Trauma Therapy

Susan Iacovou, MA Psychology, MSc Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy

Telephone: 07702 235936

email me

See also Psychosexual Counselling for individuals who have experienced trauma as a result of rape or sexual abuse.

Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety, but any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and alone can be traumatic, even if it doesn't involve physical harm. It's not the objective facts that determine whether an event is traumatic, but how you experience the event emotionally. The more frightened and helpless you feel, the more likely you are to be traumatized.

An experience is more likely to be traumatic if it happens unexpectedly, if you were unprepared, if it happened repeatedly, or when you were a child. A trauma can be a one off event, such as a car crash or violent attack, or the break-up of a relationship, or it can come from the ongoing stress of living with an abusive partner, struggling with a serious illness, or serving in the armed forces.

If you've gone through a traumatic experience, whether in the distant past or more recently, you may be struggling with upsetting, frightening emotions, or a sense of constant danger that never leaves you. Or you may feel numb, find it difficult to build or maintain relationships with partners and family, or have a hard time trusting others.

Some people experience intrusive flashbacks and vivid nightmares, high anxiety, or panic attacks. You might have difficulty concentrating, and find that your emotions change rapidly, or feel especially strong.

If you have had a stressful experience that you are finding difficult to process emotionally and psychologically, if you feel your sense of sense of security has gone, making you feel unsafe, helpless and out of control, then therapy might help you.

Working through a trauma can be scary and painful and, because of the risk of being retraumatised, you need to find a therapist who has experience working with trauma. The quality of your relationship with your therapist is also important.

Choose a therapist you feel you comfortable with, and if, at any point, you don't feel safe, respected and understood - find another therapist.

Susan Iacovou, MA Psychology, MSc Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy