Having worked with a multitude of clients over the last 25 years, it became clear to me that one size definitely does not fit all in terms of treatment approaches, therefore, when supporting people with a variety of past and present issues, it feels essential to be able to use a range of trauma informed treatment interventions to meet individual needs.

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I provide integrated trauma therapy that can support people with a range of conditions such as PTSD, trauma events or incidents, abuse, phobias, low self-esteem and any heightened emotional response-based difficulty (such as anxiety, anger, grief/loss etc). I use a combination of EMDR (eye movement desensitisation reprocessing) therapy, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and Trauma Informed Yoga, alongside Applied Polyvagal Theory to support people on their processing and healing journey.

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What is EMDR?

 

EMDR is a powerful psychological treatment for psychological trauma that was developed in the 1980’s by American Clinical Psychologist Dr Francine Shapiro. Repeated distress and overwhelming traumatic experiences can become stuck in our memories with all the associated feelings and physical sensations.  These are stored as unprocessed traumatic memories that then become continually triggered by experiences similar to the difficult ones originally experienced and bring about all the associated painful feelings and sensations, often in the form of flashbacks, nightmares, panic attacks or dissociation. The mind can often heal itself naturally, in the same way the body does. Much of this natural coping mechanism occurs during sleep, particularly through the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.  EMDR utilises this natural process to effectively treat a wide range of mental health conditions.

EMDR involves recalling part of a memory, holding it together with any potential negative belief, emotion and sensations held in the body whilst bilateral stimulation of the brain occurs (through eye   movements or tapping on the knees or hands - your therapist will discuss this with you during the assessment).

With repeated sets of eye/hand movements, the memory tends to change in such a way that it loses its painful intensity and simply becomes a neutral memory of an event in the past. Other associated memories may also heal at the same time. This linking of related memories can lead to dramatic and rapid improvement in many aspects of your life. 

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What is EFT?

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EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) or “Tapping” is a body/mind approach that involves tapping with fingertips on acupuncture points on the hands, face and body while giving focused attention to uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.

When we are willing to face negative emotions like guilt, hurt, fear or anger while tapping (instead of trying to fight them or push them away), we can experience surprising relief. After just a few rounds of EFT tapping, for example, people often report feeling lighter, calmer and able to breathe more easily. When incorporated into therapy sessions it can also help address root problems and help make lasting changes.

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What is Trauma-Informed Yoga?

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Therapeutic yoga helps to increase clients’ body awareness and emotional regulation with no-touch somatic tools, and supports nervous system balance with polyvagal-informed breathing, movement and postures/shapes. This can be woven into sessions as appropriate, alongside complementary bodywork or positive touch therapy.

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Integrated Trauma Therapy sessions

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During the initial phase, a thorough assessment takes place and a treatment plan will be developed with you. The stabilisation phase then occurs, preparing the client and ensuring they are sufficiently ‘resourced’, which includes having adequate coping mechanisms, and the ability to self-regulate before proceeding to the treatment phase.
During the treatment phase, the therapist fully supports the client through the process, using agreed upon approaches and techniques, and the client is in control at all times. After sessions, the reprocessing and healing can often continue and you may be given homework exercises to further complement the treatments, e.g. you may be encouraged to engage in any activities you may have previously avoided. 

 

How many sessions do I need?

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Trauma therapy interventions are extremely effective treatment methods and has been found to have much quicker results than other therapies such as counselling or CBT, which often takes a minimum of 12 sessions or several months to have an effect. However, as with all therapies, there is no 'quick fix' and trauma therapy requires commitment and willingness to engage. 

In some cases results can be seen in as little as 2 or 3 sessions for a particular topic, however this may depend on the complexity of issues and how many topics a person wants to work on. On average a person may benefit from around 8 - 12 sessions. For complex PTSD or multiple goals to be worked on then more sessions may be required and this would be discussed at the start of your therapeutic journey.

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Prices:

Initial consultation    £50 (up to 60 minutes - meet and greet, brief overview of treatment processes and goals)

60 minute therapy session    £60 (recommended for stabilisation phase)

90 minute therapy session    £80 (recommended for treatment phase)

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