Trauma Therapy
Trauma therapy at The Trauma Practice is carried out by a trauma informed therapist. Trauma therapy is designed to help with trauma in a supportive and transformative way. I use the leading evidence based treatment for trauma which is EMDR therapy.
We might experience trauma in real life. Trauma is usually experienced at home through abuse but can also be experienced in the form of an accident, traumatic bereavement, physical attack or second hand through the television or social media platforms.
What Is Trauma?
Trauma is anything that is deeply distressing or disturbing to someone. There are a number of different types of trauma. Whether something is traumatic is defined by a person’s response to it rather than the event itself. One person might find an event, traumatic and another person might experience the same event differently. We all experience some trauma in our lives to a greater or lesser degree. 1 in 10 people are expected to experience PTSD symptoms at some point in their lives. Unfortunately the majority of trauma experienced by people in life is in the family home.
What Events Can Trigger Trauma Symptoms?
Trauma can be triggered by different events for different people. A handful of examples might include: bullying, car accident, physical attack, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, sudden bereavement of a close friend or family member, witnessing an accident, hearing about an accident or disturbing images from the media or social media.
Trauma Symptoms
Trauma Symptoms vary from person to person with regard to their severity or how long they might last. Symptoms can manifest immediately following a trauma or take months or years to manifest. Trauma symptoms are normal reactions to abnormal events. They can be emotional, psychological, or somatic. When symptoms last for longer than one month they might be considered PTSD symptoms.
Symptoms might include rumination, anxiety, muscle tension, mood swings and emotional outbursts, feeling disconnected, negative beliefs about yourself or the world, feeling guilt or shame and complex avoidance strategies.
Trauma Informed Therapist
Matthew Alderton - MA, BSc, Dip, Dip Psych. I trained at The Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education in London to become a counsellor and psychotherapist. I am also an EMDR practitioner and trauma informed therapist.
It is important to see a trauma informed therapist because traditional therapies like psychotherapy can re-trigger trauma symptoms if they are not administered in the right way. I use psychotherapy as a basis for adjunct EMDR therapy and complex trauma or complex PTSD. I use trauma informed therapies which include: eye movement desensitisation & reprocessing therapy (EMDR), polyvagal theory, trauma release, emotional freedom technique, cognitive processing therapy and body psychotherapy. EMDR is the leading evidence based treatment for PTSD.
I am approachable and down to earth helping you to feel safe whilst using trauma informed therapy.
Trauma Therapy Approaches
Trauma Therapy Benefits
Present
Reprocessing trauma helps us to live back in the present moment with the ability to enjoy life to the full.
Connect
Reconnect to our true selves in a healthy way without trauma symptoms. 'I feel like me again'.
Balance
When trauma triggers are reduced we can restor balance and homeostasis back into our lives.
Happiness
When we reconnect to our selves, restore homeostasis and feel back in balance we are naturally happier.