As many of you know, one of my specialties in my practice is the treatment of childhood emotional neglect (CEN). I see adults who experienced CEN as children.
So why does this matter?
When we think of childhood abuse, we tend to think of someone doing something to a child (hitting, name-calling, etc.), but the act of neglecting a child can be just as painful. According to Dr. Web, CEN occurs when “the parent doesn’t validate their child’s feelings or respond to their child’s emotional needs.”
CEN is the silent abuser, in some ways it is, as Dr. Webb explains, the opposite of mistreatment and abuse: “Whereas mistreatment and abuse are parental acts, Emotional Neglect is a parent’s failure to act. It’s a failure to notice, attend to, or respond appropriately to a child’s feelings. Because it’s an act of omission, it’s not visible, noticeable or memorable.”
Children who have suffered CEN often experience difficulties later in life, such as: difficulty knowing and trusting their own emotions; difficulties understanding their own feelings as well as the feelings of others’ feeling disconnected, unfulfilled or empty; difficulty trusting or relying upon others; and feeling different from others (like something is wrong with them, but don’t know what).
So how does one know if they struggle with CEN? Follow the link here
For help treating CEN, set up an appointment to us Resilient Journey Counseling via our contact page, by calling 916-713-3455 or via email at hello@aresilientjourney.com
Additional information can be found here:
Sources:
Webb, J. (2019). Childhood Emotional Neglect: A Guide For Therapists & Clients | Dr. Jonice Webb. [online] Drjonicewebb.com. Available at: https://drjonicewebb.com/childhood-emotional-neglect-a-guide-for-therapists-clients/ [Accessed 30 Oct. 2019].