Heal Childhood Emotional Neglect

Childhood Emotional Neglect happens when your caregivers met your physical needs but were unable to meet your emotional ones. You may have had food, shelter, routine, and structure — but not the emotional attunement, comfort, or connection every child needs. And because nothing “obvious” happened, the wounds can be subtle and hard to recognize, even for you. As an adult, this often shows up as feeling numb, disconnected, or “blank” inside; struggling to know what you feel or need; taking care of everyone else but neglecting yourself; or feeling “too sensitive” or “not emotional enough.”

You may become easily overwhelmed, find it hard to express wants or set boundaries, feel empty or misunderstood, look high-functioning on the outside while feeling anxious or lost on the inside, or carry a persistent sense that something is missing without knowing what it is. CEN doesn’t mean your parents didn’t care — it means they didn’t know how to show up emotionally. And the younger you learned to disconnect from your own feelings simply to get through.

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How We Can Help You Heal CEN

We take a non-judgmental, deeply compassionate, trauma-informed approach rooted in:

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

We help you meet the younger parts inside you with love, understanding, and a sense of safety — often for the first time.

Attachment-Informed Therapy

We explore patterns in relationships that began early in life and still shape how you connect today.

Inner Child Healing Tools

Guided imagery, emotional regulation, re-parenting, and gentle somatic grounding to help you feel safe inside your body and mind.

Compassionate Re-Parenting

We help you build the internal emotional care you never received growing up — through warmth, attunement, and self-compassion.

This isn’t surface-level coping.
It’s deep reconnection with your true self.

Signs You May Have CEN

Being the “easy,” “good,” or “independent” child

Freezing or shutting down when emotions arise

Not knowing what they feel until it’s overwhelming

Feeling like a burden for having needs

Feeling responsible for others’ emotions

Struggling to connect deeply in relationships

Feeling alone even when surrounded by people

Being praised for maturity — but never comforted

Feeling unfulfilled or empty without knowing why

If these resonate, nothing is wrong with you — these are emotional adaptations.

FAQ

Is Childhood Emotional Neglect the same as trauma?
It’s a form of emotional trauma — often silent, invisible, and long-lasting.

What if I don’t remember my childhood well?
That’s extremely common. You don’t need memories to heal — your nervous system remembers.

Will this help my relationships today?
Absolutely. As you reconnect with your emotions, intimacy and communication improve naturally.

Is this therapy safe if I’m sensitive or easily overwhelmed?
Yes. We work slowly and gently — honoring your sensitivity, not pathologizing it.