Quote by Kevin A. Plank

Trust is the belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something. For many of us, trust is something that is built up over time and in many different interactions with a person. The template for this is laid down in childhood.

If you had good enough parenting and a stable enough environment growing up, then you have learned that people are generally reliable and trustworthy but at times may make mistakes and may let you down. However because of the environment you grew up in, you learn that the good generally outweighs the bad and are often willing to give people the benefit of the doubt.

When a traumatic experience happens, this can drastically alter a person’s sense of trust in others and the world, even if they had a good enough childhood. That is because when traumas are interpersonal in nature, they shake our often unexamined assumptions of others as trustworthy and the world as safe. That is why trauma is so much more than just about what happened to a person, it’s about what came next and how it changes a person’s worldview.

If you have grown up in an environment of neglect, abuse or chaos, this type of foundational trust in others and the world is not created to begin with. In fact, in these situations what folks often learn is that people are generally untrustworthy and the world is not safe. Therefore any incident of being let down, forgotten, or hurt can result in a complete loss of trust. This is an exhausting and unhealthy way to go through life.

Therapy can help these folks find a more balanced view, one that is not blind to the dangers of the world, but also one that is not completely mistrusting. This is hard work and finding the right therapist to guide you on this journey is important. If you want to learn more about me and how I work, click on the link in my