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The DMM, Trauma and Me: Part One: Childhood.
When I wrote my first article about the Dynamic Maturational el of Attachment (DMM), a colleague suggested I write about the DMM and trauma. I have hesitated and procrastinated for 4 years as I realised that the most accessible way I could do this would be to tell my own story, but that would mean being publicly vulnerable, and anyone with a history of trauma will recognise that doesn’t feel a safe thing to do. I like to think as I’m typing this that it’s a sign I’ve done a lot of healing I now feel able to.
The other reason I’ve hesitated is that my story is inevitably tangled with others: my parents, siblings and friends. It’s not my place to tell their stories, and their recall and experiences will be different from mine. Our collective memories are a kaleidoscope of different perspectives and viewpoints, the picture changing each time we look and notice something we hadn’t before. I have been wary of offending those I care about, or misrepresenting them. For this reason a lot is left out. If I do cause offence, I’m sorry. I know that everyone did their best. My intention in writing this is to help others understand themselves better and as a result be kinder and more compassionate to themselves and others.
I first heard Dr Pat Crittenden speak about the DMM in 2006. What she was saying made more sense to me in understanding the human…
