Trauma-informed therapy recognises how past experiences, relationships and chronic stress can affect your nervous system, emotions, boundaries and sense of self. 

We pay attention not only to thoughts and emotions, but also to what happens in the body, including tension, shutdown, hyper vigilance and overwhelm.

Trauma-informed therapy is not a specific method or technique but a lens through which I approach my work, an ethos I abide by. It prioritises understanding and reducing the potential for re-traumatization, creating a collaborative and empathetic environment.

Understanding trauma

When we think of trauma, we often think of extreme events, like accidents, violence or natural disasters, but trauma can also be caused by the culmination of long-term stress. According to Dr. Gabor Mate, trauma is not what happens to you, but what happens inside you when you experience overwhelming stress without adequate support or resolution. It creates disconnection from emotions, body awareness and authentic self-expression as a way to survive. This disconnection shapes the nervous system, our stress responses and even our physical health. 

Trauma is not just about what happened to you, but also about what didn’t happen. It can be caused by the absence of safety, connection or care during the moments when they were needed the most. 

Your experiences of the world are shaped through the responses of your nervous system and how you meet everyday moments of life. 

Knowing that trauma influences how your nervous system responses, we can understand that any event can be traumatising if your nervous system is overwhelmed and you do not have the right environment or support to regulate fully after the event passes. 

What does it look like in the room?

I offer a calm, containing presence. We will work at your pace, together we build a therapeutic relationship that can bring trust and safety. Through compassionate enquiry we can start to make sense of what happened so you can reclaim your present and confidently shape the future you deserve.

We can gently bring the body into the room, to build awareness of how your nervous system is responding to stressors, which can support you in making the unconscious, conscious. This process can eventually give you choice.

Benefits of trauma-informed therapy

Therapy will be tailored to your needs. Together we will find new possibilities to move forward. You can take small steps to rewrite your narrative with strength, clarity, self-compassion and empowerment. 

Trauma-informed therapy will help to

• increase awareness of your bodily responses.
• reclaim a sense of agency.
• reframe unhelpful beliefs.
• manage emotional overwhelm with greater ease.
• improve the relationship with yourself and others.

Closing words

You do not have to navigate this journey alone. I offer an integrative, relational, and somatically informed approach that recognises the unique ways trauma can shape your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and connection to your body.

Together, we’ll create a supportive space where you can explore your experiences safely, build a deeper understanding of yourself, and develop new ways of relating to the challenges you face.

If this approach resonates with you, I’d be pleased to talk with you about how therapy might help.