I often receive this question when discussing events that might have happened to someone in their early childhood. And I usually answer, “Well, it depends on what you mean by remember.” When most people talk about remembering, they are referring to explicit memory of autobiographical events, which develop later in childhood. What they don’t realize is that God has marvelously fashioned human brains to have different kinds of memories, some of which are unconscious and held in different parts of the brain that control our autonomic nervous system, emotions and muscle memory.

So, no, people cannot consciously recall and tell you about a traumatic event or how life and relationships went in general when they were very young. But, yes, their body and nervous system remember and will unconsciously react/relate with learned responses to similar stimuli.

This month’s tool is a quick reference guide for different types of memories, what they are and how trauma may affect them. We hope that it will help you better appreciate and understand how people’s past affects them and be informed about things to keep in mind as you minister to people who have experienced trauma.