Early relational trauma results from the fact that we are often given more to experience in this life than we can bear to experience consciously. This problem has been around since the beginning of time, but it is especially acute in early childhood where, because of the immaturity of the psyche and/or brain, we are ill - equipped to metabolize our experience. An infant or young child who is abused, violated or seriously neglected by a caretaking adult is overwhelmed by intolerable affects that are impossible for it to metabolize, much less understand or even think about.
This quote incisively captures the profound challenges faced during early childhood when an individual's developing psyche is vulnerable and less capable of handling intense emotional experiences. The idea that early relational trauma occurs because we are burdened with more than we can consciously endure highlights the overwhelming nature of pain and suffering for the young mind. It starkly illuminates the limits of mental and emotional processing in infancy and early childhood,...
