How childhood experiences shape both mental and physical health in the long run.
While exploring different materials on trauma and its effects, I came across an interview with a somatic therapist who mentioned the ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study. Curious, I dug deeper, and what I found was both shocking and crucial—yet surprisingly, not common knowledge. This information needs to be widely shared because it affects so many lives!
Most people who have learned about mental health or gone through therapy understand that trauma can lead to emotional struggles. For example, someone with depression might trace it back to growing up with an alcoholic parent who was often angry and unpredictable. But what’s truly eye-opening is that childhood trauma doesn’t just affect mental health—it can also lead to chronic physical illnesses like migraines, heart disease, and autoimmune conditions.
What Does the ACE Study Say?
The original ACE study was conducted in the 1990s in the U.S., and since then, many studies worldwide have confirmed and expanded its findings.
What counts as an ACE? Adverse Childhood Experiences include a wide range of difficult or traumatic situations, such as:
- Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
- Neglect
- Losing a family member to suicide
- Parents separating or divorcing
- Growing up with a caregiver who struggled with addiction or mental illness
- Bullying at school
Key Findings from the Study
- ACEs are extremely common. Two-thirds of study participants had experienced at least one ACE, and 25% had gone through three or more.
- The more ACEs a person experiences, the higher their risk of serious health problems.
Research shows that people who had four or more ACEs as children have a significantly higher chance of developing chronic illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, respiratory diseases, liver disease, obesity, and depression. Another study found that ACEs can also increase the risk of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.*
A Different Perspective
This research offers a deeper understanding of how our early experiences shape our long-term health. It’s interesting to consider how addressing trauma might not only impact mental well-being but also influence physical health in ways we don’t always expect.
In my opinion, it makes sense to focus on the root cause rather than just managing symptoms. If childhood trauma plays such a major role in long-term health, then addressing it directly might be a more effective way to improve both mental and physical well-being. There’s still so much to learn in this area, and it raises important questions about how past experiences connect to present health challenges.
* - Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9863315/
A curated book collection for Growth, Healing and Change
| Colin Tipping. Radical Forgiveness | "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings having a human experience." |
| Adam Alter. Anatomy of a Breakthrough | If (or rather when) you feel stuck, please read this book. Adam provides evidence proving that it's a natural process and gives practical advice to help. |
| Michael White. Maps of Narrative Practice |
If you'd like to have a comprehensive but simple understanding about what the narrative therapy is - read this book. |
| Stephen R. Covey. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People |
Stephen is going to tell you all he knows about the 7 basic habibs of effective people. I'd rather say these are the habits of people who are not only effective but also know what their true selves are. |
| Edith Eva Eger. The Choice |
I'd recommend this book to anyone who admires people who went through hell and not only survived but also transformed to help others find their way. |
| Pete Walker. Complex PTSD | The subtitle says that it is a guide for recovering from childhood trauma. And it is exactly what it says. |
| Arnold Mindell. The Shaman's Body |
I found this book a bit too difficult to comprehend, but it was a useful source of food for thought for me. |
| David A. Treleaven. Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for Safe and Transformative Healing |
This book contains a lot of useful information about the healing of trauma and mindfulness as an approach to healing. |
| Peter A. Levine, Ann Frederick. Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma |
The book introduced me to the polyvagal theory and somatic experiencing. Highly recommended to those who feel that using the body in healing is very important. |
| Steven Hayes. A Liberated Mind |
This book introduced me to the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (or ACT) as well as two major concepts: psychological flexibility and self that I consider to be crucial in understanding what matters and how to get there. |
| Richard Schwartz. No Bad Parts | The main source of information on Internal Family Systems - an approach that is considered to be highly effective in trauma healing, that is if you are interested in finding more than one inner child in yourself and welcoming them. |
| Pat Ogden, Janina Fisher. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Trauma and Attachment |
This book is about somatic psychotherapy, i.e. body-oriented therapy techniques that are effective for trauma. I found it quite technical and practical. |
| Bessel van der Kolk. The Body Keeps the Score |
And finally, the book that put everything together for me: liberated mind, remembering body and trauma. |
| Richard Schwartz, Ph.D. The Internal Family Systems Workbook |
This book contains practical worksheets if you'd like to practice IFS (Internal Family Systems) on your own. |
| Deb Dana. The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation |
I think this book is mainly for qualified therapists, however, I found it very useful in understanding how to integrate the polyvagal theory in practice. |
| Stanley Rosenberg. Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve Self-Help Exercises for Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Autism |
This is an extremely useful book by a body therapist that contains practical exercises to assess the state of and regulate the vagus nerve. |
| Janina Fisher. Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors |
Since I have already studied the subject for quite some time, it wasn't a book of discovery for me. However, the author, being one of the main experts in the field, presented an excellent overview of both the condition and interventions that are effective. |
| Kathy L. Kain, Stephen J. Terrell. Nurturing Resilience. Helping Clients Move Forward from Developmental Trauma--An Integrative Somatic Approach |
I read this book after watching an online interview with Kathy. Her deep experience as a somatic practitioner and her focus on developmental trauma were especially valuable to me. |
| Stephanie Foo. What My Bones Know. A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma |
This book offers a vivid and personal account of a childhood trauma survivor. It shares her journey of realizing what she had experienced and how she navigated recovery. It will be especially valuable for those going through a similar process. What makes it even more relevant is that her experience is recent, allowing readers to connect with it on a current and relatable level. |
| Mastin Kipp. Reclaim Your Nervous System. A Guide to Positive Change, Mental Wellness, and Post-Traumatic Growth | While this book isn’t at the top of my list in terms of value for my learning journey, I appreciate Mastin for two things. First, for having the courage to share his perspective despite not being a 'qualified' doctor or therapist. Second, for his approach to trauma recovery—working across past, present, and future—which I completely agree with. |
| Richard Strozzi-Heckler. The Art of Somatic Coaching. Embodying Skillful Action, Wisdom, and Compassion | This was one of the most challenging books I’ve read so far. The language was complex, making it difficult to grasp the author’s messages. Still, I pushed through, found many of the examples valuable, and finished with one key takeaway—somatic work is incredibly useful in trauma healing. |
| Judith L. Herman. Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence -- From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror |
This is quite an old book, and some of its examples and descriptions of modern challenges feel a bit outdated. Still, it was important for me to read it. First, it offers an excellent overview of the 'history' of trauma and the approaches used to treat it. Second, it presents a primarily cognitive perspective on trauma treatment, which adds valuable insight to my knowledge base. |