Trauma Therapy in Putney, Farnham and Online
Some experiences are too much to take in at the time. They may be single events, such as an accident, an assault or a sudden loss. Others build up over years, through neglect, a frightening home or relationships in which you were not safe. Either way, what happened can stay with you long after it has ended. Trauma therapy offers a way to come to terms with it at a pace that feels manageable.
How Trauma Can Show Up
Trauma does not always look the way people expect. You may not even think of what happened to you as trauma. Its effects can include:
- Flashbacks, intrusive memories or nightmares
- Feeling constantly on edge, or easily startled
- Numbness, or feeling cut off from yourself or others
- Avoiding places, people or feelings that bring it back
- Shame, guilt or a sense that something is wrong with you
- Difficulty trusting others or feeling safe in relationships
A Psychodynamic Understanding of Trauma and PTSD
When something is overwhelming, the mind protects itself. It may push memories out of awareness, separate feelings from events, or stay braced for danger long after the danger has passed. These responses are not weaknesses. They helped you survive.
Over time, though, the same protections can begin to limit your life. Psychodynamic therapy helps you understand how past experiences continue to shape how you feel, relate and respond now. As those connections become clearer, they tend to lose some of their power.
How Therapy Can Help
Safety comes first. You will not be asked to go over painful memories before you are ready, or in more detail than feels right. Much of the work is building a steady, reliable relationship in which difficult experiences can gradually be thought about rather than relived.
For many people, trauma involved other people, so the relationship with a therapist can feel complicated at first. That is understandable, and it is part of what we work with, at your pace.
Therapy in Putney, Farnham and Online
I see clients in Putney on Thursdays and Fridays, in Farnham Monday to Wednesday, and online across the UK and internationally.
Take the First Step
If something here resonates, you are welcome to get in touch. We’ll start with a brief phone conversation, followed by an initial assessment to explore what you’re looking for and whether we’re a good fit.
