A healthy, happy, empowered human being does not sprout from the soil — they are a product of the consistent meeting of core needs.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs covers this topic reasonably well, yet the following more nuanced list offers better clarity and depth:
As you can see, core needs are always there, yet not always met. A core need can simply be passively neglected, or it can be actively betrayed. Not only are both forms considered abuse, but they also leave a person vulnerable to future abuse.
When your core needs are neglected, you are left with an unquenchable thirst. For example, if your parent was constantly distracted or in their head, you may have felt unseen. You might have been constantly attacked and undermined, which betrayed your need to feel resilient. You may not have been nurtured and supported into entering the world, rather being held back and controlled...
