How do adult survivors of childhood abuse, experience and understand their capacity to trust in relationships? Feedback from adults with histories of developmental trauma indicated they experienced considerable difficulties ‘trusting in others generally’, which had significant consequences for their overall quality of life. Using a classic grounded theory design, this study examined the relational trust recovery paths of 13 (10 female, 3 male) survivors of childhood abuse to develop a three-phased model of recovery that highlighted the significance of the therapeutic relationship (Initializing phase), live experimentation (Input phase), and an internal journey from a traumatized self to a more empowered self-concept (Processing phase). The therapeutic work within each phase is described along with a suggested role for motivation to learn theories (Expectancy-Value and Attribution theories), specifically the potential contribution of ‘expectancy of success’ and ‘task value’ to motivate movement through the process. The internal journey to a more positive sense of self varied for each participant; however, in all cases, a reported shift in feelings of ‘personal agency’ and ‘self�efficacy’ facilitated positive adjustment(s) to connect with others. Central to making positive changes was growth in the relational skillsets in two key areas, ‘feeling valued’ characterized by improved self-acceptance, self-esteem, and self-efficacy, and ‘adaptive and flexible responsiveness’ characterized by self-confidence, self-acceptance, and engagement. The therapeutic journey was perceived as challenging and fraught with risk and setbacks; however, perseverance brought the much-cherished rewards of a more trusting relationship with the self and others.