Imagine being a child, confused and overwhelmed by emotions, but unable to express them because the adults in your life are telling you it’s not a big deal.

Over time, this can lead to a deep sense of disconnection and mistrust.

The child may start to believe that their feelings don't matter, or worse, that there's something wrong with them for having those feelings.

This internalised emotional neglect can cause anxiety to fester and grow, often unnoticed until it becomes a significant issue.

In my recent interview with Terraine Brown at the Overcoming Trauma Virtual Summit, we discussed the profound connection between trauma and anxiety in children.

One of the most eye-opening revelations was how trauma isn't always recognized by parents, simply because their definition of trauma is too narrow.

For example, a parent might think that unless their child has faced something as extreme as physical abuse or a life-threatening event, they haven't experienced trauma.

However, trauma can also stem from less obvious sources, such as repeated emotional dismissal or feeling powerless in their environment.

We also explored how a lack of emotional literacy contributes to this issue.

Many parents don't realise the importance of addressing their child's emotional needs because they were never taught how to understand and manage their own emotions.

As a result, parents may inadvertently perpetuate a cycle of emotional neglect, leading their child down a path of persistent anxiety and even mental health disorders.

The good news is that this cycle can be broken.

During the interview, we delved into practical strategies that parents can use to better understand and support their child's emotional needs. One key approach is developing what I describe as "emotional competence."

Unlike emotional intelligence, which might imply a fixed trait, emotional competence is a skill that can be learned and refined over time.

By becoming emotionally competent, parents can create a safe space for their children to express and process their emotions, leading to healthier emotional development and a reduction in anxiety.