Trauma Counselling and PTSD Treatment in Newbury
Professional therapy for traumatic events, post-traumatic stress disorder, and complex trauma
Trauma can happen to anyone, from major traumatic events to seemingly smaller experiences that leave lasting mental health problems. Whether you're experiencing PTSD symptoms, anxiety, or feeling disconnected from life, I provide compassionate therapy to help you heal and reconnect at your own pace.
Understanding Trauma and Its Impact
Recognising Trauma in All Its Forms
Trauma counselling addresses the wide range of experiences that can cause psychological injury. While we often think of trauma as resulting from major events like war or accidents, traumatic experiences can also include childhood abuse, domestic violence, sudden loss, medical procedures, or even experiences of abandonment or neglect.
What matters isn't the size of the incident - it's the impact on your mental health. Just as physical injuries vary in severity regardless of the cause, trauma affects each person differently. Some people develop PTSD after experiencing or witnessing life-threatening events, while others may struggle with symptoms from experiences that seemed minor to others.
Research shows that trauma often sits at the core of many mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders, depression, and social difficulties. Your brain's natural response to traumatic events can create lasting changes in how you experience the world, leading to symptoms like intrusive memories, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, or feeling disconnected from yourself and others.
Recognising Trauma and PTSD Symptoms: When Professional Support Helps
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Common PTSD Symptoms
Post-traumatic stress disorder can develop after experiencing or witnessing traumatic events. You might experience intrusive memories, distressing dreams, flashbacks, or intense reactions to reminders. These symptoms represent your brain's attempt to protect you, but they can significantly impact your daily life.
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When Therapy Can Help
You might benefit from trauma therapy if you're experiencing persistent anxiety, depression, emotional numbness, or feeling disconnected from others. Many people find themselves avoiding places, people, or activities that remind them of their traumatic experience, which can severely limit their life.
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How Trauma Therapy Works
As an experienced therapist, I use evidence-based approaches to help you process traumatic experiences safely. Treatment focuses on grounding techniques, reconnecting with your support network, and gradually integrating difficult memories so they no longer control your life.
My Approach to Trauma and PTSD Treatment
Personalised Trauma Therapy Using the MyHill2Climb Approach
My trauma counselling approach recognises that healing happens in stages and cannot be rushed. The MyHill2Climb method provides a framework for understanding your journey from injury to recovery, honouring both the severity of your experience and your natural resilience.
The Treatment Process
Grounding and Stabilisation: Before we can address traumatic memories, we focus on helping you feel safe and grounded in the present moment. This might include breathing techniques, mindfulness practices, or outdoor therapy to reconnect with your environment.
Processing and Integration: Using tried and tested psychological therapy techniques, we work together to move traumatic memories from the front of your mind to their proper place in your life story. The goal isn't to forget what happened, but to reduce its power over your daily experience.
Reconnection and Moving Forward: Trauma often leaves people feeling isolated and disconnected. We work on rebuilding your relationships with others and with parts of yourself that may have been affected by your traumatic experience.
Individual and Flexible Treatment
Every person's trauma is different, so treatment must be tailored to your specific needs. Whether you're dealing with a single traumatic event or complex trauma from ongoing experiences, we'll work at a pace that feels safe and manageable for you.
The evidence shows that with appropriate support and treatment, people can recover from even severe traumatic experiences and go on to live fulfilling lives.
Ready to Begin Your Healing Journey?
If you’re struggling with trauma or PTSD symptoms and feel ready to seek professional support, I'm here to help. Contact me to discuss how my practice offering trauma therapy in Newbury can provide the understanding and treatment you need to reclaim your life.