Do you ever feel anxious or depressed? Do you experience a sense of dissatisfaction, unease, confusion or an inability to properly relax and enjoy the present. Often, these feelings can be connected to experiences from our past. We will all have experienced trauma at one time or another – it may be a sudden traumatic event, or it may be ongoing abuse, bullying, undermining, gas-lighting or neglect that took place over a longer period of time.
Sometimes the effects of these events can remain stored in the brain instead of being classified as ‘dealt-with’. This is where trauma-informed therapy can help. A trauma-informed therapist understands the effect that traumatic memories can have on you in the present, and is trained to help you unpack and explore those memories at the right time. The memories themselves do not even need to be discussed until you feel stable enough to do this, and maybe never.
For an example of how this works read more about trauma-informed therapy in York here.
You don’t need to figure out which counsellor is right for you before getting in touch. Simply reach out and tell us a little about what’s brought you here, and we’ll match you with the team member best suited to your needs and your location. There’s no obligation, just a straightforward conversation to make sure you get the right support from the right person.
You do not need to identify with every experience listed here. If past events continue to affect your day-to-day life or wellbeing, counselling can support you.
Our counsellors are all qualified with years of experience exploring trauma. We are always happy to have a free informal chat with you before you book your first appointment. Fill in our online form here:
Trauma-informed therapy is an approach to therapy that recognises the potential impact of trauma on emotions, behaviour, relationships and our responses to situations. It emphasises safety, choice, collaboration and working at a manageable pace.
Not explicitly – but often ‘trauma-focused’ can be used to refer to therapy specifically focused on processing traumatic events, whereas ‘trauma-informed’ is about your counsellor having an awareness that trauma plays into a lot of counselling issues, and may be relevant to discuss if it crops up.
No. A trauma-informed approach respects your boundaries and readiness. You can work with your therapist to decide what you feel comfortable discussing and when.
All our therapists have extensive experience of working with and alongside trauma. We can offer you a confidential and relaxed space to either focus on the trauma directly (trauma-focussed counselling), or to simply be aware of its presence and work to negate its effects on present-day experiences (trauma-informed counselling).