When ‘She Did Her Best’ Still Hurts: How Mother Wound Therapy in Falls Church, VA, Can Help
Oh my gosh, you are tired of hearing it! Whenever you try to explain to someone else HOW your mom behaves towards you or WHY it affects you so much, all they come back with is, “Well, she did her best,” or “You only have one mother.”
You know. You get it already.
But it does nothing to change the childhood of pain that you experienced. The longing you had to feel safe. To be cared for. To be cherished.
Instead, you move through the world with invisible loneliness and grief. You carry an unhealed mother wound. And you wish you could do something about it. That’s where mother wound therapy in Falls Church, VA, comes in.
What is a Mother Wound?
A mother wound is a lack of mothering. It develops when you are raised by or are disconnected from an emotionally immature or absent mother. This may be a mom who was neglectful, highly critical, controlling, entitled, self-absorbed, passive, and/or emotionally, physically, and/or sexually abusive. These wounds are also marked by a lack of certain qualities in your relationship, most notably the absence of: delight, curiosity, nurture, guidance, structure, and protection.
How Does Your Mother Wound Impact Your Life Now?
As an adult who grew up with an emotionally immature mother, you may experience:
Frequent internal shaming
Perfectionism and difficulty making/letting go of mistakes
Low self-esteem and low self-worth
Social anxiety
Tendency to find yourself in toxic friendships and/or toxic romantic partnerships
Difficulty with trust
Fear of others seeing or knowing the “real” you
People-pleasing
Difficulty navigating conflict
Difficulty advocating for yourself and/or asserting your needs
How Can Mother Wound Therapy in Falls Church, VA, Help You Heal?
The unique thing about mother wounds is that they feel invisible. Your mom may have been kind and gracious to you in public, but absent or abusive in private. The person she was within the confines of your relationship made things confusing. And, as a result, it makes getting close to others now, feeling vulnerable around others, or receiving others’ feedback feel warped or bewildering at times. That is because you experienced a relational wound and interpersonal trauma.
So, what can childhood trauma therapy do? Unlike in other relationships (like with your friends), therapy offers a uniquely objective, foundational space to rebuild your sense of trust and safety in relationships. You can gradually expand your capacity for closeness and trust, both with yourself and with others, while also processing the pain from your past.
Many times, building attachment-based and trauma-focused work into healing your mother wound will support you in healing the younger versions of you that did not have their needs met. In this manner, you can build skills for the adult version of you that is so successful now, while also developing soothing, regulating, and grounding techniques to support the younger version of you that exists within you and still feels hurt. At Nurturing Willow Psychotherapy, this is referred to as “reparenting” in therapy to heal the mother wound.
And guess what??
Healing is COMPLETELY possible.
Start Online Therapy in VA for Mother Wounding at Nurturing Willow Psychotherapy:
Alice Zic, MPH, LCSW | Trauma Therapist & Owner of Nurturing Willow Psychotherapy, LLC
Click the button below to schedule your free 15-minute consultation phone call.
Complete the pre-consult questions.
Consult with Alice Zic, Mother Wound Therapist.
Begin your journey toward healing your mother wound and becoming a confident you!
Online Therapy for Mother Wounds in Virginia
Finding a friend who understands your mother wound history has been hard enough, let alone finding a therapist who is a good fit AND is nearby to you. Why not skip the stressful drive through Virginia traffic and instead make your life simpler with online therapy? As a licensed therapist in Virginia, I offer online therapy for mother wounding throughout Virginia. It’s simple, convenient, and much less stressful. Isn’t that what therapy should be? Learn more and get started below:
Additional Therapy Services in Falls Church, VA, and Colchester, CT
In addition to childhood trauma therapy, Nurturing Willow Psychotherapy offers online support for parentification trauma and teen anxiety, helping clients set boundaries, manage stress, and heal in a safe, accessible space.
About Mother Wound Therapist, Alice Zic, LCSW, in Falls Church, VA
Alice Zic is a licensed clinical social worker in Connecticut and Virginia. She is a trauma therapist who specializes in mother wounds. She specifically works with adult daughters of emotionally immature and narcissistic mothers and helps them let go of their shame and self-hatred and instead lean into their confidence, empowerment, self-love, and self-compassion.
Alice is an attachment-based therapist who is trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, which is a trauma-informed and evidence-based modality. This background has lent Alice the expertise to support you in healing your mother wounds and in building a foundation of softness and ease that extends from you into the rest of your world. If you would like to work with Alice, schedule your free consultation call today.