Many people struggling with addiction have also experienced trauma. Whether it’s childhood abuse, neglect, violence, or emotional pain, unresolved trauma can play a major role in why someone turns to drugs or alcohol. I’ve seen this connection over and over in my work as a therapist over the past decade, especially in treatment settings that focused on both mental health and substance use. Early in my career, I worked in an intensive outpatient program for co-occurring disorders, and later in a trauma-informed agency that truly changed how I approached care. That experience taught me that healing happens when we treat the whole person—not just their addiction, but the pain underneath it. Addiction Is Not a Moral Failing—It’s a Brain Disorder Let’s start by redefining addiction. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), addiction is a chronic brain disorder. That means it changes how your brain works—not because you’re weak or broken, but because your brain...