, but the fruit remains tinged with anxiety, pride, or shame. These hidden struggles fuel defenses like procrastination, imposter syndrome, and emotional numbness, which deepen anxiety and depression over time. If we draw from wells of fear, shame, or false narratives, the fruit of our lives will reflect that brokenness.
How Faith Reshapes Our Story
But here’s where faith reshapes the whole story. God offers us a larger narrative—one of grace, identity, and hope—that renews the lens through which we view our pain. Faith speaks to the core of who we are, grounding us in the truth of God’s love and our purpose beyond our struggles. This perspective brings peace and a secure foundation for change. It transforms how we see ourselves in moments of anxiety, how we understand depression, and how we process trauma or loneliness—not as definitions but as invitations for healing. We live in the love of God as His children, called to love with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and rooted in the identity of sons and daughters of God (1 John 3:1).
Why Self-Focus in Counseling Isn’t Selfish
Some might say counseling is selfish—too focused on ourselves and not enough on loving others. Yet, Scripture reminds us that sanctification is a necessary work within so that we can truly love and serve those around us. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” Growth begins with self-awareness and transformation, enabling us to better love our neighbors as ourselves.
Integrating Clinical Tools with Spiritual Healing
Faith calls us to confront this truth boldly, with open eyes and honest hearts. Scripture reminds us we have an identity, a core self, unshakable in any circumstance and not defined by our performance. This identity is rooted in who we are in God’s eyes. This unfailing love and grace give us the security to move into the difficult challenges of life and uncover what’s hidden in our heart spaces.
At the same time, clinical counseling provides essential tools and understanding to aid that healing journey. Science helps us comprehend how our bodies and brains respond to stress and trauma, how memories and defense mechanisms shape our reactions, and how new patterns can be formed. Therapy provides practical tools—such as emotional regulation, cognitive reframing, and trauma care—that bring faith’s hope into everyday life.
The Journey Toward Wholeness and Hope
Together, faith and clinical knowledge honor the complexity of human experience. They work hand in hand to empower you not just to heal from anxiety, depression, or trauma, but to thrive in the abundant life God intends. This integration helps you break free from the cycle of fear and shame and grow into the person God created you to be.
Taking the Next Step
If you’ve felt stuck in old ways, carrying the weight of unseen roots, or unsure about how your faith fits into healing, know this: true transformation is possible when God’s truth meets clinical wisdom. It’s here—where heart and mind, spirit and science come together—that lasting hope and freedom begin.
If you’re ready to embrace the abundant life waiting for you, you’ve come to the right place.
You can book an appointment today at Growth Counseling right here. https://growth-counseling.clientsecure.me/