Trauma can leave the mind and body responding as though danger is still present. Therapy offers a careful, collaborative way to understand these responses, work with traumatic memories and rebuild safety, choice and connection.
Safety, formulation and carefully paced trauma work.
Making sense of trauma responses
After trauma, people may experience intrusive memories, nightmares, heightened alertness, emotional numbing, shame, avoidance or a changed sense of themselves and other people. These responses are understandable consequences of what happened, not signs of personal weakness.
An initial assessment helps us understand the nature and impact of your experiences, the difficulties affecting you now and what you hope will change. We will also consider safety, stability and whether trauma-focused work is appropriate at this point.
Evidence-based work at an agreed pace
Trauma therapy does not mean being pushed to disclose everything immediately. We establish a shared understanding of the work, prepare carefully and agree how to approach memories, triggers, beliefs and avoidance in a way that is purposeful and tolerable.
Depending on your needs, therapy may draw on trauma-focused CBT alongside integrative, compassion-focused and mindfulness-informed approaches. The aim is not to erase what happened, but to help the memory become part of the past rather than repeatedly experienced as a present threat.
Training and professional accountability
Alongside my Advanced Diploma in High Intensity CBT and BABCP accreditation, I have completed a Certificate in Top-up Training for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at the University of Oxford. I work within my professional competencies and undertake regular clinical supervision.
Helping the mind recognise that the trauma is over
An illustrative example might be someone who knows intellectually that an assault is in the past but still scans every environment for danger, avoids reminders and experiences intrusive images as though the event is happening again. Trauma-focused work would develop an individual formulation, address present triggers and meanings, and help the memory become located in the past. This example is illustrative and is not based on a specific client.
Assessment considers the nature of the trauma, current symptoms, risk, stability, dissociation, support and readiness for focused work. Standardised trauma measures may support assessment and review, but they do not replace clinical judgement or determine the pace of therapy.
WHO THIS MAY SUIT
Trauma can affect many areas of life.
Intrusive memories and nightmaresAvoidance and emotional numbingHypervigilance and feeling unsafeShame, guilt and self-blameChanges in identity and relationshipsTrauma-related anxiety and panicDevelopmental and childhood traumaAdjustment after unexpected events
WHAT SESSIONS INVOLVE
Preparation, trauma-focused work and reclaiming life.
01
Opening sessions: assessment and preparation
We understand the trauma responses affecting you now, consider safety and stability, and agree whether trauma-focused work is appropriate at this stage.
02
Active phase: paced trauma-focused work
Using evidence-based methods, we work carefully with memories, triggers, meanings and avoidance without asking you to disclose everything before you are ready.
03
Consolidation: reclaiming everyday life
We consolidate learning, reduce the influence of trauma on present choices and strengthen confidence, relationships and strategies for responding to future triggers.
PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
Pacing, suitability and safety.
Will I have to discuss the trauma in the first session?+
No. The initial consultation focuses on understanding what you are experiencing, what support you need and whether we are a suitable fit. You remain in control of what you share.
How long does PTSD therapy take?+
The length of therapy varies according to the nature of the trauma, current circumstances, clinical needs and goals. We will discuss a recommended format after assessment and review progress together.
Can trauma therapy take place online?+
Online trauma therapy may be appropriate for some people. We will consider privacy, safety, support and clinical suitability before agreeing the format.
How is progress reviewed in PTSD therapy?+
We review the impact of memories, triggers, avoidance, beliefs and everyday functioning against agreed goals. Standardised trauma questionnaires may be used where they support clinical decisions and help us review change over time.
Who may need a different or more intensive service?+
Private outpatient trauma therapy is not a crisis service and may not provide the right level of support where there is immediate danger, acute instability or a need for coordinated multidisciplinary care. Suitability and safety are considered before trauma-focused work begins.
Is trauma-focused therapy simply retelling what happened?+
No. Effective trauma work is guided by an individual formulation and may address memory, meanings, triggers, avoidance, present safety and the impact on identity or relationships. It is not an unstructured demand to recount every detail.
Initial consultation
Request an initial consultation.
Share your contact details, preferred appointment format and a brief overview of what you would like to address. No detailed clinical history is needed by email. I will reply within two working days regarding the next suitable step.