What is trauma & trauma therapy?

Trauma is the real, or perceived, threat to a person’s survival of the Self. Whether it’s something you’ve witnessed or experienced, the effects it can have on your day-to-day life can be paralysing.

 
Trauma therapy Brighton

Dr. Stephen Joseph uses the metaphor of a suitcase, when working with trauma. That is, once you feel safe and held in your therapeutic relationship, you’ll work to unpack the suitcase but only ever at your pace. It’s entirely up to you how and when you examine the contents of your suitcase - as “only the person close to the fire can tell you how hot it is”. Trauma & PTSD can have a whole body (somatic) response and having an awareness of this means you can explore how your body has literally stored the trauma and work to release that.

The mind is incredibly powerful in how it manages to ensure your survival. This is why having a coherent narrative surrounding the trauma is difficult - your brain has literally taken steps to ensure you can’t recall it all.

There’s an excellent article on Psychology Today which explains a little more about the hyper-arousal and hyper-vigilant states caused as a consequence of trauma.

I work with a ‘bottom up’ approach to trauma - that is through recognising what we might become aware of and anchoring into our senses, we can begin to release the emotions and movements that your body had to store in order to survive.

I work with trauma in a gentle, compassionate and empathic way. We may use breathing techniques that allow the parasympathetic nervous system to kick-in and aid in relaxing the body - this is to ensure you have a secure base to return to in, and outside of, sessions. Or anxiety techniques, in case you find you’re living through flashbacks and panic attacks.

There are several books that clients often find useful:

  • ‘The Body keeps the Score’ by Bessel Van Der Kolk

  • ‘Trauma is really strange’ by Steve Haines

Treating trauma.

And you may find the following video useful, as it offers a great demonstration on ways to ground yourself.

 

Want to take the next step?

Complete my enquiry form and I’ll be in contact to arrange a free, initial 15 minute consultation. In the call you’ll be able to ask any questions you may have and get a feel for the kind of person I am.