Trauma therapy
What is trauma?
Trauma is an ongoing emotional response to an event, or a series of events, that we have experienced. Those events are typically situations in which we’ve felt under threat, without the opportunity to defend ourselves or run away, or without receiving care and reassurance from someone else at the time, leaving us alone, isolated and withdrawn in our feelings.
Experiencing trauma symptoms in the present day – flashbacks, numbed or out of control emotions, and suicidal feelings, for instance – can shatter our sense of who we are, leaving us feeling scared, frustrated, confused, and longing to ‘go back to normal’. Trauma can make carrying out everyday tasks and relationships difficult and it can impact us long after the actual event has taken place, which can feel confusing.
Maybe you feel you have to suffer in silence, or that you 'should be over it by now'; I promise that isn't the case. I understand feelings like this can make the idea of speaking with a counsellor seem overwhelming, and I offer open-ended sessions to remove some of the pressure that can be felt in time-limited counselling. I understand it takes time to build trust, particularly if you’re coming with something you’ve never spoken about before.
How can trauma counselling help?
My approach is, it’s not “what’s wrong with you?” but “what’s happened to you?” and “how can I support you right now?”. I understand the complexities of trauma, and that each person's experience of trauma is unique to them. I work with you as an individual.
I am a pro-active trauma therapist, meaning I want the work we do together to feel safe for you, and does not risk retraumatising you. I offer practical resources so you can understand what’s happening, support you in developing healthier coping strategies, help you gain insight into your thoughts and feelings, and take back control of your life.
If you’d like to find out more about how I can support you – because everyone’s experiences of trauma are different - please get in touch.
Post-trauma growth
It feels important to say here, that you never need to tell me what happened. We don’t ever need to go there, if you don’t want to.
A lot of the work I do with trauma is about resourcing you and building your capacity to tolerate the difficult stuff. I’ll help you notice and uncover your strengths. You’ve come this far – you just might need my support as you take stock and figure out where to go from here.
If you've reached a stage where you do need to "go there" in order to process what's left for you, I can support you to do that safely.
Part of the work I love most is seeing clients grow and flourish, no matter what was going on for them when they first arrived.
My experience in trauma work
I’ve undertaken a lot of additional training over the years as post-traumatic growth is – and I know this sounds very counsellory (eye roll) – something I’m really passionate about. Some of my trainings are listed below, enabling me to work in a trauma-informed way, and I currently see clients in a charity supporting people who’ve experienced domestic abuse and sexual violence alongside my private practice. I've also worked with many clients who’ve experienced childhood abuse in its various forms: sexual, physical and emotional.
Certificate in trauma – The Link Centre
Making trauma therapy safer – Babette Rothschild
Working with trauma stages 1 and 2 – Complex trauma training network
Working therapeutically with survivors of sexual trauma – Zoe Lodrick
Pre-Trial Therapy training - The Survivors Trust