ABSTRACT
What is the most natural thing for a child to do when she has fallen off her bike and hurt herself? Well, of course, tell her parents. It is usually upon the telling of the event that the emotional expression begins, the crying, maybe even sobbing. This sobbing serves both as a physiological release of the pain and trauma, and as an opportunity for soothing through bonding with the loving other who comforts, listens, validates, and understands. After such an experience, the traumatic event will be remembered, but not with avoidance or the development of enduring symptoms. When traumatic events that do not overwhelm the child’s resources are processed with a loving caregiver shortly after their occurrence, the child’s equilibrium is restored, and there are generally no enduring effects.
