Experiencing trauma is natural in life. We cannot always protect ourselves from events and actions and oftentimes, life is beyond our control. An initial reaction to the event or trauma – whether shock, fear or other emotional reaction – are natural. This then changes over time as the shock of the experience diminishes and is replaced with other emotions – such as sadness at the memory – and a deep learning. What should not happen, however, is for us to continue to experience the event or action as if it happened this moment – regardless of the amount of time that has relapsed.
We have worked with people that are still experiencing the immediate effects of traumatic events even many years after the event itself. This is a disordered response and it can be gently and naturally supported to detach the extreme emotion of the moment, from the memory of what happened.
We use sophisticated and contemporary therapeutic techniques to free people from re-experiencing, again and again, the event as if it is happening now. We teach the mechanisms that have created this situation in the first place and use our understanding of the emotional processes involved to allow the mind to move on from the experience and reflect upon it in its distant context.
Trauma and PTSD can be caused by any event or action and there is no ‘scale’ by which to measure the extremes of emotion. There is no event that could be compared to another and regarded as ‘more’ traumatic and we encourage people not to compare their own experiences with that of others – as this often prevents people from seeking help, imagining that their trauma is somehow ‘less’ than that of other people. In addition, the event or action may not have even happened to you – it may be something that you saw, or that someone else described to you. The trauma is equally as real in these circumstances, too.
Our techniques for overcoming trauma and breaking the patterns of ‘re-living’ the same events are fast and effective. We describe exactly what we will do and how it works. It’s painless, non-invasive and involves only talking in a very specialised structure. A great benefit of this technique is that our therapist does not need to know the detail of the trauma – and withholding details will not impair treatment in any way. Not having to speak about certain parts of the event are often a great comfort to clients who find it difficult to discuss what has happened.
If you are still suffering with an historic trauma or coping with PTSD, please contact us to talk, without obligation, about the support we can offer. Call us free on 0800 690 6366 and speak directly with our clinic team – the same people that will support you during treatment – about how we can support you beyond the pain and captivity of trauma.