Therapy for Trauma & PTSD
Counselling & Psychotherapy in London: Oxford Circus, Shoreditch and Wimbledon
Trauma can leave a lasting imprint on your mind, body and sense of self. Whether you have experienced a single overwhelming event or a prolonged period of difficulty, the effects of trauma can show up in ways that are confusing, distressing and hard to make sense of. If you are living with the aftermath of trauma, therapy can offer a safe, structured space to process what has happened and begin to reclaim a sense of safety and control.
Many people carry the effects of trauma for years without fully recognising it. You may not identify your experience as traumatic, particularly if it happened in childhood, within a relationship, or over a long period of time. But if you find yourself feeling constantly on edge, emotionally numb, easily triggered by certain situations or memories, or struggling to trust the people around you, trauma may be playing a role.
What Counts as Trauma
Trauma is not defined by the event itself, but by the impact it has had on you. What overwhelms one person may not overwhelm another, and your response to a difficult experience is shaped by a wide range of factors, including your age when it happened, the support available to you at the time, and your previous experiences of safety and connection. Common sources of trauma include:
- Physical, sexual or emotional abuse, whether in childhood or adulthood
- Neglect, particularly during childhood, where emotional or physical needs were consistently unmet
- Domestic violence or coercive control within intimate relationships
- Witnessing violence, accidents, or other distressing events
- Sudden loss or bereavement, especially when unexpected or accompanied by complicated circumstances
- Medical trauma, including serious illness, invasive procedures, or a difficult diagnosis
- Workplace bullying, harassment, or being subjected to sustained psychological pressure
- Racial trauma, discrimination, and the cumulative impact of systemic injustice
Recognising the Effects of Trauma
Trauma can affect you in ways that go far beyond the original experience. You may be living with symptoms that feel disconnected from anything specific, which can make it harder to recognise what is happening. Common effects include:
- Flashbacks, intrusive memories, or nightmares related to the traumatic experience
- Hypervigilance, a constant sense of being on alert or scanning for danger
- Emotional numbness, dissociation, or a feeling of being disconnected from yourself and others
- Difficulty regulating emotions, with sudden shifts between intense distress and shutdown
- Avoidance of people, places, or situations that remind you of the trauma
- Difficulties with trust, intimacy, or maintaining stable relationships
- Physical symptoms such as chronic pain, tension, fatigue, or digestive problems
My Approach to Trauma Therapy
Working with trauma requires care, patience, and a therapeutic approach that prioritises safety above all else. As a doctoral-level Counselling Psychologist with training in psychodynamic, humanistic and cognitive behavioural modalities, I am equipped to work with complex trauma presentations at a pace that feels manageable for you.
My relational approach means that the therapeutic relationship itself is central to the work. For many people who have experienced trauma, the very idea of trusting another person feels dangerous. Therapy offers an opportunity to experience a relationship that is consistent, boundaried and responsive to your needs, and this experience can be profoundly healing.
We will work together to understand how trauma has shaped your ways of relating to yourself and others, to develop strategies for managing distressing symptoms, and, when you are ready, to process the traumatic material itself. This is not rushed work. Healing from trauma is a gradual process, and I am committed to supporting you through it at whatever pace feels right.
Getting Support
If you think trauma may be affecting your life, reaching out is a brave and important step. I offer sessions in-person at my London practices in Oxford Circus, Shoreditch and Wimbledon, as well as online. A free 20-minute phone consultation is available if you would like to talk things through before committing to therapy.
You can contact me at [email protected] or call +44 (0)7930 348 294. Whatever you have been through, you do not have to face it alone.