According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), people who have experienced trauma are at an elevated risk for substance use disorders, including mild to severe symptoms, mental health disorders, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and physical conditions, including eating and sleep disorders. It is especially true of people who have been traumatized as children.

​As a trauma survivor myself, I struggled with depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and toxic relationships for many years. Even as a happily married adult and successful public figure, I secretly struggled with binge drinking; that is, until I finally learned about trauma and…