Therapy for Trauma
Traumatic experiences challenge people's feelings of security and wellbeing; they can overwhelm our emotions, dominate our thoughts, and undermine our confidence in our ability to cope. It can be a result of early experiences, vicarious trauma, or we may be experiencing after-effects of negative events or relationships that perpetuate our suffering, such as anxiety or trauma bonding. Our reactions to trauma may seem unusual and disturbing, but they are often normal responses to abnormal events. Trauma counselling can empower you to find wisdom and healing from your experience.
Talk Therapy utilised in conjuction with experiential approaches, such as Focusing, EMDR, and Walk and Talk Therapy, can be used to:
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Identify and work through internalised emotions.
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Process trauma on an emotional and somatic level.
Whether the traumatic events occurred in childhood or more recently, the impact of these experiences is not something we are usually taught how to resolve. However, people can learn how to cope and manage the impact and symptoms of trauma.
Trauma processing may involve learning to calm ourselves when we experience anxiety, accessing resources and support when we experience depression or sadness, or learning ways to protect our personal boundaries and increase feelings of safety.
As with all types of therapy, the relationship with the therapist and the holding of a safe space is paramount to the effectiveness of the treatment. Utilising a combination of client centred and psychodynamic approaches, my primary aim is to nurture an environment that will facilitate healing. You can learn more on my About page, you are also welcome to contact me to explore whether we may be a good fit.
When undergoing trauma counselling, re-telling the story of the events may feel like reliving them, and feel like more than we can handle. However, this apprehension is understandable, and you can work through the issues at a pace that is comfortable and safe for you.
In addition to using helpful strategies to manage the symptoms, trauma counselling focuses on resolution of the original emotions, thus establishing a sense of safety.
Strategies that are suitable for your unique personality, situation or experience can help in various ways, such as:
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Reconnecting with a feeling of safety and trust.
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Feeling able to move forward.
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Re-engaging with life.
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Experiencing inner calm and joy.
Processing and releasing this unresolved impacts of trauma through talk therapy will help you to reconnect with life and relationships in a healthy way.
Trauma-Informed Counselling:
An overall approach rather than a specific therapeutic technique, Trauma-Informed Counselling involves providing a safe therapeutic environment, a gentle longer-term approach to Trauma Therapy, and a focus on strengths and resiliency.