Everyone experiences trauma differently. Some of the common symptoms are flashbacks, emotional flashbacks (when we feel the same as we did at the traumatic event), nightmares, avoiding things that remind you of the event, mood swings, feeling anxious, panicked, scared, jumpy, sad, numb, angry, guilty or ashamed, behavioural changes, changes to eating patterns and sleep patterns, feeling like you are not in your body, feeling disconnected, confused or “phasing out”, having unexplained physical symptoms such as pains, illness or fatigue with no medical cause, increased use of alcohol or drugs, social withdrawal, lack of interest in usual hobbies/activities.

There is no one-way-fits-all for trauma and I work in several different ways depending on what feels right for you. Therapy is a collaborative process. I am not "fixing you". We are working together to find your own inner healing. I really believe that everyone already has the capacity to heal from trauma, but often people haven't been given a safe enough space to figure out what is right for them. I will never force you to talk about what's happened to you and I will always try to make sure we are going at a pace that feels safe for you.

Some people find it really helpful to draw pictures or write things down. You can do this in the session or outside of therapy and bring it to sessions if you wish.

Sometimes I may make suggestions about things we could try that would make you feel safer, such as breathing techniques, mindfulness, visualisations or some movement. These are only ever offered as an invitation and you do not need to do anything that feels uncomfortable or unhelpful.

I may also teach you techniques that benefit your emotional and mental health, and help to calm your nervous system down and restore it to optimal functioning. I may also explain some of the things that are happening in your brain and body so that you can understand the mechanisms behind what you're experiencing.

I am also trained in the Rewind Technique which is an effective way of treating flashbacks and intrusive memories. The Rewind Technique means that you do not actually have to tell me what happened, however you do have to think about it. If this is something that you would like to try, then please ask. Please be aware that for some people this isn't a suitable treatment option and it requires a minimum of 2 sessions and a free follow up email assessment.

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