Dr. Dan Siegel said the following: Trauma shuts down integrative growth and you start living a life of rigidity. Further, when someone loses an attachment figure at a young age, rewards, mentalization and regulation of body are the 3 primary systems that are affected, and life gets really tight.

Linking the words trauma, integrative growth and rigidity really encapsulates the broad picture of early emotional and physical shock and distress. I can relate to this and, most assuredly, as an example, so can everyone in the foster care system.